Winter Haven KAL 2021 round up

Hello!  How are you doing?  February has arrived and the Winter Haven KAL is over for this year, but I hope you have enjoyed it!

I’ve had such a lovely time with the Knitalong again, and it’s been fantastic to see your projects and havens too … just like last year, I thought we’d have one last post to share more of your photos and your thoughts.  Are you ready to see lots of photos?!

Shall we start with a last look at cosy Winter Haven spaces?

Andrea lives on a boat and I think that must be super-cosy at this time of year with the stove going!

Source: Andrea via Facebook

Sheila also lives on a boat and has a stove … her dog certainly appreciates it as well!  Many years ago we had a Border Collie who loved open fires and would get as close to it as he possibly could, even to the point that we could smell singeing fur!  Luckily, the dog we have now is less keen to toast himself although he does like to warm his toes from time to time!

Source: Sheila via Facebook

Hope has her cosy spot all set up … this was taken early on in the KAL as she’s finished her knee high socks now!

Source: Hope via Facebook

Judy has everything close to hand and that’s just what you need when you’re settling in for some serious self-care time!

Source: Judy via Facebook

Fiona has set up her haven all the way over the other side of the world in Australia, so it’s not so much of a Winter Haven there but a haven from the summer heat!  I think the best thing about our havens has been that they have been somewhere for us to sit down, to recover our thoughts and to restore ourselves so it doesn’t really matter what season it is as it’s important to do that at any time of year – it’s just been a Winter Haven KAL as it’s Winter here in the UK!

Fiona’s Brightside socks are coming on a treat – and will be ready for when the weather does go colder!

Source: Fiona via email

Source: Fiona via email

Jill has also got herself set up with everything close to hand, and that’s a very nifty storage unit she’s got there!

Source: Jill via Facebook

Katie has had the great idea of keeping everything on a tray!  I noticed more people saying this year that they found it harder to have a permanent Haven space as we’re all at home all the time, so keeping everything on a tray so that it’s moveable is certainly very sensible – and, of course, there’s somewhere to put your brew to0 – most important!

Source: Katie via Facebook

This is another view of Kerry’s space – we got to look out of her window in Week 3! – but I couldn’t resist showing you all her gorgeous candles … you can’t fail to be uplifted by being surrounded by so much light, can you?

Source: Kerry via Facebook

I think that Leigh’s candle is one of those with a wick that crackles – I had never seen those until a year or so ago and they fascinate me!  Not to mention that the candles smell lovely too, and that’s essential for your Haven space! 🙂

Source: Leigh via Facebook

Vanessa has herself set up so that she can see the birds in the garden.  That’s a lovely idea, there is something very calming, especially at the moment, about seeing that Nature is still following her regular path.

Source: Leigh via Facebook

I’m not sure what Jennifer has got in her mug but it looks very frothy and just the sort of thing to have in a Winter Haven!

Source: Jennifer via Facebook

Thank you for sharing your Winter Haven spaces with me – with us! – it’s been fantastic to see them all!

Quite a few people told me they didn’t want to give up their Havens after January, so if that’s you as well, why not keep it?  I think that if it’s a space that makes you feel better for being in it, then you need to hang onto it for a bit longer!

On to the projects now …

Well, there was a point when I really didn’t think I was going to manage it, but I finished my pair of Knee High Socks!  Phew!  I must admit that I was a bit tempted at one point to put them to one side as I’ve got other things to work on now (yes, that does mean something new coming later this year; no, I can’t tell you any more than that just yet – ooh, all these secrets – exciting but frustrating at the same time!), but I have made myself finish them as I was so close to the end and I knew that once they disappeared into the WIP pile, there was a good chance they’d never surface again!

I used up all of my yarn (Urth Yarns, Uneek Sock Kit) as I didn’t want anything left over to be hanging around as a tiny ball of yarn, and I only needed to add a little bit of contrast (Opal Uni 4ply in Navy Blue) to finish the toes.  You’d never have known that if I hadn’t told you … it really was very close!

The yarn was nice to knit with and the fabric feels lovely and smooth, but did get a bit splitty after I’d unravelled it a few times to make sure that I was going to be able to use it all up, so if you choose to use it, it’s something to be aware of – although hopefully you won’t end up unravelling as many times as I did!

There are a lot of photos coming up of your projects … I wanted to show as many as I could so you may need to get yourself a brew!

Amanda has been working on both socks at once in her cosy space … and she has a supervisor to make sure that she stays on track!  I’m quite sure they’ll get finished in record time!

Source: Amanda via Facebook

Irune has finished the socks that I showed you last week and has started on another pair for her husband … I don’t know about you, but I’ve found that I’ve been much more productive by actually sitting down and focussing on my knitting during my Winter Haven moments rather than snatching a few rounds here and there until it’s officially “sitting down time” (as our cat has decreed)!

Source: Irune via email

Wow!  Look at this pair of Easy Cable Socks!  They look fabulous in the Wildflower and Blackcurrant Bomb colours!  Jan, you’ve made a lovely job of your socks!

Source: Jan via Facebook

Jo finished her second pair of socks … those colours go so well together, don’t they?

Source: Jo via Facebook

Kathy’s Brightside socks are looking fabulous … I never get tired of seeing those happy colours!

Source: Kathy via Facebook

Laura made two pairs of socks during the Winter Haven KAL … a pair of Watercress Leaves socks in Wildflower yarn ….

Source: Laura via Facebook

and two more pairs for someone that she doesn’t know but who works as a police officer.  Such a kind gift, I know that lots of people have knitted for essential workers during lockdown and I can only imagine that their days are more comfortable wearing “proper” socks!

Source: Laura via Facebook

Linda made her first pair of Easy Cable socks.  She knitted this pair during the KAL and says,

“I am going to knit myself a pair of socks each month this year, so I can open my sock drawer each morning with a full heart, to a choice of snuggly, colourful socks. There is something about knowing and feeling that I am wearing something hand crafted which is just immensely pleasing. And a sock is the perfect item for being encased in that feeling everyday – everyday a fresh pair and as a making project they last just the right amount of time, long and involved enough for being invested, and yet not big enough to become a chore. You never seem to loose the magic with socks!”  I hope you don’t mind me sharing so much of your email, Linda, because I really couldn’t have put it better myself!

Source: Linda via email

Lisa knitted this pair of socks for her son but they were on his feet before she could take a photo – so she took the photo with the feet in them!  I think it’s always such a big compliment when someone wants to wear their socks straight away and doesn’t want to take them off!

Source: Lisa via Facebook

It’s been lovely to see so many pairs of Knee High Socks on the go – I know that long socks aren’t everybody’s choice but I’m glad that I’ve been able to create the pattern for those who do like them!

Karen finished her pair …

Source: Karen via Facebook

Magdalena was getting on really well with hers and may well have finished one if not both of them by now!

Source: Magdalena via Facebook

Mary has finished her first of her Knee Highs …

Source: @sweateredmary

and Jenny has finished her scrappy Knee Highs that we saw just starting off at the beginning of the KAL.  Don’t they look great?

Source: @jennyfibrecraft

Helen has also finished her pair …

Source: @helen.bailey13

and so has Leigh!

Source: Leigh via Facebook

Ruth has her yarn all ready to start her pair of Knee High Socks but has been waylaid by her husband’s request for his own pair of socks first!  I think it’s probably a good thing that he doesn’t want knee high socks himself!

Source: Ruth via email

Sue has finished one of her Dasher socks from the West Yorkshire Spinners Christmas pattern book and I am sure it won’t have taken her very long to finish the other one too!

Source: Sue via Facebook

Knitty-Cat, who has been on a roll this month with her projects, has finished her second pair of Split Mittens and has started on a third!

Source: @knittycatward

Source: @knittycatward

There have also been lots of pairs of Basic Socks, some of which have been very first pairs which has been fantastic!

Source: Anne via Facebook

Source: @simplylittlecraft

Source: @mrs_aedragonfly

Source @merry_makes

Source: maryfc.b

Source: @vlily001

The final photo for this year is Vanessa’s Comet sock – this was the free West Yorkshire Spinners Christmas 2020 pattern which you can download from the WYS website here.  It looks really lovely in the paler yarn that Vanessa has chosen; you can really see the pattern stand out.

Source: Vanessa via Facebook

Ah, it’s a shame to have come to the end of the photos!

I do hope you enjoyed seeing them all, and I hope that if you joined in with the Winter Haven KAL this year, you were able to appreciate some time for yourself!

Thank you very much for being part of the KAL with me, it’s been lovely to feel that sense of connection throughout January again and I have really appreciated you getting in touch with me to let me know how you’re getting on.  I’m up for it again next year if you are … what do you think? xx

 

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5 Responses

  1. Catherine says:

    Thanks for such a great blog and for inspiring the winter haven 2021!

  2. Melinda says:

    Loved looking at and reading about all the projects!

  3. CW56 says:

    Yes definitely. It’s so interesting to see what everyone else does too.

  4. Helen Year One says:

    Thank you for including my socks that have now been blocked and are ready for the cold week ahead! Helen x

  5. selina says:

    loved seeing every ones socks!
    have cast on the Easy Cable socks too, still going with the ripple but not happy with it as it isn't doing what i hoped (no ripples) cos it is only gradient, might wait til i get another lot of stripe yarn later
    just down loaded the watercress pattern, so might do a pair in that too!
    so many wonderful little cozy havens, i hope they keep using them through out the year/seasons, i do as it's my lounge atm.
    aww i hope we get to see more completed socks, love looking at what others make
    stay warm & cozy
    thanx for sharing

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