Blogtober 2024 : Day 1
It’s October!!!!
We say “white rabbits” in our house at the start of a new month but you might say something different, and perhaps whether you have rabbits at all depends on the particular month … we’ve always avoided anything with pinching and punching as that’s just asking for trouble with small people in my opinion (despite this post suggesting it’s to do with a drink or witches), but oh my goodness, it’s that’s time of year again and October can only mean one thing on the blog … BLOGTOBER!
I LOVE Blogtober! It’s a challenge amongst bloggers that has been going for some years now where you post every day throughout October; some people like to work to a theme or to prompt lists but I tend to ramble on in my usual way for more days than usual in the month, so if you can cope with a daily dose of me, then you’re very welcome to join me! 🙂
You can get a taste of what’s to come through my Blogtober archive, and I also usually have a project on the go as well during October … previously I have learnt how to use a Shetland knitting belt and knitted a shawl (2021), I’ve updated my Split Mittens pattern to include more sizes (2022), and last year, I released my Hope Socks pattern which I designed for baby feet using the West Yorkshire Spinners ColourLab Future Dreams yarn that they developed to raise funds for the Future Dreams breast cancer charity. I’ve been donating £1 from the sale of each pattern to the charity and I’ve raised £147 so far which is £147 they wouldn’t have had otherwise, so thank you to you if you bought a copy!
This year’s project is still a bit of mystery, even to me!
I’ve been making a start on next year’s Winter Haven KAL socks (I’m going to be doing that in January, it’ll be lovely to have you join if you’d like to – it’s free and it’s a great way to start the year! 🙂 ) and this is all I can show you at the moment. No, this isn’t the sock. This, believe it or not, is my research into the pattern that I want to use. I know it doesn’t look like I’ve done much at all but I can assure you that this tube has offered me a lot of information!
So, finishing the pattern and knitting up these socks will be one of my projects but I will probably keep that secret for now … I still have my Kate Davies shawl to finish (I don’t think I’m going to be done by the official KAL (knitalong) cut off so it will get done eventually), and I want to finish my Polkacats jumper too. I was doing so well working on this over the summer when not so small daughter was away in Nepal but then she came back and we had all of the moving-to-university stuff to sort out, the jumper wasn’t quite the size I had expected and I worked a few more rounds of cats on the length but then needed to try it on and that was a faff … I am certain that you will know exactly what I mean when I tell you that I put it aside fully intending to pick it up again within a few days … and here we are in October! 🙂
Right then, I’m going to love you and leave you for today … I’ve been back to see the chiropractor after hurting my back a couple of weeks ago and she’s really pleased with how it’s recovering (I have been doing daily stretching, walking and my Tai Chi class helped enormously), but I am finding that I don’t want to sit down for too long, so I’m going to leave the computer alone for a bit now! Along with writing today’s post, I have finally got round to replying to all of your comments – I have so appreciated your company over the last couple of weeks – it’s so lovely to have these online conversations!
I’ll be back again tomorrow! xx
Great blog. Have fun and happy knitting. I have finished my Novelle Christmas socks. xxx
Oh brilliant! I hope you enjoyed knitting them! 🙂 xx
Why do you say “something” at the start of a month? I’ve never heard of this!
I don’t know! Perhaps it’s a British thing? 🙂 xx
We say White Rabbits too – but I completely forgot this morning, so thanks for the reminder. I’m looking forward to reading your Blogtober posts, thank you. Can’t wait to see your finished projects too.
Thank you … and I hope you remembered to say it before the day was out! 🙂 xx
So glad your back is on the mend, that’s such good news…..see you tomorrow my friend 🙂
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See you tomorrow … here’s to a fab month! 🙂 xx
Phew so glad you are joining in too. I thought I might just be me this year. After a year missing out on Blogtober I’m really looking forward to the challenge and seeing what everyone else is up to. I’m relying on you for all your lovely knitting expertise. Here we go! B x
We missed you last year so I’m glad you’re back too! I’m relying on YOU for gorgeous flower photos as you always seem to have better weather! 🙂 xx
October 1 here today (Canada) is overcast yet warm. Good day for doing a bit of crocheting and knitting toques and scarves plus enjoying a hot cup of coffee.
I look forward to reading your interesting daily chats, as I like hearing how other people spend their day.
Lee
That sounds like a perfect way to spend an overcast day! I guess it won’t be too long before it snows in your part of the world either! 🙂 xx
Looking forward to your blogs x
Thank you! Hope you’re keeping well! 🙂 xx
I’m doing the BHF Strong Woman challenge this month, a different exercise every day…and I’ve done today’s shoulder presses! And knitted a small squid (apart from the tentacles) from a King Cole pattern for a new granddaughter…so feeling v productive!
Oh that sounds like an excellent way to spend October, I hope you get on very well with it! I’m very impressed that you’ve knitted a squid, that sounds ace! 🙂 xx
After neglecting my blog for a long while I am going to try to post each day, partly to record the difficulties we have had over the past five or six weeks with our house and the stress it has given both of us.
However, blogging has become much more difficult, I have used Blogspot for many years, now on my iPad it seems impossible to download & use photographs from that iPad. Earlier blogs recorded the work done on our home, it has been so useful to have that information.
I have really enjoyed your tutorials never thought I would knit a a pair of socks! After much head scratching and un picking made a nice pair of socks, and was able to knit A a pair of trainer ones for my small granddaughter out of what was left of the yarn. It’s become quite an addictive hobby. Thank you
I’ve loved reading your blog , we say white rabbit too . (Well I do ).
I’ve been learning how to knit my first sock , I’ve managed the tube part and the heel turn I’ve made so many mistakes but learning from them .
I really like the idea of Tai Chi, I’m just not too sure I can cope with it in French, heavens knows what I should end up doing! I thought with heart problems it might well be a good thing for me to do, I can’t do my weights and gym work now, but at 77 that’s perhaps as well!
Well, it might as well be in French for me as I am just copying what the instructor and the others around me are doing – hooray for large mirrors! It’s definitely a good thing to keep yourself moving and as a spring chicken, you’ve got to keep yourself healthy for the many years ahead! 🙂 xx
I decided last year that I would sort out my deserted blog and join in on this year’s Blogtober….then I got a cancer diagnosis in March and life has been on hold since then. I’m 8 weeks out of hospital now after 4 months of treatment and just waiting for scan results to see if the chemo has been successful. So I’m putting my blog revival on hold again and planning on joining in 2025 Blogtober….and I’ll be following your daily posts instead 🙂
And I’ve done a tension swatch as the chemo has affected my little fingers and therefore my tension 🙁 so I’m feeling quite proud of myself to have started my next pair of socks ‘properly’ instead of just hoping they come out to size!!
Hello Caz, it’s lovely to hear from you again and I am sorry that you’ve had a difficult year. I will keep my fingers crossed that everything is how it should be now, and it’s good to know that you’re back knitting again. As for the blogging – it’s something that you can dip in and out of whenever you want to so never feel obliged to take part in something like this if you only feel like posting every now and again. I think blogs are a great way to remind ourselves of our own lives and progress so it may be something you’d like to do as you recover so you can see how far you’ve come xx
Sounds like a busy month ahead for you! As well as blogtober again this year, I’m also doing a photo a day challenge, and a walking fundraiser challenge. Looking forward to following along with your Blogtober adventures!
Goodness, that’ll keep you busy – but what a lot to blog about! 🙂 xx
Gosh, I’ve always wanted a Shetland knitting belt. Wish I could afford one! Lovely to be following your blogs again. I confess I’m not a sock knitter, although I have made a few, but along with gardening, knitting is my favourite pastime. Happy October 🍁🍂
I think I bought mine with a discount code so it wasn’t as expensive as it might have been, but you do have to keep your eye out for those. I think that socks are either your thing or they aren’t, but knitting should be for everyone! 🙂 xx