Winter Haven KAL 2025 – Week 2

Hello to you!  It’s week 2 of the Winter Haven KAL and we’re half way through January!

Thank you to everyone who has been in touch through the blog comments, on social media or by email – it’s been great to hear from you and I’m so pleased that you’re joining in with the KAL!

I’ve thoroughly enjoyed seeing so many posts on Facebook and Instagram (you can find them using the hashtag #WinterHavenKAL – don’t forget to add yours!) and what’s been really lovely is that the posts are encouraging more people to join in who didn’t think they wanted to be part of a KAL!  Yes, of course I want the whole world to knit my socks patterns 🙂 ,  but just as important is making sure that we try to rest and recharge too, so the more people we can encourage to do that, the better!

I think what helps is that this knit-along is very flexible, especially as I’ve got more patterns for you to choose from these days alongside the Basic 4ply Socks and this year’s Trailblazer Socks pattern, and as your Haven will probably be a space in your house then you haven’t got to leave it to go anywhere else, which makes it much easier to take a few moments for yourself.  If you’re new to the Winter Haven KAL, it started last Friday and there’s still time to find yourself a cosy space, pick up a WIP or start a new project, and join in.  The first post which tells you all about the KAL and how it works is here.

Every year, I get emails from people who say that January is a difficult month for them for a variety of reasons and now in it’s 6th year, the Winter Haven KAL is a good reminder that they (and you) are not alone.  We might sit on our own in our Haven spaces but we are still connected and this is one of those time when social media in any form can actually help and we can all feel part of something bigger.  I didn’t plan the KAL like this deliberately in the beginning but I think it’s brilliant the way that it’s worked out like this.

This week, I’m going to talk a bit about what I’ve been doing, but I’m also going to show you what others have been doing as well – I love that we are all taking part in this KAL together!

🕯 My space

Here’s my space this week – right in front of the fire!  Week 2’s candle has been lit and I’ve got a brew this week rather than a glass of wine … got some knitting to do!  Yes, that is a new project and you can read more about it further down the page!

It’s been great to read about your cosy spaces … I’m terribly nosey and I do like to see where you sit and knit! 🙂  Would you like to see some other Winter Haven spaces too?  I’ve got to tell you that it’s been brilliant to see so many photos – they’re in the Winwick Mum Knit n Natter Facebook group and Instagram if you use social media (#WinterHavenKAL) and I’ve had some sent to me by email too, so don’t worry if you wanted to be part of the blog post and don’t use social media – there’s always a way you can get hold of me! 🙂

I’m going to space the photos out over the weeks so that the posts don’t get too long so if you don’t see yours today, it will probably be in a later post.

Our first photo today is from Anne and that looks like a super-cosy setup to me!  I’m also very impressed to see that there’s a Project Super Socks book there as that tells me there are lots of socks planned for the future and I am always up for seeing that! 🙂

Source: Anne via Facebook

One of the things I really like about the Winter Haven KAL is that I pick up lots of ideas for books to read!  I don’t read many novels these days but I do like to keep an eye on what other people are reading.  Irune is obviously a keen crocheter as well – that’s the Attic24 Sweet Pea blanket over her chair in Irune’s own lovely colourway.  I love it when all the crafts come together!

Source: Irune via email

Look at Julie’s huge cosy armchair!  Oh my goodness, that’s a seriously cosy space and it looks like Julie has everything she needs all within easy reach.  I see she has a Muud Saturn bag just like mine, too!

Source: Julie via Facebook

Katherine decided that her Haven Space was going to travel with her when she went out with friends and spent the evening in good company with her knitting.  What a lovely idea!  This knit-along is about making time for yourself so whilst I encourage everyone to have a space in their house where they can have a few minutes to themselves, taking yourself out of the house to do something that you enjoy (especially if you can take your knitting!) is absolutely the spirit of the KAL!

Source: @crochetforcalm79 via Instagram

Thank you for showing me (and us all!) your photos – I’ll have some more for you next week!

🕯 Project

How have you been getting on with your projects?

I know that this year’s pattern, the Trailblazer Socks, won’t be for everyone but there are plenty of other Winwick Mum patterns for you to choose from.  Some of them are for West Yorkshire Spinners and other places but they still count as a Winwick Mum pattern which you can use for the KAL 🙂   I’ve lost count of the number a bit, but I think it’s around 70 patterns that I’ve designed now so there are a good few to choose from – and that’s not including shawls, cowls and mittens which you’ll also find on the Patterns and Printables page.

My project for this year is has been to finish not so small daughter and her boyfriend’s Christmas socks … so of course this week I have cast on a new pair of socks!  Last week, I showed you the new West Yorkshire Spinners Wool Revival yarn and I have been itching to know how it knits up.

It knits up very well!  I’ve used my Basic 8ply (DK) Socks pattern with a contrast heel and toe, and I’ve added a stripe of colourwork at the top just because I can.  I’ve just alternated the colours for 5 rounds, it’s nothing complicated, but I like the way it breaks up the blue.  The colours I am using are Glacier (blue) and Thistle (pink).  The colour is a bit more accurate in this photo, the light makes it a slightly different shade of blue in the photo above.

I should probably get on with the Film Reel Socks for the belated Christmas presents this week …

Shall we have a look at some of your projects now?  Thank you so much for sharing them on social media, it’s been lovely to see them all!

To take part in the Winter Haven KAL, you just need to use Winwick Mum yarn and/or a Winwick Mum pattern and it’s been great to see your choices!

First up, all the Trailblazer Socks on the needles!  If you are knitting a pair at the moment, please do check the Errata in case you’ve missed the info about the pattern updates that I’ve sent out since the pattern was first released.  If you’re brand new to the pattern and are just downloading it now, you’re good to go 🙂

Source: L-R top – Andrea via Facebook; @imogen.knitting.crochet via Instagram; bottom – Amanda via Facebook; Caz via Facebook

I always love to see the yarns that you choose to make my patterns! Caz has chosen Spring Green, but the other choices are completely different and I can’t wait to see how the socks turn out.  Amanda is using her own hand-dyed yarn (bottom left) and I’m looking forward to seeing her progress!

Source: L-R top – Betty via Facebook, Bernadette via Facebook; bottom – Christine via Facebook, Hilary via Facebook

Betty has already finished a pair of Easy Cable Socks and is now onto her pair of Trailblazer.  Christine (bottom left) has chosen Wildflower for her pair and I am liking the look of that very much!  Bernadette and Hilary are using different yarns but they both look great!  The moving panel really stands out with Hilary’s yarn, doesn’t it?

Source: L-R top – Sue via Facebook; Julie via Facebook; bottom – Lisa via Facebook; Gina via Facebook

Sue is also using Wildflower and underneath her photo, Lisa has chosen Seascape.  I love the look of that too!  Julie’s yarn has very definite colour blocks so it’ll be interesting to see how that turns out as she goes along, and Gina is use WYS Robin.

There are more patterns on the go for the knit-along too!

Jo and Shelley have both chosen to knit the Thoughtful Cowl pattern (which has reminded me that I have one of those in a project bag – I must get it out and finish it!).

Source: @jojotwinkletoes and @shelley.string via Instagram

There are pairs of Treasure Socks which was last year’s Winter Haven KAL pattern …

Source: L-R top – Alexandra via Facebook, Jenni via Facebook; bottom – Alison via Facebook, Catherine via Facebook

Every time I see this pattern knitted up, I fall in love with it all over again!  I just love all the colour combinations and those magic stripes along the sole of the foot!

One more collage of projects on the go … I’ve got so many photos but we’d be here all day! 🙂

Source: L-R top – Katie via Facebook, Chris via Facebook; bottom – Mary via Facebook, Tina via Facebook

On the needles here are Katie’s Basic 8ply (DK) Socks.  She’s knitting them both at the same time on two separate needles which is a great way to stop the Second Sock Syndrome!  Chris is knitting a pair of Easy Lace Socks and they’re looking lovely in that bright yarn!  On the bottom row are Mary’s Boxy Rib Socks which are all set to go, and Tina’s Split Mittens – always a popular choice at this time of year!

Finally, because the Winter Haven KAL is such a good time to start a first pair of socks, here’s Denise’s pair.  She’s made a great start on the cuff and is using Super Socks (Amazon link), the book of the online Sockalong tutorials (set out by needle type rather than sock section, big enough to prop open with your brew 🙂 ) and I’m sure it won’t be long before she’s got her first sock finished!

Source: Denise via Facebook

Do tag me into your photos, or email if that’s easier as I love to see what you’re working on. More project photos to come next week!

🕯 Something green

More flowers for me this week as the ones that I showed you last week were past their best.  I often buy the discounted bunches at the supermarket as I’ve found that they last just as long as the full price ones, especially if I avoid roses which don’t seem to last long at all.  It feels like a more economical way to have lovely flowers every week!

I noticed in the garden this morning that the snowdrops are starting to peep up above the ground and I’ve got some bulbs for “proper” English bluebells so I should really get those potted up as it won’t be long before spring is here!  I’m not being too anxious for it to arrive, though – it’s still officially winter time and although there will be plenty for me to do in the garden, I’m focussing on resting this month!

🕯 Light it up!

I found another candle!  This isn’t a scented one but I like that it’s so tall and I’ve enjoyed having it lit beside me whilst I’ve been reading.  I’ve used up the Christmas candle that big daughter bought me and although I’m a little sad that it’s finished, I really appreciated the citrus Christmas smell of it whilst it was burning.  I’ve been using up odds and ends of wax melts in my burner this week and it’s been nice to revisit some of those smells.  Scent is very evocative, isn’t it?  I don’t need much of an excuse to light tea lights but this has been a good opportunity for me to think about the candles and wax melts I have, and I have appreciated it this week.

🕯 Listen up!

What have you been listening to this week?

It’s been Einaudi for me.  I have long-loved Ludovico Einaudi’s piano music, have played some of it myself at my piano lessons and it’s hard to remember a time now when it wasn’t on one of my playlists somewhere.  I’m listening to it now, in fact, whilst I write this blog post!  “I Giorni” is the album of choice this morning 🙂

I’ve also been listening to some podcasts about the upcoming Chinese New Year (it’s the Year of the Yin Wood Snake next year) and that’s been really interesting.

🕯 Self-care

I don’t know about you, but this is hardest part of the Winter Haven KAL for me this year!  I’m so used to buzzing about and doing stuff that it’s really hard for me to switch off, even when I would much rather be sitting and knitting than whatever else I am doing!

I had a really good conversation with my husband about it over the weekend.  We’re both still getting used to the space left by not so small daughter when she want to uni and we often talk about how we are changing to live with our new family shape which has to be more flexible now as the girls come and go.  As a result of our conversation, during which it occurred to me that I am continuing to work long after I should as a distraction, I am setting myself a very definite “clocking off” time to stop working.  If I was based in an office, my computer would be shut off at 5.30pm and I’d be on my way home, but as I work at home I find it much harder to do that.  What is essentially flexible working for me has become very blurred lines between work and non-work and my self-care for this week has been to try to un-blur those lines a little.

I was surprised to find that it’s really not been easy!  I have been twitching at the thought of leaving work undone instead of continuing into the evening to get things finished and that seems crazy – you’d have thought I’d be glad of the reason to stop!  Anyway, I am sticking with it and this clocking off idea has given me more time to read, and that’s no bad thing.  I finished the Jenny Colgan book really quickly and big daughter is reading it now.  I haven’t finished the sleep book I had started last week, but after finishing the novel, I moved onto The Mountain is You by Brianna Wiest (Amazon link).

Goodness, what an interesting book!  It’s about how we self-sabotage ourselves and I am so enjoying reading it – it’s not too technical and I’ve found myself going, “Oh yes, that makes sense!” more than a few times.  I’ve actually had trouble putting the book down and that’s always the sign of a good read, isn’t it?

I’m very pleased that I’ve managed to read so much this week and I will continue my “clocking off” next week even though it does feel very uncomfortable to do that.  Interestingly, the book mentions about how change makes us uncomfortable even when we know it’s for a positive reason and I’ve found that very helpful, so it was obviously the right time to be reading it!

🕯 Thank you

This week, I have been grateful for that conversation with my husband as I have had more time to sit and read and knit (I’m not sure my chiropractor would agree that’s better, and after seeing her yesterday I have a new exercise to do to loosen up the muscles in my back and shoulders!).

I’ve also been grateful for Sarah, our vet who absolutely understands our still-cheeky doggy boy and was full of good advice and information on helping him as he gets older when we went for his health check this week.  He’s going to be 14 this year and that’s a big age for a big dog so we want to do whatever we can to make sure that his days are of as high quality as they can be.  After our visit, we went to the woods and he loved splashing in the brook – I bet it was cold, though, after the snow had melted!  The sun was low, it had been misty all day and it was a moment to breathe … and be grateful.

Thank you for being part of the KAL with me this week, I have so enjoyed having you be here with me!  Don’t forget to keep tagging me into your posts if you’re on social so that I can have a nosey into your cosy spaces and see your projects – the hashtag is #WinterHavenKAL.  If you don’t use social media and you’d like to email instead, please do that – I love to see ALLLL the photos!

I hope you have a wonderful week in your Winter Haven – see you next Friday! xx