One of the things I've started trying to do with the kids is to teach them interesting words. So for the last few weeks we have had a word of the week, with a challenge to use it somewhere in their work at school. Last week's word was actually a pair of words: optimist and pessimist. And these words seem particularly apt to me as I have been thinking of what I would like to knit over the holidays...
Read moreTo fix, or not to fix...
I've been thinking about mistakes in my knitting. And making a few mistakes in my knitting. And spending a lot of time musing on where the cut-off point is between living with an error, and investing some time in fixing it.
Read moreSome knitting time...
While we were away in Shetland I had some stretches of time entirely devoted to knitting. I can't tell you what a treat that was!
Before we left I was able to get the Hyacinthus armwarmers finished off, and into the grabby hands of their new owner. :D I literally wove in the ends just before we got in the car to drive to the airport!
Read moreYarn bossing
Do you happily knit from the ball, taking the yarn as it comes? Or are you more of a yarn bosser? Do you look at the colours in a ball of gradient yarn, and decide where you want to start, or move things along a bit if you're getting bored of a particular colour? Or are you one of those people who cuts out the dissonant shade in a ball of Noro?
Read moreRomi giveaway winner!
On the needles
As I mentioned last week, much of what I'm knitting at the moment needs to stay under wraps for a while longer, which doesn't make for exciting chat here on the blog. But I do have a few projects that have advanced somewhat since my last round up of projects. If you click on any of the images in this post, it will take you to my Ravelry pages, where you will find needle and yarn information and all the cool technical details you may require!
Read moreA few missing FOs
One of the things I love about reading knitting blogs, is coming across new yarns and patterns to lust over. There are never enough knitting hours in the day for all the projects I wish I could make, but that never seems to stop me from adding yet another beautiful design to my queue.
Unfortunately most of what I'm working on at the moment is for the book, so I can't share it just yet... But I've realised that I have finished a few things since I last did a round up of what I was working on (way back in November - where did those weeks go to??). If you click on any of the photos it will take you over to my Ravelry pages, where you can get all the details on patterns, yarn and needles and so on - just in case you feel inspired to add to your queue!
Read moreThe state of the WIPs (or how it all got out of hand...)
Ahem. There seems to have been something of a proliferation of projects on the go at Arnall-Culliford Towers. It has nothing at all to do with the season. No, nothing at all.
Without further preamble, here's the first out of the massive bag of half-done-stuff:
Read moreI've Always Wanted To Make A.......
Is there something you’ve always wanted to make, or perhaps a technique you’ve always wanted to try, but have never had the courage to give it a go? What if there was someone else doing the same thing at the same time so you could muddle through together?
Jen has always wanted to make a Pinglewin.
Through November, we’re challenging you to dig out the discarded, the never started, or the vague notion that never materialised into a plan and make something. It doesn’t have to be knitted (whisper that bit quietly), nor should you feel the pressure to finish a project inside a month. The aim is to get you going, even if you end up discarding the project again, although I hope you won’t. There will be a randomly selected prizewinner at the beginning of December.
If I've piqued your interest, there's a Ravelry thread set up for this MAL (it's for making, not just knitting) so you can let everyone know what you'd like to do before the start of November. The idea is that you're not working on your own, but that you'll find someone else with a desire to do something similar so that you can buddy up and cheerlead each other.
So if you’ve never tried stranded colourwork, but always wanted to, or if you have an unopened sewing pattern bought in a fit of optimism, now is the time to say so. I’m sure you won’t be alone.
Please tag your projects #alwayswantedtomake and post to the thread what you’ve always wanted to make. Obviously you shouldn’t set up a Ravelry project page for things that aren’t yarn related, but do post lots of photos on the thread.
The State of the WIPs/FOs
It feels like a long time since I last updated what I've been making, but I've been busily working away, and the pile of WIPs has diminished significantly. So without further ado, here they are:
My Islay cardigan (pattern by Gudrun Johnston) is complete!
I'm really thrilled with how it has turned out. I added about 2 inches to the body length as I'm fairly tall (5ft 9in), and also continued the garter stitch "seams" down the arms, in the same way as they are worked on the body. Apart from those two small mods, I've knitted exactly as per the pattern. I used just over 10 skeins of gorgeous Buachaille yarn in Between Weathers, and I'm really pleased with how well this yarn works for Islay. It's such a smooth st st fabric, and the lace and ribbing pops really nicely too.
I had a dilema over which buttons to use for this cardi, and my cheeky side really fancied some red octopus buttons that I've had in my stash for a while. In the end though, they didn't sit nicely on the i-cord edging, so I went for these elegant fretwork buttons instead, and I'm delighted with how they look! I shall just have to knit another cardi for the octopi!
I have also finished my Pawkie mitts (designed by Kate Davies) from the Seven Skeins Club that ran before Christmas last year. I finished one mitt back then, but the bag languished waiting for its partner.
These are also knitted in Buachaille Between Weathers, this time with a Ptarmigan contrast. I'm really pleased with them, and I'm sure they will get plenty of wear in the office on chilly days this winter.
And last but not least in the FO parade is my Fractal Danger shawl (designed by Martina Behm).
I so enjoyed making this! I completed it as part of the Summer Strickmich Showdown in Martina's Ravelry group (though as a moderator I'm sadly not eligible for the wonderful prizes!). If you have a pattern by Martina on your needles, or fancy making one during August, then do head over to her group and join the fun!
I used a sushi sock roll from Easy Knits that I've had sitting around for far too long! And I'm really happy with how well it showcases the lovely construction of this shawl/scarf. This is another accessory that will get a lot of wear once the weather turns colder.
That's it for FOs, and I'm down to just two WIPs... My Golden Wheat shawl (yes, I know, yawn... one day I'll pick it up again!), and my Alfrick socks. Looking over at the project page for the Humungous shawl, I last worked on it on a car drive to Chester, and funnily enough we are off to Chester at the end of next week. So who knows? Perhaps I'll dust it off and work a repeat of two. My socks are coming along well too. I've finished the colourwork on the leg of the second sock and I'm ready to start the heel, so look out for finished socks before too long as well.
Whilst I love having a nice choice of projects to work on (and it's always good to have a portable, easy project alongside something larger or more tricky...) I also reach a point where I need to clear the decks. And that's the place I've been for the last few weeks. It's possibly the end of the school year that does it. I need to sort out my spaces and declutter. The same goes for my knitting projects and I'm eagerly anticipating my next few projects - a Harewood Hap and possibly Knitter's DNA. Both gorgeous designs and I've got the perfect yarn just waiting...
What are you working on over the summer?