knitwise

Stock Taking...

I finally had the courage to take a dive in my wool stash and knitting library and make decisions...   We knitters are often impulsive buyers of yarns and patterns and if one wants to carrying on buying,  one has to make room...

Therefore,  I invite you to browse in my "Sale or swap" section in my right sidebar which has been updated and is threatening to overflow...  If you are interested, just leave a comment and I'll come back to you...

I have made a monumental effort in trying to knit from the stash as much as I can even so temptation is hard to resist sometimes...  It is why I have been concentrating on Martha with all my will-power.  I have started the left front which is a huge relief after the never-ending back...  When is the new Rowan due for publication???

Spring in the air...

2007 is starting rather slowly in knitting news for me...  One of the reasons is that we are in the middle of re-painting the kitchen which had the snow ball effect of further cleaning, de-cluttering and re-arranging things around...   The second reason is that I usually do all my knitting or sewing in the kitchen too!...

Not for me the comfy armchair in the lounge...  I like to sit on a hard chair with plenty of elbow room  (I told you I don't knit in a conventional way...) with plenty of natural light (the kitchen is south facing).

But Martha's back has managed to grow and is nearing the end... I can't wait to start the fronts...  Naturally with all this decorating going on,  I want to change many things to brighten the newly painted kitchen, starting with the curtains...  So I think I will have another dive in my fabric stash and give the sewing machine  a good dusting....   Is Spring already in the air???

Slow Progress...

The sun came out a few minutes to allow me to take a couple of pictures of what I have been up to since the Holidays.  Not very much!...  I have been too busy, and still is, de-cluttering the house (or trying to...)

Martha has got a completed sleeve and her back is past the increasing stage.  Being knitted in 4ply, it is not very fast growing but I love the Jaeger Baby Merino. I am already dreaming of knitting,  maybe,  the beaded version in also a bright shade with contrasting beads....

I have also started the Melon stitch stole featured on the cover of Victorian Lace Today, using some Kid Silk Haze I had in my stash.  As I am not certain to have enough yarn, I am doing the centre panel with 6 repeats instead of 7.  I have not achieved much as the light at the moment is so poor, but the pattern is easy to memorise and pleasurable to knit. The real challenge will be the knit-on border using dpns as I have never done anything like this before...

2007

A new year has started and I do hope it will be a good one for all of you !...

The tradition is to make resolutions but,  as I don't usually keep them, I'll pass this year...  I can only list a few things I would like to achieve, if given enough time,  like more sewing (I am planning a wall hanging for the "to be re-decorated hall") and  finishing Martha which is doing fine and which I still love knitting.  For the rest,  I will see what 2007 will bring  :  more  exciting patterns,  more yarns,  maybe some great swaps,  who knows what is round the corner?...

Father Christmas was good to me and brought me  Victorian Lace Today and what a gem it is!...  I must confess I couldn't resist casting-on something with some of my Kid Silk Haze.  But more about it later...  The children go back to school the day after tomorrow and life will soon find its gentle rhythm again. There will be more time... for everything...