Decisions, decisions

Since my knitting mojo came back at full-strength and I've cleared a few larger projects, I've been hankering to go on a stash-busting project-starting frenzy. I've already started a few projects:

Pretty Thing by Stephanie Pearl-McPhee, using Orkney St Magnus DK (to match my Rose Red beret from last winter).

House Colours Scarf (a simple 2x2 rib with skinny stripes) using the latest installment of the Old Maiden Aunt yarn club for the Resident Radiologist.

Little Sister's Dress by Tora Froseth, using RYC cash cotton 4 ply (left-over from my Apres Surf Hoodie).

In addition to starting this last one, I've actually finished all of the knitting and just need to make a desicion about buttons before I crochet the neck edging and buttonhole loops.

This morning, in what passes for good light in Glasgow in the winter, I got out my button box and had a good search through...

I have a few choices - the mother of pearl buttons are lovely with the yarn and are my favorites, but I doubt that they'll stand up to repeated machine-washing. The mock-horn one looks good and would wash well, but I can only fine one and I need at least two. The ceramic ones on the card strip look great colour-wise but like the shell ones, I doubt they'll wash well, so I think I'm going for the sensible choice, the small pearly white ones that look fine and will wash well...

Next up - the decision for what to cast on now... My Ravelry queue tells me that Better-than-booties Baby Socks by Anne Budd, Entomology by Laura Nelkin and Baby Berry Hat by Michele Sabatier are all in the running and I have the yarn in stash, but I just can't decide!

Aeolian Resurrected

According to my Ravelry entry, I started Aeolian way back in June... I flew through the bulk of the knitting, then four rows from the end, I ran out of yarn (I was using the left-overs from my MIL's Hanami wrap).

From then until a week and a half ago, my Aeolian has languished, unloved in a plastic bag in my project box, with its needles, beads and tiny crochet hook. More than once, I considered frogging it and knitting something else and the only thing that stopped me was the idea of the beads pinging all over the place when I was ripping out!

The light at the end of the tunnel came in the form of a Fyberspates Trunk Show at K1 Yarns in Glasgow a couple of Saturdays back. Jen brought a huge pile of beautiful stock with her and in the boxes, I found the perfect skein of Scrumptious Lace.

Fyberspates Scrumptious Lace in Autumn Hedgerow colourway.

I hadn't wanted to buy another skein of the original Charcoal colourway because what would I do with another almost 1km of grey laceweight? Autumn Hedgerow fitted the bill perfectly though, as it contains small patches of charcoal in amoungst the autumn russets, so it complemented what I already had beautifully, whilst leaving me with almost a skein of something completely different.

The knitting was quickly completed, and blocking was immediate.

Yesterday evening I wove in the ends and I'm wearing it today. Yipeee...

Details:

Pattern is Aeolian by Elizabeth Freeman, published in Knitty Spring 2009.
Yarn is Fyberspates Scrumptious Lace in Charcoal and Autumn Hedgerow colourways.
Needles used were 3.25mm throughout (Addi Lace, 100cm).
I made the small version of the pattern.

Zoom

Wow - this baby blanket just knitted itself! I laid out the cotton for it last weekend, as soon as I'd finished the Resident Radiologist's jumper, and before I knew it, I was three colour repeats in... I finished it in just over a week.

The yarn is Cookies and Creme from the Pisgah Yarn Company in the states. I've read about it on many blogs (especially Mason Dixon Knitting) but for some reason, had assumed that it might be a little hard on the hands for knitting with, especially before it was washed. I was wrong. It was beautifully soft from the off, and not at all splitty like some cottons are. I've got loads of each colour left over so can knit lots of other colourful baby bits and pieces.

Details:

The pattern is the Rainbow Chain Carriage Blanket by Erika Flory, published in Knotions. Slightly annoyingly, the pattern as written (even with the erratum included) does not make the blanket shown in the published photograph. There is a white stripe between colours, as written, which changes the colour flow and balance a bit, but it's still a lovely pattern.

The yarn is Peaches and Creme worsted weight cotton, available here in the UK.

I used a 4.5mm circular needle throughout.

I made no changes to the pattern as written (with erratum).

The finished blanket is quite small, perfect for a new baby, over a car seat and eventually as a comfort blanket.

Ta Daaaa

The finished, blocked and woven-in article.

This first photo shows the detail better...

while the colour is better in this one.

Details:

The pattern is Cobblestone by Jared Flood, published in Interweave Knits.
The yarn is New Lanark 100% wool aran in the colourway 'denim'.
I used 2 long 4.5mm circular needles throughout.
I made no modifications to the pattern as written!
I knitted the smallest size, but with my gauge and the fact that this yarn really relaxes when blocked, it came out at approximately 42" chest with 2-3" positive ease.

It fits the resident radiologist perfectly and he's even mentioned the possibility of wearing it to work so he must like it!

See-saw

Just as my knitting takes off, my blogging grinds to a halt. The light has been so bad lately that I've not been able to take photos, and it would seem that photos are what inspire me to blog. I've got a few days off work starting this afternoon, so hopefully I'll be able to get some day-time shots.

I've mostly finished the Resident Radiologist's Cobblestone Pullover. It has had it's underarms grafted and a soak in the bath. All that awaits is for it to dry out completely for a final try-on, weave in the ends and it's done.

In the mean-time I've been flying through the rainbow blanket. I've finished 4 colour repeats out of 14. The Pisgah Peaches and Creme is lovely to knit with, much softer than I'd anticipated, and I've got loads of each colour left over so the baby might be on the receiving end of a few more multi-coloured cotton items.

I've also been on Ravelry, downloading patterns like a mad thing. The need to knit has just hit me in a big way again, so watch this space as they say...

The carrot that's keeping me going.

I'm still knitting away on the cobblestone pullover for the Resident Radiologist - I'm about 3/4 of the way up the yoke. It's been a fairly tough slog, yards and yards of navy blue yarn, but here's what's waiting for me at the finish line...

The Rainbow Chain Carriage Blanket by Erika Flory. The yarn is waiting patiently in the stash, I just need to finish a few more inches of blue garter stitch, kitchener stitch the underarms and give the whole jumper a good blocking (it currently fits neatly, so I'm hoping that it will relax by about an inch or two in circumference)...

Unexpected Visitor

I was sitting in the dining room finishing my breakfast this morning when I heard some soot dropping down the chimney. This occasionally happens, so I didn't worry too much until I heard a LOT more, followed by a scrabbling. The next thing I knew, a beak appeared from the grate and this little chap appeared. I think it was a starling.


He flew round the dining room. trying to get throught the double glazed window, then settled down to eat a bit of my orchid compost.

Then he moved into the kitchen, where I had the door already open and waiting, but he totally ignored the door and hopped around, trying out my cereal left-overs, the drying rack and the bread board...

before settling on the tap.

Finally it noticed the gaping doorway and flew off!