New Years Resolutions

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Originally uploaded by l.tilbrook

Just checking to see if this link still works. My new years resolution is to start blogging again and so I thought I would try to resolve the technical problems that I struggled with last time. I am too impatient for my own good and when a problem arises I am far more likely to wander off with some good knitting than I am to sit down and try to solve it (hmm - metaphor for life maybe?)

Anyway, armed with my lovely new netbook and a Flickr account I am good to go. Happy New Year and Happy New Project - Angee socks

Oh...fickle knitter

No sooner have I blogged about my obsession with a new Ysolda pattern, than another one arrives and now I want to knit that one as well.

The Scroll Lace Scarf/shawlette looks really beautiful and, at just 1 skein of sport/sock weight is much more achievable given my 'no new yarn until Christmas' vow.

Strangely enough, I didn't like the look of this shawl at all when it was featured in Yarn Forward. It may have been the colour it was knit in or the way it was styled, but I love the way people have pictured it in Ravelry - being wrapped around the neck like a scarf, rather than draped across the shoulders - shawl style.

Still, I have my finished shawl to gloat over and I'm desperately trying to keep startitis at bay - for the time being anyway!

Obsession

What is it about some knits that make us want to drop everything and cast on immediately?

My Christmas sock knitting is pretty boring (and that might have something to do with it) but ever since Ysolda's latest pattern from Whimsical Little Knits 2, hit my inbox I've been obsessed with casting on for it.

The Peaks Island Hood is an ingenious scarf/hood which can be worn a number of ways and features a couple of cute buttons too - ticks all the boxes so far. The only problem is that is calls for a particular type of worsted weight mohair/wool yarn and I don't have anything remotely suitable in my stash. I have plenty of aran weight yarn but it is all quite heavy and smooth - nothing that will give me that lovely fuzzy halo effect.

I have some NDS Caress Aran but sadly, nowhere near enough yardage, and I've learnt my lesson on that one.

Due to my recent stash buying excesses there's no way I can justify buying more yarn, especially this close to Christmas. Not sure that my boys would admire my yarn stash under the Christmas tree instead of eagerly anticipated presents.

No amount of stash searching will yield the required amount of aran-weight yarn so I shall have to give up and get back to my sock knitting - must resist - must resist...

Onwards...

I finished my 'October' pair of socks, with a day to spare, ready to add to the Christmas pile. One down, three more pairs to go.

I was very pleased with the Norfolk Ramblers in the end, although I abandoned the heel flap stated in the pattern and did my own usual 'eye of partridge' simply because I was on holiday at the time and not in the mood to learn anything new.

Hopefully my mother-in-law will like them, and I'll earn some brownie points!

Next pair of socks on the needles claim to produce a pair of mens socks which fit like a glove. Quite a claim, and so I'm determined to try them our for my father-in-law who loves handknit socks but is quite particular about the fit.

It wasn't until I'd downloaded the pattern, found the yarn and cast on for the Oliver socks,
that I read the pattern properly (forward planning was never my strong suit) and realised that these toe-down socks start with 8 inches of ribbing....eeek!

Still, I will persist in my strategy of doing 1 inch of a Christmas sock first, followed by some fun knitting for me. Onwards and upwards.

Motivation

Motivation for Christmas knitting is distinctly lacking I'm afraid. What is it about human nature that can turn an enjoyable knitting project into something that you avoid at all costs, just because you have labelled it a 'Christmas knit' and given it a deadline?

It's the same pair of socks as it was before. It's a pattern I quite like (not too boring, not too fancy) - Norfolk Ramblers; the yarn is a good dark shade of green and it should be progressing nicely.

Except that I find myself wanting to work on anything else, other than 'the christmas socks'. It doesn't help that I was desperate to cast on with the lovely Noro Kochoran which I bought recently.

I spent an indecent amount of time on Ravelry deciding how best to put this lovely yarn to good use, before deciding to cast on for a simple shawl and just accept that I may have to order an extra skein, if it comes up too small to be useful. The yarn is beautiful and the colours really remind me of my recent Lake District holiday. There is a lovely rusty-brown colour, reminiscent of bracken, merged with a smoky, cloudy grey lovely natural creamy-browns which keep reminding me of the smiley faces of Herdwick sheep.

The pattern is adapted from La-La's simple shawl and it's one of those very addictive knits you just don't want to put down.

So, for the moment I am compromising. My rule is that I must sit down and knit at least 1 pattern repeat of the socks before I can work on the shawl. So far so good...

Back to business

Is there anything more depressing than returning to the old routine after a really relaxing holiday? There's nothing wrong with our house, our village or our life, but it is just in the wrong place - about 300 miles too far south to be precise.

Even my knitting is feeling a little dull, with the long slog through several pairs of Christmas socks starting to feel more like a marathon than a sprint.

Never mind - I sought consolation in some lovely Noro Kochoran bought from the incomparable Beckside Yarns, near Settle on the outskirts of the Lake District.

Now, I'm no stranger to the inside of a yarn shop, but this place took my breath away. I had no idea that there was so much Noro in existance, not to mention the full range of beautiful Araucania yarns and many, many others.

My OH took the boys to feed the ducks for 10mins but this barely gave me time to catch my breath (being somewhat overcome by yarn fumes). So in the end I made a couple of impulse purchasing decisions and left, promising myself another visit just as soon as I can manage it.

There was some Regia sock yarn as well, but this is half-way through becoming a pair of socks and is in the car at present.

Anyway, should you find yourself passing J36 of the M6 it is definitely worth a visit - just persuade your other half to look the other way :)

Holiday hiatus

Apologies for the temporary lapse in transmission - I've just returned from a short holiday in England's beautiful Lake District.
Had a wonderful time (as relaxing as it can be with two small boys), saw lots of sheep, did some knitting...

... and found the most amazing yarn shop. Yes...really.

Stay tuned - will post all the details of my stash enhancement just as soon as I emerge from a huge laundry mountain and find where I put the camera