Lent was long...

So when they said it couldn't be done, I knew that it would be. I would give up knitting for Lent. All of Lent, even the days that don't really count (Sundays, Good Friday and Easter Saturday). Yep, that's right. Me...not...knitting. At first it seemed easy and somewhat refreshing, a relief from the self-imposed pressure of completing projects in the shortest possible time. Crochet, sewing and dyeing could provide creative outlets, and if all else failed there was always housework. 


Indeed there was some highly successful crochet

Sewing...

and dyeing...

as well as quite a lot of spinning.

Now although I love all those crafts, I hadn't realised quite how much I love knitting and how much I would miss the effect it has on my brain. Whether it's the repetitive nature of it, or the counting, or the following a pattern I'm not sure. Crocheting amigurimi (animals made up of a simple stitch) was the nearest thing I found.

I'm not one to give up on things (!) so I didn't actually lapse at all. The nearest I got was when un-knitting a hat for a fellow K1S2 knitter, it would have been very easy to knit a few stitches in the guise of 'nursing' - after all, this was permitted for the sake of my fellow knitters. I am pleased to say I resisted.

Easter Sunday approached. What to knit? Something simple, something complicated, something old, something new (or borrowed, or blue for that matter). The observation that the number of UK servicemen killed in the Falklands conflict (255) had only two factors (15 and 17) to which my knitterly mind said 'blanket' had set in train an idea for a commemorative project. Fairfield Mill had yielded some rough military green and khaki yarn...perfect. So it seemed appropriate to begin afresh with a swatch for the blanket.

The moment arrived, and although I had wondered whether I would have forgotten how to knit, my worries were unfounded. Casting on was like returning to a much loved and comfy sofa after a long and difficult journey. Soon I was surrounded by stitch dictionaries, debating the merits of granite ridge or nubbly moss. More about the blanket next time.

Excitement...

And then there were three...designs of mine on Ravelry! The second was a man's tank top, and the third is Scoresby, a lacy shrug. It's made as two sleeves which are then grafted together, stitches are picked up around the opening to make a ribbed collar, and a lacy edging sets it all off nicely. It uses about 600m of 4-ply (fingering weight) yarn, e.g. Jamieson's Spindrift. So far I've been delighted with the response to it, so much so that I'm planning to make another sample in a different colour and get some better photos done. In the meantime, it looks like this:

Yours for the princely sum of £2.80 via Ravelry here...


Yes, shameless advertising I know, but I think my own blog is probably about the only place I can get away with that! Oh, and apparently I'm in the local paper, having been interviewed a couple of weeks ago about Knit1Sip2. Yet to read it myself though...

The world is my oyster...

So I finally got a design on Ravelry to celebrate my 3rd Raviversary. By coincidence, the same week that Ravelry got its millionth user. Wow. I can make a design and by the power and wonder that is t'internet, it can be available to a million other fibre freaks. I don't have a word to describe that, very very exciting doesn't come close. The next pattern is in progress, the charts are done but the instructions need writing and the whole thing test-knitting and photographing. Meanwhile there are socks to be knit for Purl City. Apparently the first pair is on display, but I didn't get to go and see them despite being in Manchester today. The crowds and noise and horrid flashy lights got too much so we came home early. And I didn't get to bring new boots with me, but they are on order so my feet may be dry this week after all. If they fit...

In between there is a seemingly endless string (no pun intended) of cotton bibs, Christmas decorations and the small matter of a Choral Concert. Oh, and the Christmas shopping... 

Lovely things

Tonight, when we are surrounded by all the hyped up imagery of Halloween, it is good to remember that it is really All Hallows Eve and think about those who are no longer with us. On the way home from Manchester this afternoon I saw a tree with leaves making a very similar pattern to the lacy shawl that my Grandmother made for me as baby. Somehow it felt like she was trying to tell me to get on with knitting my re-creation of it...

Other knitting news is that I have been encouraged by lots of people at K1S2 and the new Purl City Sunday knitting group to write up and publish my purple shrug pattern. I have to tell you, dear reader, that I have grasped the nettle and made a start. With a completely different pattern, admittedly, but I am looking on that as a pilot project (or more appropriately a swatch!). So far I have had to re-learn to use Word (ew), find a chart maker (yay), find a pdf creator (yay) and join them all together seamlessly. Success. Any test knitters for a small bookmark project please apply here.

Here is a detail of my recently finished Monkeys. It amused me to be knitting a Cookie A pattern as a 'quick no pattern needed' job.

Completed!

My 10 days are over...and there is noticeably less clutter. Think I will now set aside one time each week to attack a pile/shelf etc.

In other news the daytime knitting group started successfully and the military logistics necessary to make it happen went smoothly for once. My face must have been a picture when at the end of it all there was a huge parking space right outside music club! It was also a useful chance to check out a potential new car seat for T as getting him into the current one is a bit hit and miss...I think there will come a time soon when I won't be able to do up the fastener and we will be stuck somewhere. He has his clinic appointment today, let's hope they finally discharge him.

Days 6 and 7

Lost count a bit! Think I probably averaged 10 but who knows... between the paperwork tray (too scary for a full foray), the bookshelves and some old glasses. Funny moment when taking old books to Oxfam, the volunteer writes biology textbooks for a day job and knows them well! After 20yrs they aren't actually that out of date, but we certainly don't need them any more. Also gave in my collection of pregnancy books. No need for those eh! Tried to make space on the knitting shelves but the only candidate will actually be useful at Oasis knitting group so that will have to wait until Wednesday.

Days four and five

Not going well... banked some items (is that allowed? Yes, my challenge, my rules!) from day 3 by doing loads of freezer stuff so that will have to count for most of it. Today's was hair stuff, old nail varnish, bits and bobs from my little drawers. Now they all open and close! Result.