Friday 28 February 2014

Cosy beauty

 The Treccia is finished. I am really pleased with it. The pattern instructions are beautifully and clearly written.
 
 There are some lovely details - An applied I-cord is used to make a neat, even neck edge.
 
 
 The single cable on the inside edge of the 'wings' perfectly mirrors the horned cables that divides the body into segments.
         The symmetry of the design is pleasing, and soothing, to a logical mind.
 The yarn is so soft, and luxurious, that it is almost Angora-like in its cosiness.
The overall effect is one of great elegance.  Really, the perfect accessory.  I love it. It is probably the best thing I have ever knitted.  Suzanna Ic has to be my favourite designer.... and I have knitted quite a number of her designs.

Saturday 22 February 2014

Knitting on

 The Treccia is continuing to grow. The right side wrap, or wing, is complete, and the stitches for the left hand side have been picked up. I managed to knit another one and a half sections of it last night. Once this part (the 'wing') is done, there is an I-cord edge to knit along the top edge, to neaten and 'finish' it. I have hopes of finishing the stole before the Spring Fling KnitALong starts.
 
 
I love Snowdrops  ( Galanthus  sps  ). I'm afraid I am beginning to bore Best Beloved with my quest for different varieties. At a local garden centre, on Thursday, I saw some which were other than the common or garden G. nivalis. I then spent a good half hour looking at every pot... and I'm glad I did. In amongst the G.elwesii, were some snowdrops which clearly were a different variety. I ended up buying eight pots. Some were very nice G.elwesii. One pot had a G.plicatus among the other bulbs, another had a G. S.Arnott in the mix, and there was a pretty G. nivalis with a green point on its' outer petals. That is the sort of shopping I enjoy.
It is Nicky and Mellie's birthday today. A significant one. As well as the usual presents, I thought a posy of flowers open in my garden would be appropriate. I think Nick was pleased with them. Sadly, Mel will have to make do with a photo, being so far away.
 

Tuesday 18 February 2014

Not Raining!!

This morning we woke up to find it was not raining! So, all the chores were done at break-neck speed, and then both Best Beloved and I spent most of the day in the garden.
There is so much tidying up to do, as we have been able to do little outside since the Autumn. The defunct cable to the garage and workshop needed to be unwired, and rolled up, and the telegraph poles it was strung from needed to be taken down. It was all a bit 'dockyard job'. Of course, care had to be taken, so that none of it came down quickly, and caused damage.
Parts of the back garden have become overgrown, while we have been working on other areas, so I did a lot of hacking back of bramble. Most satisfying!  A lot of the garden is unworkable at the moment, though. The lower garden is still ankle-deep in water. I'm not complaining.... the house is not flooded.
Back indoors, as the light was going, tea, and hot buttered tea-cakes. Jobs well done. Us warm and content!

Tuesday 11 February 2014

Growth

The growth rate on this project is most satisfying. Apart from when I had to unravel three rows. I had had lunch with some girlfriends, and while chatting afterwards, managed to miss out two of five cable crosses! Not only that, I had knitted on for two rows, and put in the increases.
Ah, well. It was a good lunch!

The ( free) sign-ups for the next Susanna Ic Mystery KAL have closed. Naturally, I signed up. I am thinking of using Juno Fibre Arts Alice Lace weight for it. Actually, I know that is what I will be using. Asti is dyeing up a skein in a trial colour. There are several new colours, which need to be made into projects, in order to see how they look as a block.
I get all the good jobs!

Friday 7 February 2014

Testing...

A new project is always fun to plan, and this one came about through the collision of two trains of thought.
There is a wonderful pattern called Treccia, that has been on my 'desirables'  list for some time. A Susanna Ic, naturally. It is a wrap, rather than a shawl, in a chunky weight yarn. Trying to find a suitable yarn, in something truly snuggly, was proving a headache. While chatting about the problem with my lovely boss, Asti, she came up with a solution. There were a number of yarns that Asti was looking at, with a view to try them out for new lines for  Juno Fibre Arts.

One of the yarns was this gorgeous 100% Baby Alpaca chunky. Asti ordered the yarn, and after we had all petted and cuddled it, she dyed it.
A new, delicious colour, that really suits the project. Otter's Tummy.
The deal is, that I do the test knit, and make an item that shows the yarn off. Which makes the decision on whether to introduce it as a new yarn line easier. I get the perfect yarn for my project, in a perfect colour.

Project already cast on!

Monday 3 February 2014

Lace


 
Lace shawl knitting is something I really enjoy. It is no secret that Susanna Ic is my favourite designer of lace shawls. So, it will come as no surprise to anyone that my latest finished object is.......  Centifolia, a lace shawl designed by Susanna. This was completed on the 25th January.  ( above , before 'dressing')

(this version is pinned out, being 'dressed' or 'blocked' ).Apologies for the quality of the photo....the light was dreadful. I will try to get some better pictures when the weather improves.
The yarn is, once again, Garnstudio Drops baby alpaca and silk. Lovely to work with, gorgeous against the skin.

 
The Southport  I was working on is back in its bag. I am bored with it. It feels as though I have made it three times already, and yet it is still unfinished.  I suppose it does not help that I really do not like the yarn. The colour is lovely, but that is not enough to make a project joyful.
 

Early blooming

Imbolc has come and gone. Although the weather is stormy and very wet, it is quite mild, so the plants have forged ahead with 'springing'. Our snowdrops are well ahead, this year. The first to bloom was in the first week of January...early even for us. The witch hazel in the front garden is laden with its' strange, spindly, spicy blossoms. Last year, it hardly made any flowers.
The garden as a whole needs a good overhaul. As most of it is water meadow, I think it could be some while before we can actually do anything, other than count what is in flower.