looking straight ahead

Ah, 2013.  Days 1-6 have thus far been fairly lovely.  Sincerely hoping this is a trend to be continued...

I was planning to do the obligatory New Years' Day post, complete with the retrospective of 2012's ups and downs but meh...most of my 2012 really doesn't bear remembering so I am going to start 2013 in the manner I intend to face it: looking straight ahead.

So, to begin...

A feather and a fan.

Although this project is a hangover from last year, it is officially my first FO of 2013 - woot!

This comfort shawl is a free pattern that can be used for any yarn weight and amount, really.  You just knit and increase in good old F&F until you run out of yarn.

The yarn is Poem 4ply sock, and as I've already had my rant here, I won't go back over the problems I have with this yarn but I will admit that despite them, the end result is rather pretty.  Personally I think that was more my good management than any credit to the yarn, but that's probably neither here nor there now it's done.

I ended up with a good mid-size shawl, measuring 113cm across the top edge and 48cm in length down the centre.  It wraps around with good crossover and the yarn has a little stickiness to it so I think it will sit really well, with no need to continuously fuss and readjust it.

As I've been on holidays (ending tomorrow, sadly...sob), I decided to also have another crack at a crochet rug for my loungeroom, starting on Boxing Day.

I don't feel like this photo really does the colours justice, but it is shades of grey, brown, blue and cherry red.  It's going to go really well with my furnishings, and I think I've finally mastered the large granny tension!  

Crochet isn't my strong suit, by any means, and I have always struggled to keep the edges from rippling once I get a granny square passed about four rows.  I've been told it's a matter of tension, so this time I tried a larger hook (6.00mm/8ply yarn) and it seems to be working.

All stash yarn too, I might add...not without a degree of piety ;)

I'm actually really getting used to only using stashed yarn these days.  There's some yarn in there that I know in all probability will never get used, but I'll deal with that once I run out of options I like!  

And finally, today I cast on my very first WIP for 2013. 

Nalu Mitts, a free Ravelry download from Leila Raabe.  I'm using some Bendigo Colonial in Silver grey (8ply crepe) and so far the yarn is showing up the twisted stitches very crisply.

A rather pleasant way to spend the final afternoon of holidays, all the while contemplating the path ahead...which for the record, looks bright and promising!