Friday, August 15, 2014

being M.I.A. just makes the heart grow fonder, yes?

While lamenting to a derby friend that I'm struggling to find time to get everything done, she pithily responded "Haven't blogged lately either..."!! And she's right!  I have really been trying to get into a habit/rhythm of posting every Wednesday, and for a while there it was working really well.  Then one thing and another started to happen and before you know it, it's been three weeks...

Thank you to everyone who has hung around and stuck by me and my blog-musing through periods of inactivity and absence.  New readers, thank you for giving me a look-see - I will be getting more organised, I promise!  

I have some larger projects on the go at the moment so they may be as good a place to start as any.  Firstly, I'm working on the Nightingale Vest, from Amimono's 'Bird Collection' book.




I'm using Isager Highland & Alpaca 1 held together and it's making a beautiful fabric.  Knit on 3.5mm needles, this one may take me a while.  There are roughly 4 more rows of Bell Stitch before I divide for the armholes.  Bell Stitch is a 15 row pattern repeat, which roughly equates to 2 rows of @#%! hell balanced by 13 blissful rest rows.  I'm learning to be at peace with it, but it's a special kind of patience required let me tell you.

Speaking of special kinds of patience, if you follow me on Instagram you may have seen I recently finished a Sophisticated Mr Fox stuffie.   I used Rowan Fine Tweed and I think you'd have to agree - it's the *perfect* fox colour, no?


Knitted toys are super-cute...to look at!  Super-fiddly to knit.  And super-laborious to sew up!!


Lucky he's so damn cute (and sophisticated).  He'll live at the shop, so keep an eye out for him if you come to visit.  

During my absence, I have been watching and listening to a lot of fibre podcasts. As a result,  I'm participating in a KAL hosted by the FiberTrek crew, Sarah and Morgan, over on their Ravelry group.  Do you watch their podcasts?  You should.  They are wonderful.  They do great regular spots not only on fibre, patterns and projects, but also interesting facts on fauna and textile history.  They also have really great, dry senses of humour :)

The KAL is the Karina Westermann "Vedbaek" shawl, and it's proving to be just the perfect antedote to all that "patience" knitting I've been preoccupied with.  The stitch pattern for the main body of the shawl is easily memorised, and very clear to read, should you zone out a little too much.


I'm using Shilasdair Luxury 4ply in the Skye Gabbro colourway.  Love it, both the yarn and the pattern.  It's my project for TV watching, car travelling, grabbing time to fit a few rows in on my lunchbreak, and I am really enjoying the soft hand of this beautiful yarn.

That doesn't really seem like a lot to have been so occupied by these last three weeks, does it? Actually, truth is, it's not all I've been doing.  I've got some exciting things going on behind the scenes that I'm dying to share with you, but I can't let details slip just yet!  All will (hopefully) be revealed soon, but until then I will make a concerted effort to provide you with some interesting snippets.

I really hope you can stick with me and my sporadic updates until then!!

4 comments:

Sue said...

Mr. Fox is so cute. I love the pattern in that knitting so maybe it is worth doing the 2 rows of hell. Cant wait to see what your exciting news is too!

rebecca said...

I was watching Fiber Trek a couple of days ago and almost fell off my seat when Sarah started talking about KgirlKnits...I got the low down on your high country origins! Enjoy the KAL...the Shilasdair would be perfect for a shawl.

2paw said...

I agree, your Mr Fox is the perfect foxy colour and worth all the sewing up effort. I know exactly what you mean about time slipping past: where does it go?? Ah yes, the vest pattern is like a cable or intricate lace, I love the easy purl back rows (even though I dislike purling) Oh, and it is such a nice pattern too!!
I love a mystery, I shall be on tenterhooks!!!

Rose Red said...

Mr Fox is very cool!
I don't think I could manage that bell pattern. It would drive me insane! Good on you for keeping at it!