just make up your mind already

The Royal Melbourne Show deadline for submissions is looming ever closer, and despite my firm intention of focusing and getting mine complete I seem to have made very little progress.

The fact that I have changed my idea for the socks entry not once but twice since then has most likely not aided this endeavour.

I read two very good blog posts about Show entries and judging criteria over at needle and spindle recently that made me rethink the Torrent socks as candidates for my entry in the sock category.  The openness of the lacework on this pattern is beautiful in my opinion, but I can see how that might be judged lower due to potential suitability for use as intended?  I will finish them for myself and am already so happy with the colour, yarn and pattern combination, but decided to quickly start an alternative for the Show.

Gladys is a free sock pattern that caught my eye and seemed like a good candidate.  The pattern replicates aran ganseys (practical) and looked easy to knit up during the daily commute (convenient!).  So I grabbed some of my stash of Lang Jawoll 75/25, which is a wonderful, sturdy sock yarn (suitable) and cast on.  

It was all going swimmingly - I was liking the gauge of this yarn on 2.25mm needles very much - until I started the gansey pattern.  Whilst I love the marled effect of the yarn and I'm not perturbed by it diffusing the patternwork a little, I started to worry again that it would be judged down for this?  I persevered for a bit longer but finally decided, no; it wasn't the best choice.   

So back I went to my collection of sock patterns, and I have finally settled on Denmark, from Nancy Bush's beautiful book 'Knitting on the Road'.  It's a lovely Viking-esqe cable pattern, with a single round of nupps just after the completion of the ribbing on the cuff.

  

The pattern calls for sportweight on 3.25mm, but looking at the stitch count I felt confident that I could use fingering weight with 2.5mm and still have them fit my foot well.  I'm using Patonyle, because you can't get more "Australian sock" than Patonyle, and so far I'm very happy.  I think I've finally settled, but now I need to hope I can get them completed by September 9th!

Update on the other items - the shawl edging is nearly at the halfway mark, but the tea cosy remains un-seamed and un-pompom-ed.  I obviously enjoy the stress of last-minute flurries...

WIP's everywhere

I've got a bevvy of half finished projects surrounding me at the moment, most with deadlines closing in and of course I'm sitting here browsing Ravelry.

Royal Melbourne Show entries are due early September and all three of my proposed entries are all well under way but all at that point of the project where I need to knuckle down if I'm to get them completed in time.

I'm onto the border of the Hansel hap, which should be a good thing but unfortunately it's now of a size that makes it difficult to knit on the train.  The border is knit on sideways which means short rows and lots of turning of the project.  I get myself tangled up on the couch, let alone on a peak hour train.  So it's confined to evening knitting time currently and there hasn't been much time for that sadly. 

The tea cosy just needs to be seamed and have a pompom made and attached.  It's probably the least of my worries but I am concerned about the pompom.  My yarn is limited and I don't have any room for error if it doesn't go right so I think I'm procrastinating.

Finally, the socks have reached the dangerous "second-sock-syndrome" zone.  I finished the first on Thursday but ignored my own cardinal rule about immediately casting on the second and now here it is Sunday and if I don't get my act together they won't be ready for tomorrow's train ride.

I am rather liking the pattern though.  It's Torrent, from Tin Can Knits and anyone who knows me can tell you how much I enjoy their patterns.  The yarn is from Fiberific!; it's the Sunflower base but there wasn't a colourway listed on the ball band.  I picked it up last year at Bendigo Sheep and Wool and it's a very lovely match with the pattern, don't you think?

I also cast on another Woolamai, this one in a chartreuse colourway.  You can read more about that over on the Whisky Bay Woollens journal, if you're interested.

I think I really need to get focused!

Passion project

I've been working quietly behind the scenes on a bit of a passion project for nearly 2 years,  and I'm now so excited to tell you that my new venture - Whisky Bay Woollens - has gone LIVE today!

I was looking for a new creative outlet and whilst knitting other people's patterns and designs is awesome; I wanted more.  It came at a time when I was really investigating my environment and the organic conclusion was to combine the two elements and turn my hand to knitwear pattern designs.

Over my years of knitting, I have worked with so many different variances of yarn but when it comes down to it, I have realised I love woolly wool.  The rustic, rugged textures combined with it's properties of tactile properties make my heart sing.

I have also always loved texture in knitting, and have often spent days just playing with different stitch pattern combinations just to see what they look like.

'Oceanside' is the first of what I hope will be quarterly releases of collections of knitting patterns.  It's the summation of how I have been influenced by the environment I have submersed myself in for the last decade and a half, and my growth as a knitter over that same time.  It's wild and woolly and beautiful, and i think it has a colour palette that is an expression of natural harmony.

Squeaky Beach fingerless mitts

The first collection includes three accessory patterns - a cowl, a pair of fingerless mitts, and a close-fitting beanie.  All three are named after beaches that have influenced me in one way or another, and are close to my heart.

Balnarring textured cowl

I've aimed to use a variety of yarns that create a tactile response from the knitter, an awareness of how the combination of yarn and textural stitches plays a big part in the pleasure of knitting handmade items..

Woolamai chevron beanie

All three patterns are now available for sale via Ravelry, and full details can be found both there and on the website.

I'm so thrilled to share them with you, and hope you enjoy them as much as I have enjoyed their creation.

It fits!

Daelyn is finally dry after nearly a week on the racks.  

I haven’t been home much this week so the heater hasn’t been on a lot, and this combined with the cold front Melbourne has been experiencing meant it was a slower blocking process than normal but worth it.

The alpaca/wool blend has behaved itself beautifully, and I’m pleased to report my calculations and mods have worked just as anticipated.   The sleeves are possibly still a little short, but I want to wear it for a day to see if they grow with wear (thanks to Casual Corporate Friday, I was able to wear it to work today so this will be a good test!).  It’s an easy fix if they do need a little extra length, as they are knit top-down and I have about a ¼ of a skein left over.  Actually, I have 1 and ¼ skeins left over.  I can’t believe I managed to get this whole jumper out of less than 4 skeins of the Berroco Ultra Alpaca worsted? 

As a design, this jumper is a bit over-sized for a lovely slouchy fit and carries a little longer length than I normally choose.  I knit the M2 size, which has a finished bust measurement of 41” and gives me 3” of positive ease. Although there’s ease in the chest, there is some very clever use of short rows shaping on the neckline and raglan shaping that ensure the shoulders fit beautifully.  Short rows are also used again at the hem to accommodate the different row gauge of the garter stitch detail on the back which is a clever touch.

Isabell Kraemer is a favourite designer of mine.  She has a simple aesthetic but often adds subtle textural details or clever construction elements that really make her patterns very wearable and stylish. 

The yarn is lovely and soft against the skin and I’m still in love with the colour and texture of it.  I’m wearing it with just a singlet underneath today and not only am I toasty warm, there’s no prickly or irritation.  I love woolly wool, but I am prone to eczema and often find straight wool too prickly to wear next to skin.  I wear it, but I have to make sure there’s cotton layer in-between me and it and sometimes in a worsted weight jumper that’s a bit too warm so this was a welcome discovery this morning as I dressed for work.

This is just a quick lot of photos from my lunch break today, but I'll try to do a proper photoshoot on the weekend so I can show you some of the lovely details of this pattern.  I'm still trying to capture the colour, as you can see.  I will get there, I swear. 

So overall, I’m calling this project a totally success.  Now to plan my next sweater…

with bated breath..

I'm always nervous about the first blocking of a garment, but never more so that when there is alpaca involved.

Alpaca fleece makes a beautiful, luscious yarn with lovely drape and a buttery handle.  It also lacks the "memory" of wool, and is well-known for it's tendency to stretch and sag...not ideal when knitting a garment and unless you're aware and make allowances, you're more likely to end up with a knitted dress than a jumper.

My Daelyn came off the needles this afternoon and has just come out of it's first bath.  I used Berocco Ultra Alpaca worsted for this project which is a 50/50 wool-alpaca blend, hence my nerves. I was as careful as I could be during the whole process and it now is carefully laid flat to dry. 

It fit beautifully across the shoulders and chest when I tried it on before dunking it.  The sleeves and body were a little on the short side, which was deliberate on my behalf to accommodate for the drop of the alpaca.  I'm remaining ever hopeful that the combination of shortening the length and the inclusion of 50% wool in the yarn will be enough to balance the finished proportions.

Until it dries though, I will just have to hold my breath and hope. 

(and I think this is the closest to accurate colour as I'm ever going to get with this jumper!)

so close

Just dropping in here for a quick post today, before I head overseas.  I'm off to Bali this week for a yoga retreat, and a bit of much needed R&R.  It's going to be so lovely to warm up the bones.  

Since my last post, I have been taking my Daelyn jumper as my train knitting each day.  It's not really all that portable anymore, but It is so close to being finished and I can't wait to get it off the needles and be able to wear it, especially with the weather we've been having in Melbourne - brr!   5 degrees Celsius this morning as I walked from the train station to work.  
 
I've been reading accounts from Northern Hemisphere bloggers about the current heatwave they are experiencing, as I wrap another blanket around me and tuck my toes in to stay warm and count down the sleeps to my holiday.

But before I go, I would love to have this jumper finished.  Half a sleeve and the neckband to go, then I can block it and leave it to dry while I'm away.  It's totally a plan.

I'm still loving this colour, even if it is a right PITA to photograph accurately.  Not even natural light and a mid-grey background helped today.  My foot was there to try and get a different light-meter reading, to see if that would help but no such luck.

Here's hoping I can get a better shot of the finished piece.  I may have to employ a professional, I think...

Aside from Daelyn, I've not got much else in the way of knitting that I can share at the moment. If you follow me on Instagram (@kgirlknits) you may have seen a recent sneak peak of a project I've been working on though.  I'm hoping that shortly after I get back from Bali I will be able to reveal a little more of this goodness.   It's all so very exciting and I can't wait to share!

So, until then -  hope you all stay warm in the Southern Hemisphere and for those in the North - I hope the heat breaks soon.

(I'll try not to flood Instagram with sunny Bali photos but I make no real promises)

Nothing new under the sun

Recently I knit a pair of socks for myself, without the aid of any pattern other than my own understanding and acquired knowledge of how a sock is knit.  This is nothing ground-breaking or particularly clever of course. It's just simply a by-product, an accumulation, of the construction of the hundreds of patterns I have knit over the years and held within my mind and hands. Regardless of all that, it does still give one a pleasant sense of achievement, knowing it can be done.

The motivation came as I unexpectedly finished the project I'd brought into work that morning, so at lunchtime I grabbed a skein of Colinette Jitterbug in Vatican Pie (oh, that saturated red!) and some needles and cast on ready for the train commute home.

Granny's Lucky Red Longjohns
Colinette Jitterbug - colourway: Vatican Pie

To alleviate boredom I added a 1x1 garter stitch rib, which pleasantly formed a lovely snug sock that fits my foot beautifully.  It's also rather warm as garter stitch rib has a waffle-y texture similar to that used in thermal underwear amongst other things.  

I took a calculated risk and cast on many less stitches than I would normally for socks - 54 on 2.5mm needles, instead of my usual 64.  This decision was influenced by my experience of Jitterbug as a "hefty" sock yarn and the anticipation of stretch in the ribbed stitch pattern.  Turns out it was a great decision - go me!  

As I finished the first sock and started the second, I thought to myself "these are such great socks, how could it be possible that nobody else has ever written it up before?"  They are simple enough to knit whilst other things are happening like conversations, meetings, TV-watching, and I discovered they are also an excellent choice for gift knitting as the rib pattern is very accommodating when you are working with unknown foot and leg dimensions.  

Knowing that there was an excellent chance there probably was this very pattern out there, I had what I thought was quite a thorough look on Ravelry and was surprised that I couldn't find one that was quite the same. There are many patterns utilising this stitch pattern, socks included, but none in the specific combination of 1x1, gauge and yarn weight that I could see. 

a gift pair, for Mum (photo credit: Mum!)
Colinette Jitterbug - colourway: Caramel

So I got excited to share. I wrote down my notes into a more coherent format, made a couple more pairs, and was just about to upload them as a free pattern....when I started reading my copy of Sock Architecture which was given to me by a friend recently.

And lo and behold; there they were!  Strie socks, by Lara Neel.

Photo credit: Lara Neel

Reading through the patterns they are not exactly the same, but close enough to make me laugh out loud right then and there. 

As the saying goes - there's nothing new under the sun! 

For the love of Faux-isle

Arne and Carlos for Regia; colourway "Summer Night" 

If you follow knit-bloggers or are active on Instagram, you'll probably be feeling like these Arne and Carlos sock yarns are just everywhere at the moment.  I've seen dozens of posts featuring the beautiful self-patterning fair-isle in gorgeous Scandy-colourways and was pretty keen to get my hands on some to try for myself.  

Although not normally a fan of faux-isle yarn, I must admit I adore everything about this yarn for a number of reasons. Regia has always been a favourite sock yarn of mine.  It's got a sturdy fibre content with the inclusion of 25% nylon, knits to a decent mid-size gauge, and is good on price point too.

The self-patterning yarns do give you maximum impact for minimum effort too.  I had many converations on the train with people fascinated by how the pattern was emerging, and almost disbelief when I told them it was no knitting magic skill but just the yarn.  The most I did towards the patterning was to wind a bit off before starting the second sock so I could manage to get them matchy-matchy.  Still, impressive apparently so who am I to argue?

I worked them toe-up, starting with a Turkish cast-on and then following on from my pledge to keep trying new things, I decided to try the Fish Lips Kiss Heel.   I had been wondering about this heel method for sometime, as it had been mentioned of several of the podcasts I follow and people were singing it's praises.  

It is very simple to work - don't let the 16 pages of pattern notes put you off - and it fits my heel rather well.  I have rather skinny heels and ankles (as can be seen in the first photo!) and to date I haven't had good results with the fit of short row heels in the way I find a heel flap fits me.  This heel still struggles a little to address this, however the detailed instruction within the pattern notes on how to determine when to place the heel has resulted in a more accurate foot measurement, and that has definitely helped in this instance.

I will be interested to see how these wear in comparison to a slipped stitch heel flap, as my feeling is the stocking stitch heels may not be as sturdy along the "seam"?  As mentioned the yarn is true sock yarn, so I think it has been given the best chance possible and I remain hopeful. This is a limited edition colourway, so I am keen to have these socks last.

The sock drawer is looking decidedly healthy again now, but they are such good projects for the train so I think I'm just going to keep knitting them and start a little stockpile for gifts.  There is no shortage of sock yarn in the stash, and there are only so many socks and shawls one person needs, right? 

Do you ever have a quandary of the need for knits and the need to knit?  I'd love to hear all your methods of managing it, if you do?

Jitterbug Perfume

Way back when I was in my early 20's, I was handed a copy of "Jitterbug Perfume" by a housemate who was moving on and told "here, take this.  you'll love it".  Thus was my introduction to Tom Robbins and his body of work.

At that stage I'd never read anything like his style of writing and I was completely entranced. I subsequently read all his available work in fast succession.  However as they say in the classics, you never forget your first and JP has remained a sentimental favourite, re-read and re-pondered more than once in the 20+ years since the initial encounter.

Fast forward to 2009 at the Bendigo Sheep and Wool Show. It was my second trip to the Show, and I'd spent a good two days wandering around and adding to my stash with glee.  I had all but spent my budget but was doing that one-last-look-around before leaving to head back to Melbourne and I came across the Stranded in Oz stall.  The majority of the skeins were laceweight, which wasn't on my list at all, but one in particular jumped out at me with such force I had to pick it up for a closer look.

A symphony in shades of mandarin and lavender; it was just gorgeous.  But it was expensive and my budget was almost gone.  I went to put it back down when suddenly I noticed the colourway name.  

Jitterbug Perfume.  

I think I gasped, because the stall owner Melissa came over quickly and then we both had a fandom moment exclaiming how much we loved that book, and that was that.  I knew it was coming home with me.

For nearly 6 years, I have safely stored this precious yarn.  I've aired it each year, making sure it's protected from moths and any damp.  I've pondered all the possibilities of what it might become (other than a precious skein).  At one point, I actually decided it would never be knit; that it was perfect just the way it was intact in the skein.

But of course, that was not what it was purchased for and this year during the Summer of the Single Skein I pulled it out again with the firm intent of Finding The Project.

Thus the Jitterbug Perfume Cowl.

I had decided the intensity of the colours needed to be tempered somehow, and so went looking at the wonderful palette of Isager for inspiration.  As luck would have it, not only was this plummy purple a good foil for the oranges, the Isager Spinni (another laceweight single) was also a good match in both fibre content, ply and weight.

I could not be happier with this colour combo if I tried.  The Spinni just knocks the edge off the Jitterbug in such a perfect way while simultaneously allowing the variegated to really shine.

I worked this up on my knitting machine, which in itself was a bit of a steep learning curve.  There were multiple attempts at casting on, and much frustration at getting the colourwork to flow but we got there in the end. This simple diamond pattern wasn't my first choice, but again - I think it's right.  I had been trying to replicate the Jasmine perfume bottles in the book, but it was just too fussy overall. 

I worked half the cowl with the solid colour as the base and half with the variegated as the base, then handstitched the two panels together to form a long reversible cowl.  It's not the prettiest construction, but it does the job and once on you really can't see any of the flaws anyway.

I still can't decide my favourite side!

In case you hadn't heard...

Ugh, the weather in Melbourne has turned dramatically.  Gone are my beautiful warm Autumn winds and sunshiny days, and in their place is the bitter cold that is usually attributed to deep Winter here in Melbourne.  

As a result, I'm definitely feeling the need to start knitting sweaters.  The annual planning has begun with a vengeance, and I can't wait to get started on my 2015 collection of garments.

I'm trying to live a bit lighter as a general practise at the moment, and this correlates to my knitting by the aim of working through some more beautiful stashed yarns, so I initiated my search on Ravelry based on the yarns on hand and started tagging them with "winter2015".  I narrowed it down to these six, and after much (oh so much!) deliberation, I have settled on starting with Daelyn (bottom LH corner) - a simple relaxed pullover with some lovely textural detailing.

Blank Canvas, Ysolda Teague; Ommegang, Thea Colman; Airbrean, Isabell Kraemer; Daelyn, Isabell Kraemer;  Mailin, Isabell Kraemer; Portage, Melissa Schaschwary

This lovey Berroco Ultra Alpaca in the "Lobster Mix" colourway, which is a rich plummy-brown heathered colour, is a great pairing for this pattern, and so far it's knitting up so beautifully.

Warnings of the stretch of this yarn I have heeded, and will be knitting it at a slightly tighter gauge than required. This works well however, as I am kind of between sizes so I'll knit the larger size and tweak to fit as required.  It's designed to be worn with positive ease and I'm basing the measurements off my Beeline which is a great fit and similar style.

The yarn is already proving to be as delightful as I had hoped, with all those tones coming together to form a beautiful, complex heathered colour that chameleons with every change of light and angle.   The texture and knitted hand of the wool/alpaca blend is equally satisfactory to the tactile senses.   Can you tell I'm a bit enamoured by this project?

I'd love to be monogamous on this one but unfortunately the dark yarn is a bit difficult to work on at night, and it's too big to transport on the train with me each day so I'll do a few rows each morning before I leave, and dedicate my weekends to it. 

To fill the gaps I've got some more socks on the go (I know, you're shocked right?!).   These are for my Mum, who has a birthday coming up at the end of May.  Originally I thought I'd give them to her for Mother's Day then we all decided that we wouldn't do gifts this year, just nice cards and a lunch, so I will now keep working along and be well prepared for her birthday instead.

I'm using some Colinette Jitterbug in "Caramel" that I picked up when Sarah Durrant closed up shop last year.  I'm a big fan of Jitterbug, both as a yarn base and for the colourways.  It isn't everyone's cup of tea, mainly due to the absence of nylon for durability, but I've never had an issue with the wear of this high-twist pure wool yarn and I do find it keeps toes nice and warm.  This is one of my own basic sock patterns, a simple waffle rib that forms a nice snug fit on the foot so I hope Mum likes them!

Another sock yarn favourite of mine is Regia, and the recent limited edition Arne & Carlos collection they've released has been high on my radar, especially these two colourways.

Summer Night #3657

Fall Night #3655

After a little initial trouble finding it in stock my order finally arrived  today, and as soon as I finish Mum's socks I'm planning to knit these toe-up and use up every last scrap of yarn, so they will probably be close to knee-hi stockings. Which, of course, will work perfectly with the faux fair-isle, Scando theme they've got going on.  They look quite similar in these photos, but in reality they are very different.  The Fall Night is quite dark overall, with bright orange pops and the Summer Night is very teal blue, cream and coral.  

So there you go.  Soon to be toasty from top to toe in preparation for Winter.  Because it's coming.  In case you hadn't heard.

Exploration Station

This weekend, I finally finished the Exploration Station shawl from Stephen West.  

This large, beautiful, textured shawl was his mysteryKAL for 2014 and although I didn't take part at the time, as soon as I saw all the finished project photos popping up on Ravelry and Instagram, I knew I had to make one.

I've mentioned before that this shawl was the impetus for The Summer of the Single Skein KAL I hosted over the 2014/2015 Summer (Southern Hemisphere).  I had been looking for a good vehicle for combining a few of my lovely single skeins and what better project than a big shawl?

Incorporating four colours, the pattern suggests 3 be fairly close in value and 1 a high contrast.  I chose Waikiwi in a natural stone colour, Colinette Jitterbug in "Oyster Blush" and a variegated skein of Top Draw Sock from Skein in "Fig".  My contrast was a deep plummy skein of Cascade Heritage that I'd been saving for something special for a long time.

The Waikiwi is a sock yarn from New Zealand that has merino, alpaca, possum and nylon in it's composition.  The combination of fibres gives a beautiful heather, especially in the lighter colours.  This heather perfectly stopped the cream from being too stark against the other colours in the mix.

The Jitterbug was probably the thickest of the four yarns, even though all are considered the same "weight" (fingering).  Because the shawl is worked on larger needles than normally used for this weight yarn, and incorporates a lot of textures, this slight difference wasn't terribly noticeable but I do feel the slight heaviness of the Jitterbug gives a good weight to the overall piece.

Out of the four skeins, the Cascade and the Skein were the closest match for softness and composition, and as luck would have it I think I have enough of both yarns left over to make a pair of two-tone socks.  There isn't much at all left of the Waikiwi, and a small amount only of the Jitterbug - perhaps enough for some contrast toes/heels, I'd say?

Stephen West is known for his love of squishy garter stitch, sweeping lines, and brioche (and goofy photoshoots!).  I really enjoyed the different textures on each section.  I can imagine it would have been pretty cool to work as a mystery KAL, actually.  My favourite was the brioche.  Although I ummed and ahhed about whether my designated yarns were the right combo, I'm glad I stuck to the combination as per pattern.  The effect is more subtle than some other versions, however I think in my shawl it works best.

All edges are finished with i-cord edgings which, again, I feel was a lovely detail finishing off the shawl.  It's the first of the WestKnits patterns I've knit, and it's also the largest shawl I've knit to date, with a wingspan of 1.4m.  I cant' wait to wrap myself up in it all snuggly and warm this winter.

I absolutely loved the construction of this shawl, and the attention to detail in the pattern from the designer.   At each step, there were clear and timely notations to reassure the knitter of the next section, and there were also stitch counts included at the break of each section - something I greatly appreciate in patterns, especially on this scale.  However, as good technically this pattern is, I think it's key strength lies in it's overall aesthetic and how well Stephen West has managed to bring all elements together.  

Mystery KAL's can be a bit of a risk, as the knitter takes a leap of faith with the designer as to the final outcome, and adding in the process of selecting colours without really knowing how they are going to fit together is another requirement of trust!  I think this pattern has hit all the right notes, on all accounts and judging by the fact there are over 2,000 projects on Ravelry alone; I'd say so do a lot of other people.  

I may be late to the WestKnits party, but I can say now I'm well and truly on-board!  Who else has knitted his designs?  I'd love to hear your thoughts on the experience. 

waning Summer

Oh my poor neglected blog!  I've been so wrapped up in other things that time has yet again slipped away and it's been weeks in-between visits.  A lot has been happening, so here's a quick recount...

I finished my Farmer McGregor's socks, and I love them so much.

I spoke a little about the yarn (WYS Signature) last post, and nothing's changed my opinon.  It's a great yarn to that has blocked exceptionally well, and I'll definitely be ordering more.

The pattern is the most delicious texture too.  I really love twisted stitch patterns, especially when they are all waffley like this one.

I taught a lovely Beginner's Knitting class at the Handmaker's Factory last weekend.  We had loads of fun working on some sweet little mug cosies and eating cupcakes!

I've got a couple more workshops coming up, so if you're interested head over to Handmaker's website and take a peak.  There's workshops for Toe-up socks, Textured knitting, and Flattering Fit, just to name a few.

My little KAL - The Summer of the Single Skein - is winding up. As we draw close to Easter, the weather here has remained warm and pleasant but you can feel the change in the breeze and I'm definitely ready to start thinking about bigger projects and winter woollies.

My final project for the KAL is Exploration Station, a large shawl by Stephen West.  It was his mystery KAL for 2014, and watching all the progress photos pop up on Instagram, I knew I wanted to make one.  I missed the original KAL, but no big deal.  I actually preferred seeing how the pattern played out because I think colour choices were key to the success or fail of this shawl.  Having the information in advance, I chose this group.

from top left, clockwise: Skein Top Draw Sock "Fig"; Colinette Jitterbug "Oyster Blush"; Waikiwi "Stone"; Cascade Heritage " Plum"

The shawl combines sections of short-row garter wedges to start, then finishes with sections of different stitch patterns.  I've just finished the brioche section which combines Colour B (Skein "Fig") and Colour C (Waikiwi "Stone"), and I'm quite torn...the top photo is the right side, and the variegated Skein is sitting "on top" which is very subtle.  

You can see in the second photo that the solid Waikiwi is on top on the wrong side, and stands out quite a bit more.

I'm not sure whether to rip back and reverse the two?  I do like the obviousness of the cream columns, but I'm also thinking the subtlety of the variegated is nice too?  The next section is slipped stitches in the Waikiwi and Jitterbug , so there will be some dominant cream there - maybe it would be too much to have both?

Oh, I don't know!!  I can't make up my mind to save myself on this one.  What do you think? I tend to over-analyse these things, so any input is welcome!

Finally, I'm on holidays now until after Easter.  My girl and I are heading off to camp by the ocean for the next few days, and I can't tell you how much we need it.  

I'm looking forward to falling asleep to the sound of the waves, and smelling the salt air as I wake up each morning.  I'm also looking forward to just taking time out together.  We'll be switching off for the time away (the teenager thinks it's a travestity being inflicted upon her by a cruel and unloving mother, most definitely but there's nothing new!) so I will see you all when we get back - hopefully renewed and full of energy.

Farmer McGregor’s socks

Isn't that just the perfect name for these socks?  Don't they look like "working" socks? 

(working socks in need of a block, but I'm grabbing the chance to blog while I've got it)

In the absence of pigs to feed and chooks to tend, these socks are destined to be my stomping through puddles in boots socks, the socks of Autumn, and warm-toes-cold-noses, and hiking through mountains soaking in the air. Or something like that.

These beautiful twisted stitches are rugged and sturdy looking, especially when paired with this yarn, this colour.  These were definitely not a "quick" knit, which was fine.  There are a few discussions going on at the moment about "slow" or "mindful" knitting, a concept which is reverberating strongly with me and where I want to be right now.   I think having such a  frenzy of knitting to start the year has sated that instant gratification part of my brain which has meant I've been quite happy to simply plod away at these socks and enjoy the process.

My second knit from Socktopus, and using some WYS Signature 4ply (75%wool – inc 35%BFL – with 25% nylon) that I ordered from the UK last year.

It’s been a while since I’ve been this impressed with a book of knitting patterns, I admit.  The last one was Journey by Shannon Cook and Jane Richmond (I really love that book!).  As mentioned last post, I borrowed Socktopus from our local library but I’ve decided that I like it enough to purchase my own copy to have on hand and work my way through at my own pace.

photo credit: WYS

The West Yorkshire Spinners yarn was one I had been wanting to try, having not knowingly used BFL in socks previously.  I say knowingly, because I feel like until very recently there was a true lack of fibre content displayed on ball bands other than “Merino” which is often used as a broad and non-specific term covering a broad range of fibre.

BFL is known for its strong fibres, making it a good candidate for socks.  In the ball, it felt squishy and soft to the touch but that belied the handle once knitted up at sock gauge.  This is a sturdy yarn.  I haven’t blocked these yet, but I am quiet confident this is going to be a good wearing fabric.

The colours available are a good mix of brights and earthy neutrals in the colour range for this yarn, as well as a complimentary range of prints.  It’s well pricepointed too, even with the exchange rate, although shipping is always the kicker.  I bought small this order, but I would probably consider stocking up next order to maximise the shipping costs.

Looking at the colours and style of these socks, I’d say my thoughts are probably with Autumn wouldn’t you?!  How are you all going as we transition from Summer down here in the Southern Hemisphere?  I have to say I think Autumn is just about my favourite season in Melbourne, so as far as I'm concerned let's bring it on!

Growth

Growing up in my house, you could often hear my mother declaring with a defiant pride that any recipe requiring her to “cream the butter and sugar” would be thrown out.  If you couldn’t melt ‘n’ mix it, it was deemed “too much pfaffing about”!  We’d often laugh about it, and it became a bit of a running premise of our home.  Looking after a family as well as working, Mum wasn’t much one for anything that required her to pfaff.

In some ways, I’ve recently realised that I’ve taken a part of this on board in perhaps not such a good way for me via my knitting of late.  I’ve noticed I’ve been slowly rejecting more and more patterns if they call for something such as an unfamiliar cast-on, or a technique I’m not proficient at.  Becoming set in my ways it seems, as the effort required to attempt something new becomes seen no longer as a challenge but an uncomfortable inconvenience. And all of a sudden, this struck me as rather silly.  I had always supposed myself as an adventurous person, willing to tackle new things in the aim of keeping the mind active and the creative brain stimulated but in fact I now recognise that I actually don’t seek being in situations where I’m short of accomplished!

In an effort to rectify this, I decided to actively seek new skills and embrace the discomfort as part of the process.   As luck happened, whilst collecting another book I had on hold from our local library I glanced quickly at the knitting section, not expecting much I hadn’t seen before but to my delight I found Socktopus – a collection of beautiful sock patterns by Alice Yu all using different and interesting stitch patterns and construction methods.

Socks are a great way to try out a new technique, I reckon.  They’re also great projects to work on while doing the daily work-commute.  Being small, there is the obvious advantage that they are very portable (especially when I’m magic-looping - I switched from my beloved dpns to magic after dropping one tiny dpn in a crowded peak hour carriage one day and having to scramble awkwardly to retrieve it, amidst legs and bags and looks of annoyance from those around me) but they also are great sources of different techniques.

My first choice of project from this book was OmShanti.  Having been a devout yoga fan for over 15 years, the name immediately drew my attention. I’ve just recently returned to a daily practise (which has made me feel so good I question my thinking of why I ever gave it up?) and these little ankle booties will be perfect for Savasana, when the body can chill very quickly as it succumbs to mindful peace.  

The added bonus was the stitch pattern looked just perfect to show off some speckled handpaint yarn I’d been squirrelling, and the construction was one I’d never attempted before.  Tick, tick, TICK! all the boxes.  

The pattern provided the opportunity to try quite a few new-to-me techniques so it was perfect. I learnt:  toe-up sock using a provisional cast on (love it!); short row toes and heels in garter stitch (love them!), and Latvian braid and stranded rib (liked the end result, but perhaps not enough to warrant the fiddly process!)

 The yarn itself is so beautiful.  It’s the something sock base from Republic of Wool in the colourway “Thrasher” and the way it knits up in both garter stitch and the slip stitch pattern nearly makes me weep I love it so much.  I’ve had it on hold in the wings for some time now, just waiting for a good showcase project.  This, my friends, is the project!  I really do think this is my favourite pairing of yarn/pattern ever.

This project has also been an excellent summation of a number of aspects of my life at present; a period of growth on numerous levels; a beautiful, mindful link to my yoga practise, which has given me so much solace during a recent stressful and emotional times; and a rediscovery of how good accomplishment feels even with the accompanying discomfort!   We are often reminded in yoga practise that the very asanas your find yourself resisting are most likely the exact ones you need.  If that isn’t the perfect analogy on this subject, I don’t know what is.  Discomfort (as distinguished from pain) is not a bad thing every now and then.

Using a special skein of yarn that seemed almost too perfect to see any pattern and the pure bliss of sitting with a special yarn, and reflecting on a knitting project as a piece but also a mindful practise, has been a truly lovely experience. 

Every time I look at my feet in these socks, I smile and feel content.  They snug my tootsies in such a delicious way, and the specks of colour against the mint and dove-grey base provide many moments of glee as I discover different little harmonies of colourplay.

How much happiness can be wrapped up in two little booties I don’t know, but there it is.  Pure delight.  

Om Shanti, friends.   May your knitting be delightful and your world contains some peace and contentment this week.