Clearing, finishing and wearing.

Readers, I cleared out my knitting and crafting possessions last week, making piles for donation, selling and keeping and it seems to have worked, for I have finished a project - the Weavers Wool Shawl, out of my own alpaca handspun:

This isn't the greatest photo, but here it is:

This was only my second ever handspun project. I bought the alpaca pre-prepared a very long time ago and tried spinning it on my drop spindle last year, after doing a half day course in spindling.  I loved spinning the alpaca, but it has taken me a while to decide what to do with it. Now that I am on a strict use-it-or-lose-it policy with stash, it had to be something, and that something was the Weavers Wool Shawl.  I love it with that little extra that I love all my handspun projects.

In other finishing news, I completed Julia's Larissa cardigan, with mods due to a yarn shortage:

I made it sleeveless and did not ruffle the edging - making a plain wrap vest, but one that still suits the aesthetic of this ballet-inspired pattern.

The Rustling Leaves Beret I finished a while ago is getting tons of wear:

I wear it so much I really need to do a matching set of scarf, handwarmers and maybe even socks!  Too matchy-matchy? Well, it will probably look better than matching it with a pink scarf which is what I did in the photo (although I was out on a hike).

The clearing bug has also hit my wardrobe now, as the season turns, and I filled 3 large carrier bags yesterday. Now I can actually see my handknits, I am wearing/using 3 today: Frost Flowers (as a layer under a cardigan):

With the beret, and a handknitted satchel style handbag.