Working from Deep Stash

One of the (few) benefits to an international move is that all of my new American yarn is currently securely boxed up, thanks to the US postal service, but my old stash yarn is in an open box, waiting for a place in our new house to live. So, despite being behind my target of one square a month on the Great American Afghan (should be about to start my 10th sqaure, instead I'm starting my 6th), I have been dipping into Deep Stash to knit useful things for my new commute and job.

First up - some ancient black Cygnet DK 100% merino I bought years ago at John Lewis Oxford St, with plans to knit a sleeveless vest. I then promptly bought exactly such a vest from Laura Ashley and so never felt the need to knit one up. The amount of yarn wasn't quite enough to be useful for anything else, and so it languished. However - mornings and evenings are cold in North Yorkshire, so I feel the need for cardigans and wraps to pull over the lighter clothes I wear at work (where the buildings are usually too warm). Black is a useful, argueably neutral, colour, so I pulled the yarn out and started Lisa Gentry's Yoga Wrap Sweater (making good use of Sobahime's alterations on Ravelry). I knitted top down, and have now completed it, except for edging. What to do about edging? I have no yarn left, so could edge in a contrast colour (makes it harder to work as a throw-over-anything wrap though), OR I could leave it unedged, which doesn't look too bad, kind of Japanese in style, and use a shawl pin to secure it if wanted. I am planning to give this a go - I can always go back and edge it if I feel I want to later.

Further projects planned from Deep Stash: either the 3 hour, or 2 hour Yorkshire and Glengarry Sweater using the old dark burgandy RYC Cashsoft I've had in stash seemingly forever. As its short sleeved this would make a good work sweater I think, to be worn with flowing black trousers (my basic work "uniform" - soft black trousers and pretty tops). Also, another go at the Central Park Hoodie in some rather glam gold aran wool/acrylic blend by Patons I picked up on ebay years ago, for some unknown reason. It's escaped several stash clearouts, because I rather like it - I also like the thought of using the gold yarn for a casual sweater.

The longer I can keep my new yarn boxed up the better maybe...

Great american afghan

Now on block 6 - more pics soon!

2 needle socks in progress

A fathers day gift for my dad. Yarn is jarol sweet briar.

It Might Make a Good Tea Cosy...

When I'm not knitting (which is hardly ever), I sometimes sew, as detailed in this blog, and I sometimes even crochet. Now, I was taught to knit the traditional way - as a child, at my grandmother's knee - but as no one in my immediate family crocheted, I didn't learn how. Perhaps it's due to being a child in the 1970s, but I've always liked crochet, and was very excited as a much younger woman when it made a spectacular return in the early 1990s. However, I've always struggled with it. I follow how-to books when crocheting, and it really is no replacement for having someone show you how. I frequently get lost in patterns, and get very confused when increasing or decreasing, and sometimes have difficulty working out which is the right side of my work - I am used to being able to "read" my knitting easily, and staring at a piece of crochet wondering what is going wrong makes me feel very helpless!

I am slowly working my way through a basic book of crocheted patterns (Lena Maikon's Knitter's Lib) and recently tried my hand at a hat, with mixed results. I finished it, and got through the pattern, but it came out too big, and with rather obvious (and wobbly) joins at the beginning of each round. I haven't worn it.

However, in a pre-move clearout today I hesitated before putting it in a bag destined for donation. Maybe I can use it as a tea cosy....

On Wearing Shawls in Summer

The more shawls I knit, the more I realize how incredibly useful they are. Yesterday I spent the day in Baltimore, Maryland - a grittily industrial but still beautiful harbour city, full of amazing architcture and historic ships, including the famous Balitmore clippers. I took advantage of the many free offerings at the Visitor's Centre, including an afternoon walking tour of the city. Afternoons in Maryland in late June are pretty warm, and although I had a hat I wanted something to protect my shoulders and chest area as my tee shirt had a sweetheart neckline. My Really Simple Shawlette (search Ravelry for the pattern) was perfect, knitted in Noro Silk Garden Sock it kept me cool during the hot walk, and at the end of the day - no sunburn. It also drew many admiring comments from passers-by. A real success, so many thanks to the talented designer!

On wearing shawls in summer

The civil war era