Thursday 30 January 2014

Immersed in wool!

January has become a knitting bonanza month for me - hence the lack of posts!  I did mean to update the progress on the scarf knitting, so here is the finished piece . . .

Apologies for the poor quality of the pic!  I'm quite pleased how it has turned out and I have to say I love the tassels :) :)  This was a really lovely project.  I've yet to wear my scarf - I'm waiting for the right moment to show it off, hehe!

And here is the progress on the cable and lace scarf (both patterns from this book here).   There are some superb patterns in this book and I'd thoroughly recommend it . . .


I'm doing a little cheat with the second one and knitting a plain (stockinette) panel in the middle, so I'll have a shorter scarf with two pattern panels at the front.  It's a really pretty pattern, but time consuming and January is almost over so time to horse on with it!

I'm using this month to teach myself some new knitting techniques - must say I'm getting a little carried away but thoroughly enjoying myself too!

Must buckle down to some commercial work (whatever it may be!) soon so I'll enjoy my last couple of days of  'mucking about' - ah well, it was fun while it lasted, hehe :)

Bye for now!
Alison
xxxx

Tuesday 14 January 2014

Scarf progress . . . . or wish I'd made a cowl :)

Well, I've been embracing my scarf challenge - actually I think I've just set myself a challenge of finishing this one by the end of January - I should have made a cowl instead LOL . . . 

The tassely, triangular finishing was supposed to be, er, done at the end, of course . . . but I got a little bored and yesterday decided to do the edging just to see what it would look like.  (I know, it's a bit like reading the end of the book before you've started - ooops!) I'm pleased with the result though - it makes it look very funky and ornate I think.  Also increased the length so a good incentive to keep going!

I'm thinking I could possibly turn the other scarf into a cowl though if I get too bored to make it into a scarf . . .

. . .  I have some very nice leather buttons which I could add - it's a bit of an experimental idea :)

It's so cold here today that I could really have done with a chunky warm scarf, so I'd better get going with one or both of them!

Some 'tweedy' supplies are winging their way to me, so it would be nice to be up and running quite soon - a few ideas in the pot I'd definitely like to get going with.

Cheerio an Drasda :)
Alison xx

Thursday 9 January 2014

Belated Happy New Year - ooops :)

Happy New Year or Bliadhna Mhath Ur (in Gaelic if you prefer!). Apologies for not being able to wish my blog readers a Merry Christmas but my laptop (or it's battery) decided to keel over and die just a couple of weeks before the festive season - Oh Dear!  Never mind - I hope everyone had a lovely festive season :) 

We had a lovely, lazy, time although eldest son was stuck on the mainland due to bad weather for a few days, the joys and perils of living on an island - but he got home eventually after a rather adventurous journey!  Hence our Christmas was spread over a few days - a good excuse for enjoying a second Christmas dinner, hehe!

I treated myself to a new knitty book for some relaxing 'chill out' time over the holiday break.  Once I'd got the yarn and the needles I was chomping at the bit to get started.  I'm now experimenting with two projects at the same time - well, January can be a bit of  boring month, so . . . 

. . . I'm getting well stuck in!

I've never really been a big fan of knitting scarves - but I'm enjoying practicing some new techniques - bobbles, cables, lace, twisted stitches - I'm on a learning curve - which is the general idea :)  Both of these scarves are supposed to measure 165 cm long when complete - not sure that they'll ever reach that length!  Perhaps next year's Chrsitmas pressies????

All the best for 2014 - may it be a productive, creative, adventurous - or whichever you hope for, year!

Alison xxx