Oops - again!

Sorry. It's been ages again hasn't it? On the knitting front, I have finished my second Aspen Leaf cardigan. It is such a gorgeous pattern, really quick and well explained and I really, really love it. So it is such a shame that I seem unable to get the yarn right. My first one was knitted in Posh Yarn's Martha aran weight - it bled, so I washed it (may I just point out there that this is the first time I have ever had so much as a slight problem with Posh). Anyway, I decided to machine wash it. Not such a good idea. I killed it.

But never mind (well I did mind, but no use getting upset when it's all my own stupid fault) so I ordered some Almerboo from Woolhunter. Same problem with the bleeding yarn, but this time I decided to be so good and hand washed the cardi until the water ran clear. And then I put it in the washer on the gentle spin cycle. Mrs Woolhunter told me not to do this, but I knew better... well it turns out that Mrs Woolhunter was right and I was wrong.

So I now have 2 felted Aspen Leaf cardigans. Do I try for a third? In superwash something?

While I ponder this question, I was sent the Ravelry link to a pattern that was apparently right up my street. (Thanks Moogsmum and Trashy). A fantabulous sock with little boats on, fishes, waves, cables and loads of colours. Oh how right were you both, this pattern was ordered within minutes.

Oh heavy sigh. Next time I'm sent 'good ideas', someone please remind me to check the pattern first. A sock with 80 stitches? 2.25mm needles? Intarsia in the round? Loads of ends to darn in? It is certainly a challenge, but I absolutely adore this little sock. Doubt I'll even end up with second sock syndrome here - there's so much to keep me entertained.

But after all the knitting dilemmas, I feel a slice of something nice is in order. This is healthy. It must be. It's got 2 whole punnets of strawberries on. Surely their goodness outweighs the all-butter puff pastry, the double cream, custard, white chocolate and full-fat yoghurt?


PS anyone fancy joining me knitting this rather wonderful bag? I think it might possibly be the best hand knitted bag I've ever seen!

WIP's

I'm beginning to feel swamped by my WIP's again. I love them all. I want to finish them all. Why can't I just get off this machine and knit them all? I have too many WIP's. A friend of mine who comes to the Stash Basket house once a week to knit has only got 2 WIP's. She is making me feel like I need to get something done. (I keep telling her to get more stuff cast on!)

I was seriously thinking of concentrating hard on one particular project, just so I could get it off the needles. Reduce my 8 WIP's to 7 and then 6 and then 5...

... But then I saw this. 17 WIP's. I no longer feel quite so guilty, just a bit of a light weight (oh if only!) with such a paltry amount of projects hiding in the house!

At last!

OK then, get the patterns out and the yarn and the needles. I need to start casting a few more things on. The interminable Mystery Blanket is finally finished and off the needles. Thank goodness for that, I can now breathe a huge sigh of relief. The colours are much brighter than this photo shows (rubbish light today, grey clouds and drizzle).


Some of the colours in it really bother me. I can't bear the hideous bright coral pink - it was awful yarn to knit with too - and the brown is just wrong. But I love the greens and blues. The multi-coloured cable squares were a pain to do, but worth every last grey hair - they are lovely! The picture squares are all great too - so pleased with the turtle and shell in particular. I didn't like the mermaid so changed the centre square to a policeman's helmet, er, jellyfish. It is far from right, but I couldn't bear to pull it down. In future years I'm sure it will make me smile - sitting in my dotage in a nursing home with it draped over my knees, I will no doubt wonder why I didn't do the mermaid but opted for a policeman with dreadlocks instead.

A friend of mine is doing this year's and despite my initial reaction of 'I don't like that' I would like to hearby change my mind. The colours are lovely, the yarn is gorgeous and the squares are beautiful - and look very complicated! But I am pleased I'm not joining in this year. Too many other things to knit (and indeed finish) and a whole big lot of sock yarn waiting to be turned into socks.

That being the case, I wonder why I've just bought 900g of Almerboo Aran and 600g of organic wool/alpaca. There is no hope, truly there isn't!

Anyone for a slice of today's pudding?

Chocolate mousse cake. Calorie free (cough cough). Personally I can hardly wait for pudding tonight and am seriously tempted to have some right now. Tell you what, if you all want to come round now for a slice then I'll plead ignorance and tell the family that they'll have to make do with a kitkat for pudding instead.

Anyone?

Knitting has been taking place. Two borders are now done and just so you can see, here is part of one of them completed. 15 rows of 250+ stitches and then cast off. It seems to be taking forever.

Failed

Failed hopelessly in fact. Didn't get the blanket finished and actually did very little else. I still haven't done any other kniting except the blanket and fortunately the end is really in sight now. Good job as a lovely lot of Almerboo arrived yesterday. Photos soon. Going to hang my head in shame now, thanks to Locket I have re-named this month as Make-It-Up-March. Hoping to have a few more finished projects this month. And a few more photos too.

Sorry everyone.