I have been busy - honest!

I have been really busy knitting and it's beginning to pay off! Hooray for me!! And as 2 out of my 3 projects on the go are for me it really is for a change!! First off is the Northern Lights Project. This jacket is coming together really nicely, the body is finished in yummy soft stripes (OK, possibly not the best choice for a personage of my proportions, but I like it!!) Before knitting the arms, I have taken it into my head to knit the hood - yep! A huge in proportion pixie hood with a large green tassel on the end and possibly matching tassels on braids at the from to finish it orf - haven't decided yet, it may depend on the amount of yarn left over. I have sufficient cherry alpaca to line the visible parts of the inside of the hood so that is cool. And the Noro domino shrug is turning out really nicely too (can you spot the obvious mistake?). I love the way Noro lends itself to this sort of project, with the colour changes just fitting the size of the squares (27st x 27st on 4mm needles) beautifully. Have just stared the left arm and the squares are beginning to become smaller so hopefully, it will speed up now as I'm beginning to be board. Although it is good telly knitting. I have finally been really brave and fixed the damage done by the Horrible Harry Borzoi and now the shawl is growing really quite fast. It's at the "jelly fish" stage (to quote #1Son) so have stuffed it with my knitting bag. I'm really quite pleased with the result - you can see the pattern if you squint hard enough. The hearts are running left to right across the picture. I'm just about to finish the third set of hearts and then it will be a dose of plain knitting before I add a round of Lilly of the Valley and finish off with a Mimosa Border. Hearts, Lilly of the Valley (sweetness & happiness) and Mimosa (secret love). Just right for a wedding shawl!

Just when you have nearly given up...

Just like buses, 2 posts turn up in one day!! As I have got my act together (not a word!!) I thought I would share my finished Guesswork Sweater. It was one of those that really did evolve into the shape you see here! Don't ask me for particulars 'cus I really couldn't tell you. I was however aiming for a snuggy big sweater that would go well with jeans and have a high warm neck. So it ticks all the boxes. To add to which, I managed to put frills on the neck, cuffs and round the bottom, so it's nice and girly (well, it is the right colour). I particularly like the way the colour darkens from the elbow and as the yarn travels down the body, (not showing up as well as I would like hey ho!). I aimed for this, but was pleasantly surprised that it actually worked. Not the way to ordinarily knit a sweater I grant you, but it was a really pleasant respite from DH's fairly structured colour work.

Latest spinning...

Just a catch up on my spinning, I have been spinning you know.... Any hoo, I'm up to 2 FULL bobbins of the hand dyed fine wool tops from Freyalyn although they seem totally different, they really do have the same colours inside... promise!! Have another 100gms to go and then I can start on the other fibre to marl the yarn with. I took a break to spin these BFL humbug tops from Amanda Hannaford they are turning out all tweedy, totally different from the way I thought they would. I'm spinning these on my Little Gem as at the moment it is seeming more fun than the Suzy, the ratios etc haven't been changed from the fine wool tops so when I've finished I can just pop an empty bobbin on and carry on with them. I think it will make a fab sock yarn when it's finished. And finally, the second bobbin of the ultra fine merino is tootling along not forgotten, just boring.... Ooo slap those knuckles! I know it will be fab yarn once it's been plyed. Yep I think it will be plyed. A more satisfying yarn I think, not as fine, but much nicer to knit with.