Wednesday 25 November 2009

Multicoloured

I liek bright colours, al the more so at this time of year with the long hours of darkness that trigger my SAD, badly. :(

A few weeks ago I gathered up all my yarn scraps and started working on my never-ending granny-square afghan, using the aran to bulky weight yarns. By the time I decided it was big enough it was a good 6 foot square:

bigblanket

There's all sorts of yarn in there - Colinette Point 5, Patons Diploma Gold, unbranded mohair, mystery yarn... It's lovely and warm. I've now started on another using my sock to aran weight scraps, but this one will be smaller. More of a lap/TV watching blanket I think. I'm aiming for 4-5 feet square this time.

Of course I've been working on projects using my own, Abstract Cat yarn. This is the start of the Arrows stole by Annette Petavy. My version is being made using my Baby Alpaca laceweight (100g/800m). It's going to take a lot of blocking!:
arrows

I confess I haven't worked on this since I came back from holiday two months ago - the pattern starts from the middle, but uses the yarn doubled for the starting chain then splits off after the first row. In my ususal style, this means I've got the working yarn and the yarn for the other half tangled, and it'll need untangled before I can continue. I'm sure it'll be fabulous when it's finished. (One of the effects of my SAD is that it destroys my concentration, hence my enthusiasm for mindless projects like the blanket above.)

And another shawl... This time (another) Eva's Shawl by Milobo. I love this pattern, have done it in lace, sport and aran weights and am now doing it in British Bluefaced Leicester laceweight (800m/100g - the most similar colourway I have for sale in this yarn is Taconic). I'm a little further on with now than in the photo:
autumneva


Sock yarn's not just for socks! I love Alpine Frost Scarf from Interweave Crochet. Again it's a pattern I've made several times in several yarn weights. I'm curretly working on it in Superwash Merino (100g/330m). It feels lovely. The skein I'm using had an accident in the dye-bath (i.e. I forgot about it, started looking at patchwork fabric online and eventually returned to the kitchen in time to hear sizzling - however the yarn seems unaffected):
yarnalpinescarf


And finally... socks! 75% British Bluefaced Leicester, 25% Nylon (100g/400m). This is the skein that inspired my Retro colourway, although the patterning will be different in the skeins for sale. The pattern is Ultimate Crochet Socks from Crochet Me:
yarnsock


A couple of weeks ago, my partner and I visited his grandmother. She no longer knits, and presented me with her knitting bag. It's been well taken care of or hardly used and obviously dates from several decades ago. I love it! Here is my cat Shiraz, with the bag in the background - you can just see part of the second granny square scrap afghan sticking out of it:
shirazbag


Finally, I would like to wish American readers a Happy Thanksgiving tomorrow. I am planning on finding a live internet stream of Macy's parade and settling down to watch it with crochet project and (many) mugs of tea!

5 comments:

Carol said...

Yay for big blankies! That's a great stashbusting project

Cal at Northern Sky Knitting said...

I love your Folksy shop and also just read some of your blog - GREAT!
I do agree that bright colours are required at this time of year,as I too suffer dreadfully with SAD (on top of year-round M.E.)
I have been knitting a year but have really got stuck in there and have now begun buying from tiny businesses on etsy and now - hopefully soon - folksy. You have the purpley blue shades I crave!
So,look for some queries from me as I would love to try some of your yarn out.

AC said...

Snap I'm making an Eva's shawl as well just now...it will be my sixth! My family usally see them and the get 'aquired':-)
Just ordered some of your gorgeous spirit merino laceweight from your shop. I think I'm going to make my lyra's stole with it~ here is the pattern~ http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/lyras-stole
take care,
Alison.

AC said...

thanks for the email...I have been ill for a few months then had my laptop stolen and stupidly had not made a back disc of my patterns so most of my patterns have been lost:-(
I had printed out the two patterns that I have left and have just managed with a lot of hastle to get them back on Ravelry. If you still have probs then just PM me on rav and I'll email you a copy direct.
BTW I'm so glad I have discovered your yarns as I just love your colours:-)
Have just mentaly spent over £100!!!!
Alison.

Laura said...

Thanks all...

Allycoll - hope you like your yarn - £100 spend is fine with me!!! I've save the Lyra's stole pattern on my computer until I'm ready to use it as I'm being firm with myself that I have to finish at least one of my WIPs before I start anything else. It'll only take a moment of boredom to put an end to that, lol!