I’m coming in late to this yarn along from our mountain getaway! I’m loving the extra time to lounge and relax.

In my usual fashion I panicked that I would run out of things to do so I packed enough books and wool to keep me busy for a month(s…).

My first plan was to breeze through the cuffs on the red boy’s blue raglan but in searching for my last ball of wool I realized I didn’t have one. How did I manage that? Once we’re back in the city I’ll have to search around for a match – hopefully in time for the looming birthday. Funny how last year I was working on the same deadline with a different sweater…

Instead I started on my first colorwork project. A hat circled in hearts is my vision. The pattern is mine (we’ll see if it works) inspired by the pattern From Norway with Love by pickles. I’m using Paton’s Classic Wool and Cascade 220 from my stash. After a few rows of the stranded colorwork I realized my floats were going to be a problem. I figured out how to wrap the floats to tidy up the wrong side of my work. Now I’m excited to see how the pattern comes together. I’m using a two-handed method for the first time also so I’m trying out my “picking” skills at the same time.

I’m reading bits and pieces of  few different books right now, trying to decide what I’m in the mood for. I’ve got The Titan’s Curse, The Sweet Life in Paris, and The House at Riverton. I have a feeling I’ll cop out with the easiest of the three – The Titan’s Curse. Although after finished The Homemade Life, which was wonderful, I’m rather craving another food memoir. Three different genres…decisions, decisions. Am I the only one who feels guilty for indulging in too much fiction?

And since I’ve got you here – do you any of you colorwork experts have any tips to share with me?

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joining Ginny for yarn along

P.S. Anyone want to join me here for yarn along next year?

I’m finally taking the chance to share about the sweet package that arrived at my door a couple of weeks ago.

As you may have read here, Jen and I organized a little hat exchange. She was much more up to the cable challenge that the thistle cap presented and I have more patience for the stockinette of the wurm hat. Her packaged arrived as a sweet gift at the end of a hectic day. It was lovely.

Jen didn’t stop at the hat but was so thoughtful to send me a new mug (!!) and a “jay” measuring tape. And the bracelets she added for the kids have been a huge hit. Seriously huge. At the end of every day I travel around collecting them and returning them to their owners because they would most certainly be missed.

But the thistle cap is really the star. It’s wonderful. The colour is absolutely perfect, the wool warm and cozy, the pattern delightful. Oh, I love it. I’ll admit that I actually have the pattern so one of these days I think I’ll have to take a go at it myself….and defer to Jen if the cables wear me out.

And now that Jen’s hat is safely in her hands (and hopefully warming her head), I can finally show a peek at the wurm hat I knit for her (ravelry notes here).

To be honest this pattern isn’t one I’ve oohed over previously but I while knitting it I decided I really love it. The doubled rim was a bit of a pain but so worth it for the extra coziness. It is slouchy without being too slouchy and the fit was perfect (hopefully it fits Jen’s head as well as it did mine). I thought I would send it off unblocked but thought better of it. The blocking once again did its trick and the hat showed its true colours afterwards.

I knit it in Marisol Yarns Akapana. I’d been saving this in my stash for a few years (because if there is a colour I go weak for after red, it’s green). When I learned that Jen loves green I knew this wool had found its purpose. I really enjoyed how the wool worked with the wurm pattern. The flecks of browns and black were subtle but beautiful. The soft, delicate drape of the wool fit well with the simplicity of the pattern.

Yep, it was sad to say goodbye but wurm and I parted friends.

Now I have two patterns to queue up for later: one I want to try and one I want to try again.

(Sorry for more dark photos. One of these days I need to brave the cold with my camera again…)

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Anyone else queuing up new patterns to try? Please share! You know I’m always looking for fresh knitting seduction.

Right now I have umpteen zillion unfinished projects (or something close to that number) but I keep casting on new ones. I have, though, gotten two recent projects off the needles – the ring toy and the owlie cowl. I’m going to get a post together on those two cuz I want to share lots of photos.

Since I’ve been such a professional procrastinator I think it’s time I finally tackled the sleeves for the blue raglan I’ve had on the needles for ages. It’s another wonderful pattern from talented designer Jane Richmond and I love it…but I don’t love sleeves. I’m not sure why that is. I should be excited to be on the home stretch – but I’m not. I’m afraid to check my rav notes on this one to see when I actually started it but as the boy’s birthday is a mere 25 days away (he likes to keep us posted) I’d better get it done. Plus then I can reward myself with a new cast-on!

I’m still reading A Homemade Life and very much enjoying it. I love how reading about cooking makes me want to get busy in the kitchen. I stocked up on cook books and food-related memoirs last week at the library and I have Julie and Julia checked out on DVD for some quiet evening. We’ll see if I end up inspired or just hungry.

I’m also back into some children’s lit with The Sea of Monsters. It’s the second book in the Percy Jackson series by Rick Riordin. If you haven’t caught on yet, I’m a total geek for children’s novels. Quick reading; demanding a reasonable amount of emotional response without disrupting my precious hours of sleep; satisfying my craving for fantasy and adventure without getting all gory or PG-13 on me. I’m enjoying this one although it isn’t one of my favourite children’s/young adult series.

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joining Ginny of Small Things

Joining the yarn along party late this week…

I just been working away on rings for the toy that has since become toys. I keep forgetting to attach the rings to each other when I graft them closed but with a slew of friends with babies on the way I’m sure getting a head start on knitting is not a bad thing. I’ve started felting the first two sets but after two wash and dry cycles they still aren’t as small as I’d like. I keep tossing them in with warm washes so we’ll see how that works.

I did start on the owlie cowl I wanted to try out. I’m working 60 stitches on size 9 needles with worsted weight wool held double. I’m going to work in some cables after a few inches although I’m already starting to wonder if I should be trying this one bigger needles….Of course I don’t have a size 10 in circulars (or dpns) so I’m debating a trip to the yarn store. Dan loves those trips…

I still very much enjoying A Homemade Life, although I haven’t tried any of the recipes yet. I thought it was a strange coincidence that she waxes poetic over coconut and coconut macaroons in particular. I came to that chapter after I’d gone crazy for coconut macaroons myself. I’m taking it mean my love was meant to be. And now I have another recipe to try out.

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joining Ginny for yarn along

Despite my very best intentions, these weeks seem to be passing by in a blur with the needles not seeing as much action as I’d like. I carry my knitting around with me, I take it out, I knit in the late evenings when the little people are settled but I don’t feel like anything is flying off my needles.

I did finish the secret hat for Jen. I’ll share a peek after it’s safely in her hands. Other than that I’ve just been knitting a loop now and then for the ring toy(s) – I decided I couldn’t stop at one so I’m doing a couple. The loops are definitely fun and addictive. I’m knitting them in Paton’s Classic Wool – a great yarn to work with, and such a great felter. Beyond that I’m dreaming up an owlie cowl for my little guy; thinking I could come up with a simple enough pattern in his favourite colour, yellow.

As far as reading goes, I’ve been inspired by A Homemade Life. It’s a memoir cookbook by Molly Wizenberg, the author behind Orangette. She writes so well. I love her stories; they are so personable and heartfelt. And the recipes: they beg testing. The problem is I want to try them all – I can’t decide where to begin.

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joining with Ginny for yarn along