yarn along

Sharing in another week’s yarn along at Small Things.

This week has been filled with the promise of new knitting projects but I only actually took the plunge last night….around midnight. As I mentioned last week I had lots of possibilities in mind but actually settling on one was harder than expected. So many people to knit for, anxiety over matching a yarn with a pattern (I’m terrified of messing up gauge) and trepidation over starting a sweater had me dreaming (perhaps nightmaring) of knits, needles and skeins.

It all seems rather ridiculous.

I’ve very happily settled on the Fisherman Pullover (Ravelry link here) which I had been drooling over the last few months for my older son. The version Ginny revealed this week only increased my eagerness to give it a try. And, silly me, I didn’t even realize that the designer, Veera Välimäki, is the same who designed the pattern for my hat. I say it was meant to be.

I’m hoping I do okay with the pattern – I’ve only just started and have already had to pull out a few rows. Those short rows are a bit tricky. I’ve only done short rows once before and the YO at the beginning of the rows was confusing me. I’m still a little perplexed but hope I can make sense of it…if not I may be begging for help in this space next week!

I am knitting it in Quince and Co’s Puffin in Pea Coat which I won in this giveaway. Can you imagine my excitement when I won?? Plus it involved an email from Amanda Soule herself which, I’ll admit, made me rather giddy. And, oh my, it is a beautiful wool to work with.

I got some lovely reading time in over our quiet weekend and sped through The Fairy Tale Detectives by Michael Buckley. I really enjoyed it and look forward to checking out the rest of the series. A fun children’s book, geared to a younger set than last week‘s book, with all my favourite ingredients: magic, mystery, adventure and fantasy. Now I have the choice of what to read next, this decision I can handle. I spied a couple of books on my basement bookshelf that jumped out at me so I think The Complete Sherlock Holmes and Peter Pan will be up next – can’t believe that with all the classics I’ve devoured over the years that I haven’t read either of these. In the meantime I’m flipping through Anna Marie Horner‘s beautiful book, Handmade Beginnings.

And can I just draw your attention to the beautiful illustrations in my $2, 1980 version of the book? I love them.

We’re heading off for a week in the mountains a few day from now so I’m hoping there will be a little extra time for reading and knitting – although with the five littles in tow, snowy activities and an indoor pool at hand it may be wishful thinking.

Thanks for coming by – I always appreciate your lovely comments! I look forward to following others’ knitting adventures over at Small Things.

**Update: It’s 1 am and I’m still trying to figure out these short rows. I thought I was doing it correctly but now I am missing (I think) seven stitches. Anyone know this pattern and can offer any suggestions? I’m stumped! Thanks so much!!**