It’s all about clearing decks, cleaning slates and fresh starts here at the moment, in knitting and in our home.
First of all, congratulations to Bells who who has won the Om Shanti bedsocks. I ran this random number generator thingie to find a winner, and her comment came up. It’s good to know they are going to a good home!
On the home front, we have been having our bathroom renovated. It will have taken six weeks to do, but should be pretty much done by the end of the week. I’ll share some before and after pics once it’s finally done and the blinds are in. But the way it has affected the rest of our house has been truly astonishing. Dust, laundry and boxes full of tiles, bathroom furniture and towel rails have overwhelmed almost everywhere. So this weekend we will be spring cleaning, and celebrating taking ownership of our home again.
Similarly, on the knitting front, I’ve had a strong urge recently to clear the decks, and get all of my works in progress off the needles. If you look at the sidebar up a bit and on the left, you’ll see that my only remaining unfinished project is the Hemlock Ring Blanket. My Anemoi mittens are finished and just waiting for an available photographer.
It’s not that I’m burning to start anything else – let’s face it, if I wanted to, I would have, however many projects were already ongoing! No, it’s more a desire for a clean slate and a fresh start. I have been enjoying not planning ahead for once. And I have found it interesting how, through not trying to plan, several ideas have bubbled up into my imagination.
I love Jared Flood’s Alberta vest. And, to my surprise, Steve loves it too. I would love to make this for him, I think it would really suit him (and as a bonus would have no arms to knit). But I think it will have to wait until I can find some suitable yarn – I don’t think it would be quite the same without one of the yarns being variegated, and I’m not sure where I would get that from at the moment.
I’ve also been thinking about the green Grannie Smith cardigan that I almost finished last year (pictured above). It has many elements that I love: the colour, the lace pattern, the Kid Silk Haze from which it is made, its sheer girly prettiness. I made a mistake, however, in choosing this pattern, as it just does not suit my shape. Well, I have got some ideas for how I could modify it without having to start from scratch again. I need a bit of time to play with the ideas, but it would be great if they work out, it would feel like getting a ‘free’ cardigan!
I would also like to have a handknit cardigan to wear while I do yoga. This one (Ravelry link) is kind of what I’m imagining (maybe not with the matching legwarmers though…). I’m thinking of using the green yarn in the photo above, which is Rowan Summer Tweed, made from 70% silk and 30% cotton.
And then I’d like a small project for train knitting, socks would be good. And some more lace – another shawl maybe? And a beret to match my Laminaria shawl would be nice. And now I really have to stop before my head explodes!
