How has your week been?
Mine has been average. An average amount of work got done on averagely busy but wetter than average days.
We're all settling into a new routine at home. Matthew's mum has gone away for a month. Every now and then she goes on an epic journey. This time she's off to the Bahamas with friends. She's done St.Lucia and she heading for St.Vincent. Matthew's parents do so much for us. They babysit the dog and the child while we're both out at work. It makes such a difference to our day to know that they're so close and so helpful. I appreciate them both so much. When one of the links in the chain is missing you really notice it!
I'm dropping the boy off at school, so I'm getting to work ON TIME. It's weird how much difference it makes to my day. Normally I'm about an hour early. It gives me chance to get settled, dot i's and cross t's before the shutter opens and the madness starts. It's been a week now, and things are fitting into place again.
It's March already! Where is the year going? Yesterday was allegedly the start of spring. We had a lovely sunny day. It didn't last though, and by the evening it was persisting down again. However, this morning it's dried up. The sky doesn't look overly promising though. There are lots of clouds and I expect it to be raining again before the day is out.
A new season also heralds the end of our first KAL. This one ran for January and February. There where 9 entries in the finished object thread. I used a random number generator from 2-10 and it came up with entry number 6. This was filipamc - Filipa from Portugal. She had crocheted a couple of lovely beanies for charity. It's fitting that her charitable work is rewarded by winning something for herself! So, Filipa, please PM me on Ravelry with either a pattern you'd like up to the value of $7 or your name and address and I'll get some stitch markers off to you.
The next KAL starts too. Again it runs for 2 months - March and April. Post your poll in the 'lets KAL' thread. What are you undecided about? What pattern do you want to knit but can't pick the right yarn? What yarn do you want to use but can't pick the right pattern? What KAL from another group should you join? Indecision takes up so much time! Let the group decide for you!
I've opened another prize thread. Please use this thread for pictures of your FO's only. Chat in the chatter thread. One FO per post will increase your chances of winning!
The decision you guys need to make for me this time is whether to frog the peacock shawl. I'm not feeling it. Mainly because I'm not working on it! I don't think I've got the tension right to be honest. I'm struggling to see how the pattern is working up. Coupled with the fact that the pattern just doesn't seem to be setting in my head I'm not inclined to work on it. I need to have peace and quiet to read the pattern stitch by stitch and such quiet time is rare in my house. So, do I persevere or do I frog it and start a new pretty pi shawl I've found? The decision is yours!
Feeling the love -
Once again this week has been mainly about Hana Hou. I've finished the right front now. My next taks it's to cake up another 3 skeins.
I have 3 tiny balls left from the first 3 skeins once I'd finished the fronts. I think I'll use them when I do the pattern band or the collar. My thought is that if I have to seam, I ain't weaving in ends too! So the odds and sods will be used up on smaller sections of the project. Makes sense, yes?
I had also worked on my Pair 7 socks. I mention in this week's episode that I would like to get the heel turned. I managed to do that on one of my dog walks yesterday.
I spun some this week too. The bobbin doesn't look that different. Just a little bit more full, so no picture. I'm trying to do a little bit of longdraw. You can't call it true longdraw really, because I'm sat on my sofa when I spin and there isn't really anywhere for my arm to go, so I'm playing with the technique. Also the fibre preparation isn't right to be able to do a true longdraw and get a true woolen prepared single. I'm attempting to move away from über controlling inchworm drafting. I'm pulling the working fibre back and allowing twist to move into the drafted fibres rather than inching my way through the top. It's nice to loosen up a bit. And so far the consistency of the single hasn't really suffered. I did notice that my treadling rate is affect by what I watch on TV. I knew that sport and thrillers make me treadle faster. It seems that watching The Voice does too! Exciting stuff.
On the horizon -
I'll continue to work on Hana Hou. The back is next and I'm debating whether or not to continue using 3 skeins at a time and alternating every row. The back should give a better opportunity for the colours to blend with it being twice the size of a front. I'm thinking it will still stripe though. I'll probably just use the 3 skeins. It saves having to rip out the back and do it again if I don't like the look of 2.
I'm waiting to cast on another pair of socks too. I'm knitting a pair of stitch surfers with my Friendship Fetish February pal Sophie. Sophie and I have exchanged half a skein of our hand dyed yarn to make these socks. Sophie used elderberries from her back garden to dye her yarn. It's a beautiful silvery grey colour. I can't wait to see how it pairs with my purple yarn.
Have a great week folks.
See you next week
Don't forget to join the next KAL.
Ellen x
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