Fringed

I finished St Brigid and wore it today. I added the ribbing at the neck as it just makes it look more finished to my eye and also fringed it.

Ordinarily wearing a heavyish aran sweater on November 26th wouldn't be a problem but the temp here was 16C (about 65 F) and it was way too warm. Doesn't matter - I loved having it on.

I ripped out the almost completed back of Fern (Alice's too) and decide to start over. I am using the centre heart shaped pattern to make a horizontal band on the bottom and will pick up the body stitches from that and knit the whole thing circularly - to the armholes anyway. I don't feel like steeking this one - and don't mind the back side of the pattern. It isn't nearly as difficult as knitting a fair isle on the wrong side.

I am about a quarter of the way around the body with the bottom band. Good thing that I like the process as much as the end product!

I am doing Fern in a DK - almost Worsted- weight wool so it will be a lot lighter than St Brigid. this will take up most of my knitting time from now until well after Christmas. Picture me watching "24" with my son on Chrsitmas Day, working on my Fern!

St Brigid - Take 2

One of the first items I knit when I really started knitting seriously again about 6 years ago was Alice Starmore's gorgeous St Brigid. I was at a well known large downtown yarn store looking at books - (for some reason all they have is 1 small and very uncomfortable chair - would it kill you to put in a table and some decent chairs!) - and my heart stopped when I spotted St Brigid.


I did it in a deep rich brown wool - Galway I think and included the fringe and the neck ribbing as it is shown in the book (Aran Knitting - look on eBay for a copy - they are well worth the $$s). I wore it and loved it and evetually had to take off the fringe as it was felting and looked very scrappy. I also made the mistake of using a sweater stone on it to defluff it and managed to almost ruin the sweater. A couple of careful washings and blockings later and it doesn't look too bad - just well loved.

About 2 years ago I started knitting another St Brigid - this time in a Irish wool (superwash) - finished all of the pieces - then put it all away as it seemed too short - my row gauge must have been off. I pulled it out the other day and did some furious steaming and all seems a little more open so I finished up the neck edge - this time with just the braid and not the ribbed neck and so far no fringe. It is still a little short so I might fringe it or add a row of the same braid that goes at the neck - just to make it tush covering enough for me.

I still love it more than anything else I have knit. I am now plotting and planning my 3rd St Brigid although I want to finish Starmore's Fern and Inishmore first. (Inishmore is another story - I set up the patterns incorrectly and have about 10 inches of the body knit circularly to rip out)

More socks

Pretty Eyelet Rib sock from Virginia van Santen in her Merino 3Ply. Just finished darning in the ends and blocking it and like it a lot. The yarn is a sport weight so is a little heavier than I normally knit socks with but it is not too heavy and I love the way the colours work - no pooling or spiralling here - although I love both pooling and spiralling and the general serendipity of all hand dyed yarn!
Very easy cable looking rib with lots of pretty texture. And the way the colour plays on the heel is just gorgeous!

A bit more work to do then I am going to take a few days off to do some swatching and designing and finish up some of my long languishing projects and watch Planes Trains and Automobiles and call my cousin in Colorado.

Happy Thanksgiving to everyone who is celebrating it this weekend. I think I will join you!

Some actual knitting!

These are my 1st pair of Colinette Cadenza socks - colour is Sahara.


I love the pooling on one and the spiralling on the other. They were both knit toe up with my newly discovered (newly discovered by me - the rest of the world probably already knows about this!) flap heel.

An this is one of a soon to be pair in colour Dusk - also knit toe up and with gorgeous pooling at the top of the instep and spiralling along the ankle:

I am knitting them quite firmly - 7 stitches to the inch (it is a DK weight yarn) and using eye of partridge for the heel (which makes for a really beautiful mix of colours) so they are hardier.

I like them!

I was sitting at my guild meeting last week and a woman behind me was knitting a stunningly gorgeous sock. It was deep and dark and rich in blue and black or almost black and pooled deliciously. Turns out it was Interlacements Tiny Toes so what do you think I did?....

I ordered some! Should be about 3 weeks or so. Superwash merino fingering weight and yummy!

Smudgie is recovering well from her surgery - the biopsy came back and the news is bad. She is dining on salmon and treats and will be happy and comfortable for as long as she is happy and comfortable. She will tell me when it is time and until then I am going to love her up and spoil her rotten!

Have a good week everyone - I will post more in the less distant future than previously

Smudgie cat

My abject apologies for not posting in such a long time. Things other than blogging have been on my mind!

This is little Smudgie who had surgery to remove her right side mammary glands yesterday - big lumps - to make her more comfortable - and to see if they are good news or bad. She is very happy to be home and purrs loudly every time I go to check on her. She is curled up on my bed and has eaten some, although she seems to much prefer sleep at the moment.

My son took the cute picture of a very typical sitting spot for Smudge - she likes my shins or my thigh - depends on whether or not my feet are up. The mouse is a ruse but isn't it cute. and you can almost see the white scaredy cat shape on her back.

And this is Bunny:


He is now full grown and doesn't stretch out quite so cutely any more but doncha just want to pat his little toes! And the Ears - oh the ears! Bunny ears!


And Bunny with Puddles to get an idea of kitty-ness. They are now the same size.

I will post some knitting soon - have lots to show you - Socks and a modular top out of - what else - sock yarn!

And perhaps some more cat- titude