Catch Me Up!

Here’s Miss Lesley and Coco, who is sporting her brand new sweater! I knit two, one for Coco and a matching one for her brother Griffin 🙂 Teddy’s next, although I suspect much, much more yarn will be required.

What an incredible whirlwind this holiday season was. I see by the clock on the wall that my last post was December 2! It really snuck up on me this year…not that it doesn’t usually, but this year particularly.

I’m happy to say that tons of knitting got done, however. I made 4 pair of these Swaledale Clogs. It’s a very nice pattern, I’ll admit, but truthfully, I’m always a little bit disappointed by my felting attempts. I’m always tempted by the dense, fluffy fabric that felting produces but have never really managed to achieve it. At least, not the way Chris Hall of Cake Tin Hats does. Also, I find knitting for felting intensely boring. Honestly, I’d rather knit a complicated pattern, assessing the fit as I go. This business of casting my fate/fit into the hands of a washing machine is just not for me.

Here’s a little peek at some of the Canadiana Mittens that were knitted in the weeks leading up to the holidays. I’m thinking about writing a pattern for these. They’re quick to knit from aran weight yarn.

By the time Christmas hit, my brain was on hiatus. I exploited my brainless state to finish off a few pairs of mindless self-patterning socks that had been languishing, two pair for Carl and one for me. I knocked ’em out in the week between Christmas and New Years. Hard to believe that one can knit absently with a turkey sandwich in one hand and a hunk of chocolate in the other but, trust me, it can be done 😀

I’m happy to report that The Birthday Sweater was finished on time! It was even dry enough to wrap! It fits and Carl loves it. I’m still a little on the fence about the bright colorwork but I sure enjoyed the Malabrigo Rios. 

As soon as my grey cells were recharged, I got back to my Zora Cardigan which I started back in November. I am really loving this pattern. It is packed with technique, the shawl collar and perpendicular join among them (all of which are supported by tutorials at Chez Lizzie) and a big bold Barbara Walker cable. Apart from the fact that Elizabeth is my friend and mentor, she is a consummate designer who manages to craft patterns that are stylish, engaging, challenging and full of fabulous details. 

At our autumn knit retreat at Jackson Falls, I was fortunate to receive a beautiful kit for Elizabeth’s Urban Rustic Socks, including the magnificent Kenzie yarn. I cast these babies on on Sunday just in time for the first episode of Downton Abbey. (Zora was about to get too complicated to knit in front of the television.) I love everything about them! The yarn is a divine blend of merino, angora and alpaca plus a little nylon for durability. I’d thought I might save these for Downton knitting every week but I’m not sure I can put them down. It’s also very cold here right now and it would be really great to have these little tootsie-toasters on my feet.

My Winter 2015 classes are planned and can be found here, on my new Classes page. They can also be found on the Rosehaven website. I’m excited about teaching another Knitter’s Crash Course and Knitting in the Round before we leave for the Caribbean on the 20th.

I think that’s all the news that’s fit to print. I’m going to hunker down today as 5 – 6 inches of snow is expected on top of the 8 below zero temperatures 🙁 It’s a great day for knitting!