Soggy Days

Well, it's been a funny few days. After the buzz and excitement of Knitting & Crochet Blog week this week has felt quite flat. The rain hasn't helped, it has rained almost every day.... all day, and I'm not a big fan of too much rain. It's good for the garden, but I'm solar powered. I need sunshine!

At the start of the week I had grand plans to throw myself into some fantastic projects.... but it hasn't really happened. I'm not inspired to sew summer skirts, it is cold outside! And my new little cardy design was more of a challenge than I had the energy for.... I did finally finish my lovely bag with its pretty appliqué flowers, internal and external pockets, and adjustable strap. I'm rather pleased with it, it's so pretty and a great size, but as the prototype of this design, it does need a few tweaks here and there. The tab to close it needs to be a wee bit longer, the base a wee bit deeper and the straps need fiddling. I'll have another go another day.... 

But it isn't just the rain that has made the week feel soggy and limp. I have had trouble getting settled on anything. I've been jumping from one project to another, picking up one thing, casting on another, frogging it again, pulling out fabric, patterns, grabbing my scissors, then putting it all back. I can't quite find the thing that I really feel like doing. It's rather disconcerting. Plus, I've misplaced my glasses. They have got to be here somewhere, they don't have legs (as I tell the kids when they can't find something....) but do you think I can find them? I'm not blind without them, I can function just fine. But reading, watching tv, using the computer, knitting and sewing is more comfortable with them.... I have a hazy memory of putting them down in an unusual place and thinking... "I'm not sure this is such a good idea..." Mr Myrtle keeps telling me to look in bags. He might be right. Tess is very keen on packing things into bags (bag mad - sound like someone else?!) and we have a vast number of toddler-sized bags. It is amazing what we find in bags...

I have been knitting away on my silver Buttercup and I've nearly reached the bottom. But, being nearly finished brings with it a certain amount of anxiety. What will I do next? I can't be left with nothing on the needles... I usually cast on something new before I finish the last thing. But, my funny week left me at a bit of a loss. I do have a couple of lovely patterns for me and Tess in the wings, but I rather fancied a bit of quick satisfaction. Something that just whips up. Also, it is feeling chilly, not at all spring-like and I am feeling a desperate need to cull my stash. So, what do I do? I start a hat. Some squishy Rowan felted tweed aran in lovely earthy-gnomey green wants to be a hat (I just can't think of a name for the colour, it reminds me of little gnomes). Teamed with some left-over balls of tweedy orange and tweedy oatmeal (not Rowan, just bits from my basket) it comes together beautifully. Just what I need.

 

I started by casting on 72 stitches on 5mm (US 8) needles, joined them in the round and knit 2x2 rib for about an inch. In the last round of rib I increased by 13 stitches, spread evenly-ish around the row, making a total of 85 stitches. And then I started knitting five little girls that I've sketched out on knitting graph paper. They're holding hands around the hat and have pretty striped skirts and orange heart tops. So far I've made it to their necks, weaving my yarn under and over to keep the loops from getting too long at the back. Sweet, don't you think? Only a few more rows and their faces and red hair will be done. I haven't yet decided how to decrease at the top, but I am thinking this hat definitely needs a little something to finish it off. Maybe a pom pom, or a tassle. In the orange, if there's enough. 

We're catching a few days away this weekend and I can't wait for the change of scene. I'm taking my knitting and with a bit of luck the rain will stop! I hope the sun is shining wherever you are. Have a lovely weekend X