Catch Up

It's been a while since I popped in to touch base and chat about what I'm working on and I thought I'd tell you about some of the projects on my needles at the moment.

These three are all new designs. I can't seem to help myself cast them on. Two of these were spur of the moment knits, cast on when I should really have been working on the ginger sweater but fancied something small instead.

So far I've managed one sleeve of my gingerbread sweater - I've got a plan with myself to finish the whole thing by the end of August. Let's see if I can do it ... please feel free to give me a stern word if I don't ;)

If you follow me on Instagram or Facebook you'll have seen me start, knit and finish this glorious raspberry textured shawl last week. I was quite captivated with it - the pattern repeat is simple to remember and it's fun watching the shawl take shape as it's knitted from one side to the other. 

I've designed this (as yet nameless) shawl with scrummy merino/cashmere/nylon yarn dyed by my friend Andie at Midnight Yarns and she is busy dyeing up skeins of yarn to take to the upcoming KAN knitting retreat in Napier at the end of August. If you're lucky enough to be joining us for the weekend, you'll be able to buy some of her yarn to knit my shawl pattern which I'll release a few days beforehand. My shawl is knitted in her "raspberry sorbet" colourway and I gather she'll have that and many other lovely colours at KAN too.

You may have also caught a glimpse of my new hat pattern on social media too. At least, you'll have seen my hat before I decided it wasn't quite how I wanted it, ripped it back, rewrote the pattern and started again. It's true what they say, designers do an awful lot of unpicking so you don't have to!

I'm using a really lovely DK merino/possum yarn for my hat. It's an undyed yarn by Naturally called Amuri and it's 75% merino and 25% possum single spun yarn that has a rustic, dark halo from the possum. It looks almost felted, is super soft and knits like a dream. 

I'm aiming to get it knitted up quickly so I can publish the pattern and get some wear out of it while the weather is still cold. We're having an icy winter down here this year. It's absolutely freezing at the moment although I know that spring will be back before long (the first daffodil has popped up in our garden) so I'm making the most of my hats, shawls and sweaters while I can.

What's on your needles?