On and Off and On

That's the bag I've been using for my knitting lately, though last weeks motto should have been "Keep Calm Abandon Ship".

I had the worst series of attempts at projects. After finishing the Peak's Island Hood, which turned out perfectly, perfect and cosy...



I started work on the Liquid Silver Shawl by Rosemary Hill, which I'd been meaning to start for ages. Nigel got me the yarn for Christmas, I'd ordered the beads, the pattern was printed off and away I went. It wasn't too long before the dreaded "Rosemary Hill can't write a knitting pattern to save her life" issue rose it's ugly head. I've had a friend complain to me before about her patterns, how certain key pieces of information are simply omitted, but I insisted on believing that there was something faulty in how that knitter was reading the pattern (sorry Shelagh, I shouldn't have doubted) and that somehow I wouldn't have any trouble at all.

I was wrong.

I ripped out that pattern twice, the beaded border wasn't so difficult, though, why she fails to have a row 1 is beyond me - the pattern starts on row 2 and continues on to row 362. Why doesn't it just start on row 1 and continue to row 361? I've no idea...

I ended up ripping the border out once, on my second attempt I made it up into the body of the shawl, but quickly discovered that though the chart states that there is a 24 stitch repeat within each row (it's true, there is) Rosemary Hill has cleverly placed red line markers on the chart for 28 stitches. Urgh!

I tore it back a second time and decided not to bother at all, instead I'm going to make Trinket by Kim Hargreaves, it uses a similar yarn and beads. I'm very hopeful...

After all the unnecessary thinking (I'm just not up for it these days) of the Liquid Silver Shawl, I opted to knit the very easy Citron, from Knitty's winter edition. This entire wrap is just knit and purl (with increases and decreases) and was the ideal antidote to clear my head and feel accomplished. Sadly, I wasn't even a few inches into the pattern when I lost track of where I was and had to rip it all out and start over. I had been using a row counter, but it must have fallen to the floor and added 10 rows, because it didn't look right at all.

I started again and it's all fine now...



I'm working it in Estelle Super Alpaca Lace in charcoal, a gift from a friend at Christmas (Thank you Lori!). I love how it's working out, the pattern is very easy and the yarn gives the piece a very Victorian sort of air, I can see myself making a lot of these little shawl, in a variety of colours.

Also on the needles is a pair of Hat Heel Socks, another Knitty pattern, this one from Autumn of last year.



I'm not usually a fan of hand-knit socks, but these ones called to me. I think the unusual construction might just make them fit my feet. We shall see...



I'm using Twinkle Toes sock yarn by Dublin Dye Company, dyed by Elana, a friend of Elly's from Dublin. If I remember correctly, Elly gave it to me for Christmas in 2008, though it may have been for my birthday that year, I can't honestly remember. I like how the heel shows all the colours in the yarn, very bright and happy.

And that's the story of what's been off and on the needles lately.

I'm off now to bake some peanut butter cookies.