Proverbs

It’s just as well it is better to give than receive. Secret Pal 9 ends today. I have been taking part but the complete lack of any mention about it here is because I haven’t actually received anything yet to blog about. I’ve had a lovely time spoiling Nadezjda and had a few emails from my hostess Jody who I’m pleased to see has just learnt to spin – it’s a slippery slope from here with even more scope for indoor wool mountains. Still, there will be rewards for me in heaven!!!

Have also just had the final itinerary of Skipnorth, just over a month away. I’ve not been before but with a love of wool to connect us I am looking forward to it and meeting knitters other than the usual local suspects. It’s also a picturesque part of the country so the coach travel between shopping venues should be pretty.

The plain body of Mariah has been finished upto the armpits and I started a sleeve this morning. It’s less than 2 inches long so far so doesn’t really merit a picture.

Mariah in progress

A look at Mariah in its current state. It’s from my handspun Shetland. I haven’t actually spun all the wool for it yet, and I may find I don’t have enough, which means I may not do all the rib down the sleeves. Or I may phone the nice people I bought it from. It is quite dark brown which means the patterning is pretty obscured. We shall see. I have finished knitting the very boring purple blanket but have still to block it and sew it together.

Move along now

Nothing much to say. Had yet another sneezy and sniffy day on Saturday in my own and not work’s time. Have booked the first holiday of the year and am now looking at the Historic Knitting gathering in Manchester on 3rd March to coincide with the Antique Textile Fair.

Review of the year

Knitted projects completed during 2006:-

Jumper - 1
Cardigans - 2
Scarves – 3 (including 2 handspun)
Bags – 11 (including 4 handspun)
Socks – 5 pairs (including 3 handspun)
Baby shawl - 1

A grand total of 23 items, 11 of which are still with me, while the rest have gone to other homes.

There doesn’t seem to have been much spinning, but there were a lot of bags.

In 2007 I plan to spin all the fleeces which are in the house today. When I told my dad this he assumed this meant I would not be buying more until they were all done. How wrong could he be?? I am not limiting myself on purchases as I prefer my resolutions to be positive rather than negative. The kitchen will of course smell of sheep for the next month or so as I only ever wash a bucketful at a time. My other intent is to knit jumpers out of 4 lots of yarn.

Currently on the needles is another baby blanket

– rather purple as I dislike pastel colours, plus Mariah and a new jumper started today to use up the madder dyed handspun. I’m using two strands together, light and dark so it will have quite a tweedy effect.