So, there wasn't a lot of blogging from me this year. I blame my traveling, lack of free time, and most of all my i-Phone. The i-Phone makes it so easy to photograph my knitting and post it on Instagram that I become much too lazy when it comes to putting together a whole blog post, text and pictures. I have neglected the listing of new projects on Ravelry for the same reasons. Where does the time go? Mostly in cruising Instagram in addition to Ravelry, these days.
Not that I haven't knitted and blocked and given away a few more items this year. Here's an end-of-year recap of the last few months in my knitting life:
A late Summer project, this was yet another iteration of the Sonia Shawl, for which I used three skeins of MadTosh Merino Light. The colors were Paper, Whiskers, and Weathered Frame.
I found the yarn during my Spring trip to New York, when I paid a quick visit to Purl Soho. What a jewel of a store! I had visited their earlier, much smaller location several years ago and had already been dazzled by their wise use of very simple patterns in a huge variety of gorgeous colorways. The newer space is spacious and inviting. It only stocks a few, well-chosen lines of yarns, but all the textures are wonderful, all the colorways attractive. And I got to study a number of Purl Bee projects from very close, which was inspiring.
I came into the store with no precise thought of what I was looking for, but as soon as I saw these three colorways, I could picture a classic triangle shawl for my mother. I wanted the shawl to be quite spacious, so I used the two lighter colors pretty much to the end of the skein. On occasion, because of the character of the hand-dyed wool, stripes would practically bleed into each other as all contrast vanished for a few stitches. That was what I wanted for this shawl: unassertive, sometimes barely-there stripes.
Once the shawl was off the needles, I cast on for a lace scarf with another luscious yarn I had been dying to play with: Filatura di Crosa Superior, a heavenly blend of cashmere and silk. Need I say more?
Since this photo was taken, the whole scarf was properly blocked but I still need to take a couple of final photographs. I copied the pattern from the yarn shop I visit most often when I am in Paris; it is a simple feather-and-fan stitch pattern done entirely in stockinette. The scarf used a bit more than one skein of Superior. Wonderful, heavenly yarn, much more pleasurable to knit than the Jojoland which I had found so frustrating during my previous knitting adventure with cashmere. And that is very good news because I happen to hold three skeins of Superior in a turquoise blue colorway that I can hardly wait to knit up.
And one more thing semi-finished but not properly photographed yet:
Little girl blanket, yards and yards of garter stitch on a size 4 needle, and yet another great yarn to work with: Lang Mille Colori Baby, a soft, machine-washable wool with long color repeats. I'll write more about it once I have decent photos.
So here you have it, the end of the year F.O. wrap up. No sweaters, just a lot of rectangles and the odd triangle too, and stripes here and there. I have been a bit stuck in my knitting in 2014. I hope to find my way back to pullovers and cardigans once the new year rolls in. Whatever happens on my needles, I will make sure to write it up here, in the meantime, I might see you on Instagram.