Where's your head at?

I have been feeling very apathetic of late, I have lots of different things on needles, hooks, and spindle along with 'work' knitting that needs a few finishing tweeks to patterns etc so I was thinking what if I put it all together in a blog post and try to figure out where my head is at with the help of you lovely people. 

On the needles:

Paulie Cardigan

This is Paulie by Isabell Kraemer which I am knitting in Malabrigo Violetta Africana and Laura Hogan's sock yarn in Jewell. The idea of this project was put in my head by Jewelandarlin' in TIK. I personally prefer not to work on small needles but this project is amazing. I think it's the combination of Addi metal needles (I usually use wood/acrylic), yarn choices and a relaxing pattern that has hundreds of projects on Ravelry.  These two yarns ended up sitting together in my special sock yarn drawer and I loved them together, but I just could not find a pattern I liked enough to knit. Enter Jewelandarlin' and a very impressive Ravelry list and I decided that Paulie was worth the effort. 

It's a perfect TV project and after the raglan increases this just really knits itself. The combination of the Malabrigo and L. Hogan yarns make me feel like I am knitting a rainbow into a cardigan. I'm loving everything about this knit. First of all the small size actually fits me, usually I have some math and alterations to do before I can knit but this project was a breeze and complete 'switched off' knitting. The pattern is written very clearly and you can just keep knitting until you have a garment as long as you like. Most of all this is a free pattern on Ravelry by Isabell and I have to respect anyone who puts up a garment pattern as well written and sized as this for free. For those of you interested I bought the Malabrigo yarn at This is Knit and I was lucky enough to get Jewel during one of Laura's Sock Club's. If you havnt joined one of these sock clubs it is well worth it and I can't recommend it enough so head on over to her Etsy shop for more info on up and coming clubs (convo her) and yarns for sale.

Fit Well Socks

Next on the needles are fit well socks by Amanda Cathleen Morgan.  For those of you who know me personally from knitting groups, work and out and about, you will know I hate knitting socks. I made the mistake recently asking John what he would like knitted for him and well, yip he chose socks. So I said the usually 'OK' and put it on the long finger. Next came a phone call from my nana asking if I had gotten some Eskimo yarn for her so off to the constant knitter I went. I spent a bit of time here playing with yarn and I came across some Lang Jawoll superwash. It really didn't take a lot of encouragement to give this a try.It comes with reinforcement yarn for the heel and toes and is super soft to touch. 

I love how this yarn is knitting up, the plying of a light and dark singles allow me to just use a simple knit stitch and it looks amazing. The knitting pattern by Amanda Morgan is simple easy to follow and is a great introduction to cuff down socks. These in fact are my first cuff down sock (I have made 3 pairs of socks total in my knitting life) and I found this blissfully easy to follow. The only problem is that I chose to knit on a 3 mm needle.The gauge on the yarn suggests 2.5 - 3.5mm and I really don't agree. I think this yarn is best suited to the 2 - 2.5 mm needle and I'm using clover dpns which are not as pointy as I would like for this project they keep snagging in the yarn. If I had thought about this before casting on I would go back and knit on a smaller needle. The sock however is coming along nicely and I like the yarn and how its all coming together. Now lets just see if I stick with it......

On the hook......... 

 Treble Cross Crochet Blanket

On my crochet hook at the moment is the treble cross crochet blanket by Bernat Design Studio. I only learned to crochet this year and I was looking for a project to practice my tension and some crochet stitches. After trawling through Ravelry, I found this blanket. I rummaged through my stash and found some huge balls of Robin Aran that you find at the knitting and stitching show or Hickey's on Henry street. Perfect for practice, its not too expensive and its soft enough for an aran weight to use as a blanket. This is my break project. I use it when I just can't knit any more. I imagine this will be the project that carries me through to winter but I don't mind.

On the spindle......

Corridale Homespun

Ok so on, well ok off the spindle I have some Corridale homespun which is just gorgeous. I am so proud of this! I spun this all in one evening on my drop spindle. Its pretty evenly spun (for me) and I love the sheen of the fiber. I tried to ply this yarn but I much preferred this as a single, on plying this yarn it took away from the beautiful dying and I know plying adds strength but I am going to knit this quite tight. It will grow up to be a hat for J  but I havn't found a pattern I want to knit for him so I will have to get my graph paper out and I just don't have the time at the moment to design and knit him one. I set the twist and this little skein is going into my stash for just a little while.

L. Hogan Batt

And finally on my spindle at the moment is a batt from Laura called no rhyme no reason (mine was batt no. 5). I love this roving, though I'm not an expert with roving I just know what I like the feel / look of. The Angelina adds some sparkle to the fibre and so far I'm spinning a very 'bespoke' yarn that is going to have a very special project all of its own. Laura still has some batts left in her shop here  and these would be great for a wheel or for felting. I am however waiting on a loom that will be my 30th birthday present (I can't hold in the excitement eeeeeeeeeeeeek) so I think this may be a woven scarf for ME!!!!!!!!!!!

All of these projects are active while I'm working on patterns of my own. I find I need the break to let my head sit or wind down from the thought process. At the moment I'm just a little bit run down from knitting and life in general. We are between looking for a new home which means relocating AGAIN and we only just settled in or sorting out buying (pipe dream really) on top of J just getting over his operation and getting back to work and of course working for me (though to be honest I just play a lot with the yarn :) ) I guess at the moment I'm just tired of saying everything will be ok and carrying on regardless of what life has thrown my way. It's time for a coffee, bunny cuddles and some strategic woolly contemplations. Feel free to add links to what your up to at the moment in the comments section. I could use the cheering up :)