The cold weather this week (minus one last night, brrr) has got me thinking about a few gaps in our Winter wardrobe...coat, socks, tights, singlets and of course woolens. I love wool and I love knitting. Those temperatures have spurred me on to knit, knit, knit whenever I can. I've been lurking around Ravelry looking at all the beautiful creations and searching for easy cardi, cowl and vest patterns. I'm really a knitting novice, it was only last Winter that I moved on from scarves to beanies and let me tell you I've been knitting scarves for quite some time now. Last Winter I vowed to myself that this Winter would be the Winter of knitting in the round. After hearing many a good word about Elizabeth Zimmerman's Knitting Without Tears I finally ordered it hoping for some knitting purls (ha!) of wisdom and a bit of a pep talk to get me going. This woman is amazing I tell you, sassy and full of goodness. I couldn't put it down. Inspired by her words, this simple pattern and the knitting of a friend ( who happened to be knitting the same hat as me but who unlike me was knitting in the round, made it look a cinch and finished last week while I still potter on with my two needles, you're a whizz Kate) I cast on last week...in the round... and it's not even Winter yet! All you seasoned knitters out there will have to excuse my excitement.
Moving quickly past the dodgy self portrait in the bathroom and onto the more important details...knit in Jo Sharp Silkroad Aran Tweed in Brindle and DK Tweed in Beanshoot. I love the earthy colours of Jo Sharp wool with it's beautiful speckedly colours and organic, homespun like texture. The pattern is for a fifteen inch cowl but seeing as I broke one of Elizabeth's cardinal rules, always buy one extra skein, and my local wool store was out of the brindle and it meant ordering in more and I kinda wanted some instant knitting gratification (I tell you I'm working on the delayed gratification), the cowl is only eight inches long. It still works but I can see how a fifteen inch cowl will be a whole heap cosier when it gets colder. I love the simple design and the twist. I found the pattern through All Free Knitting which has loads of great freebies.
I'm plugging away at this afore-mentioned hat, a few rows here while cooking tea and a few rows there while enjoying the afternoon sun...
...I've cast on for some fingerless mitts from Erika Knight's Simple Knitting ...
...and a vest for my Zahra, in Aspire merino and alpaca.
Bold colours, just how she likes it.
Big needles and big wool make for many a kind compliment... wow Mama, you're such a fast knitter.
Happy knitting to you
~Cxo~
P.S. My little from Me to You giveaway is drawn this Friday. Just leave a comment in that post to enter.
