January 2014 – bleak midwinter

I had grands plans for this Christmas holiday. Lots of good food, family, friends, christmas decorations and all that stuff, of course. But I was also going to study for my next exam. I had also planned on some mending. Replacing a broken zipper, replacing the edge of a sleeve on my favourite dress. Darning some socks.

I did do the food and decorations and family and friends bit (not as much as planned, but some of it), but this awful cold drained me of most of my energy, which means that I haven’t studied at all except for about an hour and I haven’t mended a single thing.

Work starts on Tuesday again, and I thought I might do some studying now that I’m better (but still not well). But after careful consideration I’ve decided not to. I want to savour these last two days of the holidays and only do nice things. It might be stupid, and it means I will have to do a loy of studying in the evenings during the next two weeks (not to mention next weekend) and I might not do as well on the exam as I could have, but there it is.

So, I spent the morning blocking the finished pieces of my cardigan (I’m still working on the sleeves):

Yes, the tree is still there!

And then I had lunch:

Homemade bread, cheese and pickled onion sandwich pickle

Vincent tried to rip out the pins so I asked Laban to guard my knitting

Good kitty

Which turned out to be exhausting work.

Tired kitty

I’m gonna spend the rest of the day knitting.

That is all.

My very first finished knit of 2014 was completed on January 1st. Winter this year is bleak and dreary indeed, and the snow we had in early December is long since gone. The need for warm woolens is still great, though.

This bright and lovely cowl was designed by my good friend Erika Åberg and is available from her and Eva Trotzig’s beautiful book Varmt och stickat. Please visit Erika’s blog Crafts by Wynja.

Söderängskrage

Pattern: Söderängskrage from Varmt och Stickat
Design: Erika Åberg
Yarn: I’ve mainly used BC garn Shetlandsuld, but there are some odds and ends of other leftover yarns in there
Yarn source: Litet Nystan
Needles: 3 mm
Started: 19 October 2013
Finished: 1 January 2014

My left arm really looks abnormally long in this photo. I assure you, it’s the angle!

I think it fits best when twisted twice

Here’s a detail

Looks great with my coat, I think

Despite my wierd look, I am very happy with this cowl!

So, what’s next? Well, I’m still trying to knit from my stash, which is strangely pleasing. I have no cravings to buy more yarn, I love to look at and touch (and smell!) the yarn in my stash and let it inspire me.

I’ve decided to consider my needs more, and a really do need more cardigans knit from good quality wool, so I’ve decided to revisit the textured cardigan knit from estonian wool I begun in February of 2012, but never finished. Back and both fronts are finished, however, and about half of the first sleeve, which means that it shouldn’t take me too long to complete this project. I’ll let you know how it’s progressing.

In the meantime, happy knitting!

Month: January 2014

Last days of Christmas holiday

Söderängskrage