A wee while since I posted on Yarn Along - and you would expect me to have a big list of FOs to show off. What - you didn't? Oh well, that's fine, because since the pebble vest (which went down very well) I have been very lax in the yarny department. The ripple is slowly - slowly undulating along at it's own pace. I am still enjoying this very much, and it is so good whenever I am able to just sit down and lose myself in that meditative rhythm - 4-2-4-2...
But - I have a stash to bust, and other needs to fill, so I have decided to complete an item then have a few days rippling before I cast on another project. Good plan! So, I have started knitting another baby cardigan for our other nephew's forthcoming baby. S/he, who will be the cousin of Dylan (pebble), is not due to join us until June, so I feel safe enough knitting the small size. I have already knitted this cardigan in bright pink, for Erin, but I am using a cream superwash merino by artesano, and I will add a couple of extra button holes.
I am struggling to read anything right now. I had started Good Food for Everyone, by Colin Tudge a few weeks ago - in fact i think it may be overdue at the library ( oops,just checked - 9th Feb). I am finding it hard going, as I am so tired when I fall into bed that after a few lines I find myself drifting....zzzzzzz
Sorry! A much more accessible book - ideal to dip in and out of in short snatches, is Katharine Stewart's The Crofting Way. This was a surprise and wonderful gift from the very lovely Christine (Tefighe on Ravelry). I have been enjoying Christine's blog for a while now, and we met for coffee last summer at the Callanish Centre, so I think I can say we are friends in real life. I had never read this author's work before, which is suprising, given that I usually fall on any book about people who are crofters. It must have been so that Christine could send me this - and it is signed by the author - how cool is that! Anyway, it is written in diary form, so I can read a quick entry, then mull over it as I go about my day. Katharine Stewart and her family came to the Highlands of Scotland to work a croft in the 1950s, but I find that her preoccupations and musings are much the same as my own. The weather, the yearly tasks, the community, the weather... beautifully written. It makes me want to leave it all and become a crofter ;)
Do pop over to Yarn Along and see what everyone is knitting and reading - thank you Ginny for hosting this party every week. xxx
How nice to met a blogging friend in 'real' life. I am looking forward to when we can all get together!
ReplyDeleteI like the idea of having a long term project going and am toying with the idea of starting a knit afghan to work on as I want. I am so inspired by your afghan, it is lovely.
Have a lovely Yarn Along Jacqui.
The book sounds very interesting! I love the idea of reading a snippet here and there through out the day.
ReplyDeleteYour ripple afghan is coming along beautifully... love seeing the progression of color!
ReplyDeleteLove the colours in the blanket.
ReplyDeleteWhat lovely ripples! Are you using all nice yarn ($$) or combining it with less expensive stuff? Hope you don't 'struggle' to fit in some reading this week, but that happens (as in life). :)
ReplyDeleteEllen - heelo. Nice enough yarn - cashmerino, Baby cashmerino, and some millamia, so it might take quite a while. I love the millamia colours, but the DB is much thicker. xx
DeleteYour ripple looks beautiful. I have yet to try ripples but the more I see of them the more I think I should :)
ReplyDeleteI was wishing for more time to read (and sleep) recently but my time came in the form of an unexpected trip to hospital/surgery/recovery - a silver lining but shows I really did need the sleep/rest after all, so I'd say listen to your body and try not to fit too much in.
Have a lovely week
xxxx
Hi Sarah - thanks for dropping by - ripples are fun. I don't actually mind being tired at night - our days are pretty full and at least i sleep well, and also the book is pretty dull (sshh)
Deletexx
Rippling along nicely. One of those pick up, put down projects.
ReplyDeleteThe book sounds very interesting, hope you get more time to read this week too.
Lol Dawn - i was visiting you at the same time! xx
DeleteI feel cosy just looking at your lovely colorful blanket. It's really nice. I was admiring your knitting needles. Mine are all much the same with the big tea-cosy shaped bit on the end. I like the look of yours. I enjoy reading and knitting too. :)
ReplyDeleteHi JTS - they are Brittanny needles, made from Birch (I think) I do like using them very much. xx
Deletei love the blanket. the colors make me so happy. i need one like this to knit and watch tv under...i had a book like that this month too...it was 3 weeks overdue by the time i got it back to the library...
ReplyDelete:)
jen
i was going to comment on your brittiny needles, i love the wood they use and try to buy all my dpns by them. your blanket is lovely jacqui, i'm feeling inspired to make a cosy blanket too!
ReplyDeleteI love knitting baby items...loving the ripple blanket.xxx
ReplyDeletethe blanket is beautiful, the rainbow colors make me feel happy!
ReplyDeleteYou have made loads of progress on the blanket. It looks so pretty. Many babies in your life right now. I have a new niece due to arrive in May. I would love to make a little something for her, but May in Arizona is just H-O-T. Love that you met and call one another friends.
ReplyDeleteloving the ripples :-) x
ReplyDeleteUndulating ripples... Oh, I don need to learn to crochet. I really do!
ReplyDeleteBlessings, Debbie
I love those ripples. I wish I could run my fingers over them! I'm very big into textured throws.
ReplyDeleteHoping I can reply now, I've tried twice and the computer keeps going silly on me!!
ReplyDeleteThe blanket is coming along lovely, I think there is something very comforting about a relatively mindless pattern, where you don't have to follow a pattern, perfect for evening craftiness! And I know all about falling asleep whilst reading, I'm sure I start to make stuff up as I drift off into dreamland when reading books, and when I go back to it I find what I thought it said is nothing like what it said!!
The ripple stripe looks great, and your book sounds really interesting
ReplyDeleteThe blanket looks good, I bought some Sublime merino silk cashmere mix (only the ones on offer) but haven't started yet. Like you have lots of stash to use up.
ReplyDeleteThe Katherine Stewart book is amazing. I was sent that one and The Kerracher Man? Spelling? by a forum member which was very kind of her so I have passed it on to a friend of mine who is actually Scottish (but not by the sound of her) although she lives around here in the NW. She loves anything like that so will enjoy both of them.
Looking at all these ripply blogs I am watching, I must get my act together and do some, haven't even tried the pattern yet.
Hi Campfire. The Kerracher man is good too, although from a different outlook. I read that a few years ago. I am savouring the K'S book though. It is good to pass books on - I need to do that, buri should hVe said that Christine ordered The book for me ANd had it sent as a surprise!
DeleteI have some sublime in my stash - hopefully enough to make James a jumper xxx
Jacqui I'm so glad that you're enjoying the book! It's funny how things work out, that you'd resisted the temptation, and then I (who had been thinking about it since last summer) suddenly felt you MUST have it pronto. I'm fascinated to hear that you feel her preoccupations are not that different from your own. As I said to you, that book really got under my skin. I've thought of it so very, very often since I first read it. Perhaps because it's so closely tied to time, the seasons, dailyness?
ReplyDeleteYour ripple blanket looks just lovely. I haven't done a lot of crocheting - partly because when I do, I enjoy it so much I think part of me worries I might ditch knitting altogether. And I still have about 25 projects to knit up, so I can't risk it yet! :-)
Gorgeous rainbows out my window as I write...
Hello, I love the ripple crochet.
ReplyDeleteSarah x