Joining in again with the gracious Ginny for Yarn Along. I am also continuing my stash busting challenge, by using some ancient skeins of Sockotta sock yarn, which somehow I fear, will never grow up to be a pair of socks. No, indeed, their true destiny is to become a shawl! (James is watching a He-Man cartoon as I type this, sorry.) I have never knitted a shawl before - or even used such thin yarn, but I like this pattern - The Simple But Effective Shawl, and I am getting on quite well so far. I only cast on this morning and have been picking it up now and again in between household-y tasks. Since this picture was taken though, I have made a mistake and will have to rip out a couple of rows. I like the way the colours are appearing - very spring-like. Whether it will every be ready for Spring is debatable - well actually it is not, but we can give it a go. Not sure if this will be for me or for a gift.
As for the book - well you know that old saying "never judge a book by its cover?" It is wrong. I spotted this beautiful cover among the jumble of books on the charity table in the big supermarket (the best place to find the most amazing second hand books in the whole world for 50p). It is Susan Hill's moving book In the Springtime of the Year. Possibly a difficult one, as it deals with bereavement and grief; the story of a young widow as she comes to terms with her loss. I have read a couple of books by this author before, but they were about seasonal and country living - this is my first foray into her fiction works. I am just starting this too, so I will report back. The cover and the yarn are very colour co-ordinated though, don't you think? Maybe this could be a new trend.
Beautiful book cover, indeed :)
ReplyDeleteAnd it seems, that stash busting is an international, or, rather, a global problem... :D
I have not visited your blog for quite a long time, and it's so interesting to see all the wonderful additions to your croft!
Gorgeous, both of them. :) I did the same thing with the same yarn, but just did mine in plain garter stitch. The only pic I can find is on this post about some baby bootees I made. They are sitting on the shawl. :)...
ReplyDeletehttp://thequiethome.blogspot.com/2011/11/snuggle-boots.html
Can't wait to see yours when it's finished. I thought the colours were like the beach with sand, sea and surf. Lovely stuff. :)
Would be interested to hear more about the book, I hadn't heard of this author before. xx
Thanks Tina - it is indeed quite beachy looking as I go along. A summer shawl then ;)
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It is very springy looking Jacqui! How nice that you are knitting your first shawl. You need a shawl to wear as you oversee all the tasks on the croft! :) I have not read any books by Susan Hill, but will have to see if I can find one here.
ReplyDeleteHave a happy yarn along day.
Love the sock yarn and I agree it was meant to be a shawl!! I cheated and bought yarn this week. I tried to resist though...really!
ReplyDeleteFirst thing I thought was how colour coordinated the book and yarn were! I'm sure that yarn will make a much nicer shawl than it would socks.
ReplyDeleteI thought the book cover looked lovely, not sure it's a book I'd enjoy though - will await your thoughts on it maybe. Looks lovely though.
ReplyDeleteLovely yarn, will make a great shawl, and you never said which Spring it will be ready for, so you never know ;-)
i love pretty sock yarn made into shawls! and yours looks beautiful. it should be small and managable, i think you can finish it for spring! the book is pretty and i would have bought it too!
ReplyDeleteI love that book cover and would have picked it up too. The shawl is going to be beautiful with that yarn. Your gingerbread man stitch marker is tooooo cute!
ReplyDeleteHugs from Holland ~
Heidi
Great shawl pattern, and the yarn is knitting up nicely :)
ReplyDeleteI'm all about picking up books by their covers, or by title - there are too many books otherwise!
Those colours are indeed pretty and I love good second hand book finds! In fact my bookcases are groaning under the weight of all my 50 cent treasures!
ReplyDeleteLovely yarn, good luck with the shawl. I have read lots of Susan Hill's other books and they are beautifully written, hopefully 'In the Springtime of the Year' will be well worth your 50p investment.
ReplyDeleteThe yarn you are using is beautiful!! I have seen Susan Hill books at our library but never picked one up....maybe I should..smile..
ReplyDelete~~Renee
I always look at the second hand books in supermarkets...you never know what you might find.
ReplyDeleteYour yarn is lovely...the shawl will be lovely.xxx
They are colour co-ordinated I was just thinking that to myself lol. I have just finished a very similar shawl and it was good to knit I have to say. As per usual I need to block and sew in the tails but I will get it on the blog eventually. Cant wait to see your finished.
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xxx
I think you know that I am blind as a bat so I read the title to your blog as Yam along. Yams? Yams so far North? I had already benefited by an outstanding recipe for ray from you so I could not wait to see one for Yams since, well come fall we are sort of up to our bums in them.
ReplyDeleteThen, glasses adjusted properly, I see it's all about knitting!
Knitting is good. I can't do it. I am not even remotely interested in it but I would dearly love a decent pair of socks.
Just goes to show that a well written blog does not have to be about something that would normally interest us, so long as it is a good read.
Oh Hippo - thank you. You know you could learn to knit - Chris was inspired by this very weekly blog meme to pick up the needles.
DeleteIn fact, come the autumn you should start a Yam Along theme - then people could send you recipes. I'll check my Readers Digest. Glad the ray recipe worked out.
x
Me knitting? Seriously, the only way I survive here is because of my reputation as a hard man, a sort of aged Vinnie Jones. If they see me knitting I'd be dead inside a week. The fact that I would actually like to learn to knit me own socks has got bugger all to do with it...
DeleteOne day I will knit a shawl, it has been my top most knitting ambition! I really look forward to seeing how it comes along.
ReplyDeleteI like how your book and yarn coordinate. It gives me a hankerin' to make a quilt top!
ReplyDeleteoh, yes--let's just a book by it's cover!!! lovely! as is the yarn--as will be the shawl!!! happy yarn alonging!
ReplyDeleteI love the colors! and that design style of the book cover. I came across some similarly patterned paper and started a the collage top of a card with it the other day.
ReplyDeleteIt looks like a lovely and simple shawl pattern, I may have to try it out...
Also, I finally did a yarn along post this week!
That yarn is going to make one lovely shawl! Looking forward to seeing pics of the final result!
ReplyDeleteIf the beautiful cover of the book is any indication of what's inside, this book must be a good read. Love how your knitting coordinates with the book.
ReplyDeleteYour shawl is going to be gorgeous. I love how the yarn matches the book. I can't resist book sales -- this one would have been bought on the cover alone.
ReplyDeleteYes, the colour coordination has definite trend-setting potential! It's funny how sock yarn can be so misleading like that - luring a knitter into believing that it WILL be sock yarn, only to pull a quick one (or not so quick, cuz it is skinny sock yarn)and become something entirely un-socklike. The yarn is beautiful - I can see why you bought it.
ReplyDeleteThank you for the pattern link :) The shawl would look great in your yarn.
ReplyDeleteI also like your new fashion trend ;)
I had already saved that pattern, in fact was looking at it last night as I was thinking about making one. The cover on the book I think must be William Morris and I'm sure it is the same as the curtain fabric (some made up curtains and some unmade fabric) I got from the charity shop a few years ago for my living room. Reminder to me, must get it out and start stitching! The yarn looks so good at the side of the book, almost as if they were made for each other.
ReplyDeleteHi CF - it is indeed from a William Morris pattern, according to the cover notes. What a lucky find - it is a beautiful design. xx
DeleteLovely colours !!
ReplyDeleteHow great that your doing paleo too!!
If you want some good links give me a shout :)
Kimmy xxx
Really lovely colors and yarn- Hope all is well.
ReplyDeleteas Heidi has said, i also like your little gingerbread stitch marker. i'm just having a go with making a hat and could really use a proper stitch marker like yours. wool is just so lovely, isn't it?
ReplyDeleteI think that sock yarn was definitely destined to be a shawl! It's very pretty and definitely makes me think of spring. I hope the book turns out to be good!
ReplyDeleteI have some Sockotta that never became anything, also. =) Do you know about running "lifelines" every few rows? Use some dental floss or a contrasting colour of thin yarn and run it through your stitches. That way if you need to rip back you will not have to fear dropping any. You could run it through at 10 row intervals or something and then it's not so much if you need to re-do things. It is quite helpful. Good luck!
ReplyDeleteShannon!!! What a wonderful tip - thank you. I hadn't heard of doing that. It really would help a lot with this pattern. A million thank yous.
ReplyDeleteXxx
Glad to have helped you. Are you on Ravelry? I'm "wiltinrose", add me as a friend if you are so inclined. I'd love to see your projects! =)
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