Christmas Knitting - finished on time!

We had a lovely Christmas in Sheffield, and I managed to finish all my Christmas knitting. I knit Knitty's Branching Out in a purple mohair, a knit hat in wool, and the floral hairband from Stitch n'Bitch Nation, which I didn't manage to get a photo of. The were all stash busters, and finished in time for Christmas, so I was very pleased with myself. The photos aren't great, it is very hard to get natural or day light at this time of year.


Bobble Blue has stalled, I've almost finished the back, but have made a mistake in the cable pattern. I'm trying to work out whether I can fudge it, or if I'll have to frog back. You can't really tell, but it puts out the counting.

I'm also knitting a pair of basic socks out of the Opal Tiger yarn for The Boy, which is going along fine, using the magic loop. And I cast on for Rosedale in Noro Kureyon. I've started the sleeve, and it's going well. I love knitting with Kureyon, watching the colours as they appear.

Interweave Knits - Winter 2006

These are a few things that caught my eye as I was flicking through the latest Interweave Knits. This is my last magazine in the subscription Roxy RAK’d me. I was thinking of renewing my subscription, but at the moment, next year is Very up-in-the-air in terms of where we will be ( we might be doing some travelling and another international move).


There is a cute bag featured in an ad for Berroco, it’s a free pattern, and although I’d seen it before and like it, but seeing it again in a few colours, I realised how much I like it. However, I think that one of the things I like about it is the handle, which isn’t knitted, so if I couldn’t get something similar, I probably won’t knit it.

Amy Singer’s article on Japanese knitting is interesting, especially since I lived In Japan for over two years.

I always really enjoy the articles about designers and the article on Berta Karapetyan, founder of Karabella Yarns is no different. It is so interesting to hear about how their love of yarn and knitting developed, and how they have managed to make a full time job out of their love.

The Venezia Pullover by Eunny Jang is beautiful, the colours and fairisle work is amazing. But it is knit on size 2 (2.75mm) and 3 (3mm) needles which deters me, at least at the moment. Also the neckline is a boatneck, which I find doesn’t really suit me. Eunny’s article on Steeking looks amazingly in depth, but I’m still not sure I am ready to try it.

The Nantucket Jacket that is featured on the cover is a lovely design, but too similar to Bobble Blue, which I am currently kniiting – short sleeves cardigan with cabling. It is a more relaxed fit though, and if when I finish Bobble Blue I wear it a lot, I wouldn’t mind trying the Nantucket Jacket.

The colours in the Rambling Rose Cardigan (Laura Zukaite) are gorfeous, and a very interesting design, this is the only sweater in this magazine that I would knit at the moment.


I really liked the ideas raised in Inspired Knitting: Swatch Therapy by Clara Parkes. She suggests using knitting swatches as away to work through different feelings and emotions. I thought it was such an interesting way of looking at swatches, especially since I usually try to avoid them.

The new books (Spring 2007) from Interweave Press that were advertised on the last page all looked great – Felt Frenzy, Heather Brack and Shannon Okey; Lace Style, Pam Allen and Ann Budd; Favourite Socks from Interweave and No Sheep for You – Amy R Singer. I’d love to flick through the pages, especially of Felt Frenzy and Lace Style.