I have been a very bad blogger for the last few weeks.  Life became very busy and writing (or actually even thinking) about knitting just didn’t seem to happen.  While knitting itself is the most wonderfully relaxing of activities designing and blogging definately take more brain activity!  I’ve been trying to dredge up some interesting project ideas for new summer tops and I think I’ve got a few that may work.  Now I just need to get them written and knitted!

But I do at least have a finished project that has come out nicely.. My Clapotis in Rowan Tapestry is going to be a very useful addition to my wardrobe.

and for a closer look…

I’ve also started with my version of Monkey in Araucania Ranco Multi sock yarn.  As soon as I get the hang of our new camera I will take a photo of it.  When I wound the skein first of all I though the colours were too muted looking but as I’m working with it they are growing on me!  I am finding the yarn beautiful to knit with, soft but solid feeling and the needle rarely snags it.  I think I’ll be using this yarn again – maybe I’ll go for a brighter yarn next time.

I am also working on a couple of projects on my knitting machine (I got a  Silver Reed LK150 for my birthday a few months ago).  I find it just great for large areas of stocking stitch, that you would use for a children’s jumper (sweater) but it is way to fiddly to use for any detail or ribbing.  I have perfected doing the edging by hand – hook it onto the machine to knit the stocking stitch and then put it back on the needles for the finishing around the neckline.  Unfortuately though my boys really like coloured stripes so I end up with an unimaginable amount of weaving in when I finish!  I’ll post the work in progress later this week.

I’ve been knitting very slowly for the last few weeks.  I have enjoyed and really want the items I’m knitting to be finished but I haven’t been so excited by them that I have been in a crazy rush to finish them.  Life seems so busy right now that knitting is playing a very small role.  However I’m sure that won’t last for too long!

I have finished Wisp for my mother’s birthday next week.  Unfortunately it is not perfect – it took me quite a while to stop dropping stitches at the start and a lace mohair pattern is not too forgiving of that!  They are very carefully concealed for the photo but hopefully she will turn a blind eye….

And I’ve finally settled on what to use my Rowan Tapestry for …. a Clapotis

This was my progress as of last week before my camera died – I have actually just now finished the straight rows so I should be finished but the end of the week.  I am so in love with this – I love the colour, the feel of the yarn and how soft it is.  It will be perfect for the freezing cold spring we are having.  What are the chances though that by the end of the week we will have sun splitting the rocks??

I think that it is knitting so slowly as it isn’t very involved knitting.  Great for in front of the tv!  I think I need to get my teeth into a cable or lace project.

I’ve been playing with a few more knitting designs some summer tops and cardigans, I’ve got a few skiens of Araucania Patagonia that I think that could make a really good summer cardigan for our Irish summer.  Must get thinking and swatching.