a scarf and flowers

Both the scarf and the house are finished. The house is wonderful. Sometimes I just have to sit down to take it all in. It's still a bit unreal - like being on holiday in a house belonging to someone else and not really knowing where things are or which switch turns on which light or how to use the oven. There is still a bit of unpacking to do but things are running pretty smoothly.

The scarf is, by comparison, less amazing than the house, but still good. I think the blocks of colour work well. It can look different depending on how it's tied. And I'm quite liking the shorter length  - so much easier to wear. Here's an even shorter, cuter one. 

  

And here is the start of my next knitting project. These little flowers are deceptively easy to make. I followed the instructions in Jane Brocket's book The gentle art of knitting. 

  

And, finally, some more Alstroemeria. You're probably over Alstroemeria but can you have too much of a good thing?  

Listening Birdy by Birdy + Reading How to be a woman by Caitlin Moran (funny, annoying, true) + Watching Girls (TV series, created by and starring the amazing  Lena Dunham) + Missing Louie - a lot.

Knitting with Seinfeld

Jane Brocket recommends you 'knit or crochet while watching a great film'. Well, I've been knitting while watching Seinfeld : the complete series. I've been knitting this fantastic scarf. It's a pattern from Lion Brand and it's almost addictive. It's fun - and, surprisingly, easy - to knit. It's wonderful to watch the triangles form and also to watch the wool morph through its colour changes. However, I got a bit caught up in it. I'd cast on too tightly and the bottom edge kept curling up. It was bothering me. I knew if I was wearing it I'd always be fussing. But, even knowing this, I couldn't stop knitting. I was about a third of the way done before sense prevailed and I undid the whole thing. At the time, it felt like a huge sacrifice. I'm sure every knitter has been through this at some point. But it's hard, isn't it? I've started again with a really, really loose cast on and it seems to be working. Hoorah!

The scarf

The scarf is finished. It's right in so many ways. It has cables that I love. And because it uses chunky weight yarn and is really only a scarflette or 'neck wrap' it knits up quickly - great for a last minute gift. I used this free pattern from Kaleidoscope Yarns.

The blocking was brilliant. I'm a convert. I only wish I'd taken a 'before' photo so you could see the difference blocking made. It flattened the scarf out so that it didn't curl in on itself and sort of eased it into its correct dimensions.
This is a birthday gift for my mother - something to keep her warm through the end of winter.

My poor dog has not been well so I stayed home with her today and we had a really nice time. It was such a brilliant day - cold but sunny. She got lots of attention and I got lots of washing dry and even had time for a bit of quilting.