Well it has been a good start to 2015 and I have managed to gift 3 refuse sacks of yarn to a new knitter. I still haven’t managed to do any sewing this year which I find extremely frustrating. I am re-evaluating things and have made a tough decision regarding my freelance work. I am now fully booked for workshops for the season which is great but on the personal knitting front I keep going wrong. I knitted most of the back of Cosy by Kim Hargreaves only to discover a dropped stitch which when I picked it up made a ridge in the fabric. I had to undo 20 cm of knitting. Thankfully I have now finished the back of this. Next to go wrong was Wee Cria by Ysolda, this time I read the pattern wrong, The sleeves were finished only to discover on rereading  the pattern I should have increase every fourth row not every alternate row. This is knitted top down so 20 rows of 4ply knitting was ripped back, This still isn’t back on track yet. My vibrant sweater is on hold as I keep going wrong on the row I am on. Work is going well and I am enjoying it.

Life is good now if I can just get some sewing done .

I had hoped to go to the knitting and stitching show at Alexandra Palace but I didn’t have the time. I was mainly going to renew magazine subscriptions which I really don’t need so maybe it was just as well.
As I never made it there I decided to treat myself to a few purchases online. This year is Evalyns first Christmas so I bought a lovely Hello Kitty stocking panel and a mini stocking advent calendar panel. Square DPNs are a favourite of mine and since suffering from Tennis Elbow figured a more ergonomic shape might be beneficial, so I invested in a knit pro nova set which I will be knitting Evalyns hat on. My final purchase was the amazing new book from Kim Hargreaves Still. There are three patterns I definitely want to knit from this book and as soon as I have finished my vibrant sweater I will start one. Now I’ve made my purchases I’m glad I didn’t go as I would have spent at least four times as much on stuff I didn’t necessarily want or need. Instead I have exactly what I want and I can buy a couple more bits next month.

As usual I have over extended myself and have dropped the ball. I need to have a good think and re-evaluate things. The vibrant sweater has been put on hold after finishing both the sleeves, as unfortunately I have a case of tennis elbow. The physio is working well but I still have to be a good patient and limit the amount of knitting or sewing I do. One doesn’t realise how much one uses these muscles until one does something and it hurts.

Sewing has been a little lax as well so next weekend I am planning to make a list of everything I need to do, both knitting and sewing and put it order of priority and pencil time to do it all in the calender. I actually think I’d get more done if I had to commute to work each day instead of my 20 minute walk.

As well as finishing lots of projects in August I joined a gym. I still can’t quite believe it but after talking about it for many years I am finally doing it. Not only have I joined, but I have used the gym and taken a class. I have discovered I am fitter than I thought I was but I cannot use a tread mill. It is rather frustrating, I mean it’s only walking. To  my surprise I am a natural on the cross trainer and bikes. I had an induction with the lovely Zoe who has given me great advice on which classes to take and how long to use each machine until I have my next session with her.  I am looking forward to using the gym at least twice a week and have my sights set on a few different classes. I am determined to keep it up.

On the crafting front I still have numerous sewing projects cut out ready to sew. I really need to get on with them or Harry and Evalyn will have outgrown them. On the knitting front I have started Hogwarts Express by Susan Ashcroft in the most gorgeous purple pink Yarn Hollow Tor Worsted Superwash, the shade name is violent violet. I do love the yarn and wanted to knit the pattern but the reason I am using the both now is because the lovely Harry did his usual of picking up the ball of wool, holding it to his face and saying ooo wool. Unfortunately he had been eating Dairylea and some got on the yarn, now even though I wiped it off I couldn’t really wash the yarn properly without it being made up. Well done Harry, good choice!

One of the projects I want to knit and have kitted up is the gorgeous Vibrant Colourwork Pullover from the new Vogue Knitting by Marie Wallin. I would really love to do it in the same colours as the pattern but I am determined not to add to my stash so am knitting it in slightly different colours. I will still be using the two main colours yellow and green, a slightly different green.

Luckily I did have the yarn except in slightly different colours. Orange will be replaced with red. I am really looking forward to knitting this in the fabulously wonderful and soft Rowan Alpaca Colour and Rowan Kid Classic. I plan on knitting this in the round up to the arms and will be knitting the arms first. I can’t wait to start knitting it

As you saw, the patterns had been shortlisted and the winner is………… drum roll please……………Eldora from Rowan Magazine 55.
I am using Rowan Cotton Glace from my stash in different colours than suggested. I chose the colours randomly by writing down how many balls I needed by letter, opened the odd ball box and took the colours out on a first come first served basis. For once I didn’t over think it and just went with the flow.
It worked I am really enjoying the way the colours are coming together.  I am finding it very addictive in the same way as cross stitch and colourwork . It’s the colour and pattern changing that inspires me and keeps me going when I should stop. One thing I hadn’t noticed before starting to knit is that it has a few rows of stranded knitting. The only slightly frustrating pattern row is where you have to wind the yarn three times per stitch, which as I’m knitting it in the round seems to take forever. A mini downside is all the ends I’ll have to sew in. The photo shows one not quite finished pattern repeat