La Tricoteuse Bretonne

As time goes by...

First of all, I wish you a very good year 2007. I know it's a wee bit late, but I haven't been blogging for so long now, what's a few days difference now? :-)

These last months have been quite a blurr, with a lot of questioning on myself, what I want (at least as a job), and how to achieve it. Haven't got it answered yet, or I would already have a new job. Which isn't the case. There are, however, a few tracks I will explore in the near future. I am not totally desperate, although it has been some months now that I am looking for a job.

Knitting wise, well, I have more time than before for my favourite hobby, and I have been doing quite a lot of it.
Lets start with the wrap cardigan in the noro yarn I finished quite some time ago. The pictures I got were quite terrible, whatever the place, the light, etc. I looked at the best weird, at the worse piggy. As these were not very flattering neither for me not for the cardi, I tried again yesterday in front of my bathroom's mirror. 19 pictures later, I could some showing the "drape" of the cardi.

Here it is, casually worn :

The back of it, to show that it is a bit short on me :

Did I convince you? Now the wrapped version :

Pattern is Glad from the summer 2006 magazine, The yarn : Noro cashmere flavour, to be found in the shop Görg und Görg in Aachen, about 240 grams of it.

Instead of the 3 1/4 mm needles, I got gauge on first try with bigger needles (4.5 mm)...because for once I did a sample. So there was no problem. It seems it is only when I do not do the sample that I get problems with the gauge.
I have beenwearing the cardi a few times, it is warm enough, maybe not now that it's really cold for me outside, but until december, it was fine. I got compliments from knitters and non-knitters alike. Some asked to get the yarn, some asked if it was not possible do make another one. No, it isn't :-). Not now, at last. I have other projects on the go.

If this was my main knitting achievement in the Fall, i also knit a few pairs of socks :

These are the ones in Knitpicks sock yarn, I like the colours and the fairisle pattern very much.

Regia Banner, from the stash.

These were yummy to knit, and very warm on the fingers, the yarn is. Mountain Colors Bearfoot, juniper colourway.

These all went away for gifts, and were happily recieved.

Another gift item I could not show before it was recieved is this Shallowtail Shawl from IK summer 2006, in a 100% baby camel yarn from Adriafil. As I am not experienced in lace at all, it was quite difficult at some moments. You have to be much more concentrated on these knits as I usually am. Which may explain my ripping habit, too. Here the detail of the lily of valley border, I just loved it. It was okay to knit, and gives such an effect. Me happy :-)

During the xmas holidays, or stay at parents' home two weeks, I managed to finish a cardigan for my sister. We had discussed about it before, checked the measurements of the size, and I had already knit the back. The rest of the cardi (including of one of the front's 3 times ripping) including finishing was done in these days between Christmas and New Year...My record is now set, and I won't try to break it. What a satisfaction though! What a pride to have my sister wearing it (and it fits).

It is Moonlight from Rowan Magazine 34, and I knit it in the specified yarn, Rowanspun aran. I have a lot of remants, as I had too much of it anyway, and I might be knitting a matching bucket hat soon. The details were not complicated in themselves, it is only me being a bit thick sometimes,and they add to the interest of the cardigan. Love it, love it. Heresome details.

Now on the needles? A good stash reducing project, as the volume of wool consumed is consequent (16 balls), Lara cardigan from Debbie Bliss, in Alpaca Silk Aran. Wonderfull touch, but to knit with...not with metal needles, I would say. I hadn't got anything else when I started, and I do not want to change in the middle of the project. Well. I'm about halfway through the one huge piece of knitting, as it is done from the side, in one piece. Another st st project, I know, but also a stash reducer. And the colour is lovely...