Knitting update

Recent success with my skeins has fired my enthusiasm for knitting with my handspun. The first project is to be a Fafner cushion, from Elsebeth Lavold’s Viking Patterns for Knitting book. Currently in Beta, I am knitting a practice piece with my Cheviot 2 ply. I cast it on last night and have almost finished the centre square – the knotwork is done, I have to do a few more rows of background and then knit the dragon’s head. Certainly, my early spinning is not up to the job, but it’s fun to knit it up. I love the vanilla ice cream shade of it. I have selected the fleece to spin for the more perfect execution of a second version. Perhaps I’ll  get the border knitted tomorrow…

Mingus is progressing well, if slowly. I have half of the first pattern repeat on the first leg done. A long way to go yet.

The second Hamsa is still on hold pending needle purchase, and the BSJ appears to be going nowhere in a hurry.

I plan to pick up the Swallowtail Shawl soon, and also the #1 Husband socks – both have languished too long and I need them off my conscience. After that the next finishing-off will be on the cashmere mitts…

Next to cast on will be a practice piece, a cotton doiley, and Mr L’s sweater with the New Lanark wool. I want that sweater done, as I am keen to begin an aran for myself.

After thinking through the priorities, I am retiring Puccini for the interim and putting Thorfinn back to sleep for a while. The work list now looks a bit like this:

Priority 1:

• Mingus Socks – only for so long as I keep enjoying them, then they shall be relegated
• Fafner practice piece
• Swallowtail Shawl – this is my real #1 project for the next little while, I think. I wonder where I put it?
• No 1 Husband Socks – and this must be my #2 focus.

Priority 2:

• Mr L’s sweater – should I be ashamed it’s not priority 1?
• Frosted Ferns practice piece in cotton – I have no idea if I am capable of this feat but I plan to try
• Cashmere mitts – no real hurry, but they are so nice… and I want the project box back

Priority 3:

• Lead or Follow Scarf in silk – only because I have both the pattern and the yarn in hand
• Lyra practice in cotton – a challenge I may bottle out on
• Warning! socks – high time they were completed

That should keep me out of trouble for a while! All priorities subject to change at whim 🙂

I’ve noticed one problem with juggling so many knitting balls in the air at once. Charts. Lack of consistency thereof… Lavold’s charts use unfamiliar symbols, the text explanation of which do not match the descriptions of cables that I am used to, and the WS rows are written left to right… I suffered brain freeze for a while, but got the hang of it eventually. Then I went back to Mingus, with all the rows charted right to left…