Intermission

Sometime last week I looked at my WIP pile and was completely uninspired. I wanted to knit, but I didn't want to knit anything that I was already working on. I still want to complete them all, I just wasn't in the mood for them last week...

So I had a brief crafting intermission. I did some spinning, I dyed some yarn, and I cast on 2 new projects. And it felt wonderful. Instead of telling myself I should finish the projects already in progress, I shrugged and told myself it was totally ok to knit something completely different. Which sounds obvious, but sometimes I need to remind myself *laughs*

The rusty coloured knitting on the left is actually already finished, it only took a few hours. I'll show it off on Friday, so more details then ;)

The sage green is going to be a lacey shrug, using yarn I bought while I was in Las Vegas. The yarn is Cascade Dolce, a beautifully soft blend of alpaca, silk and wool. It's been really lovely to knit with, and this project is almost finished too. I just have a few more rows of ribbing to do around the neck and it's done *grins* And the lace pattern came out perfectly.

These 2 projects have really been a nice break from what I was working on - 2 things in fingering weight and 2 things in acrylic... Soft, fluffy, bigger yarn has been a nice change!

As for the book - you may have noticed a bit of a theme in my book choices recently... I've always loved Dystopian fiction, and with the recent success of The Hunger Games, there's a lot of it about at the moment. This one is based on the premise that all the adults/anyone over 15 disappears. It kinda reminds me of a little known TV show called The Tribe.

I do go through phases with reading - I'll read loads of crime fiction and then move on to satirical stuff, then on to dystopia, and so on.

As ever, if you want more lovely knitting and reading content, head to Tami's and Ginny's *smiles*

Stripe Study Shawl KAL Update #4

I must admit, I haven't done much on my shawl this week. I'm on the border, so technically it's nearly done, but the border rows are just so long *laughs*

At least the green wedges had some interest from the wrap and turns, and the sense of achievement at finishing them. Now I find I am lacking the motivation to pick it up and just get it done!

I've probably done about a fifth of the border, and it's at a stage where it's very much "so close and yet so far". I know I'll finish it, and relatively soon, but I'm not forcing myself to pick it up. I'll do a row and then work on something else for a bit. I love the way the shawl is looking, so I don't want to end up resenting it *laughs*

This of course means that I am going to be way behind the others in the knitalong, some of whom have already finished, but hey, it's supposed to be fun, right?!

Oops

If I may be so bold as to give everyone some advice...

When dyeing yarn, wear gloves. Don't get so carried away that you think it doesn't matter. Kool aid is pretty potent *laughs*

Luckiest Blogger in the World... Seriously!

A little while ago I entered Geeky Heather's blogiversary giveaway. I was really lucky and won the mystery Atlanta themed prize. And I do mean mystery - there was no indication of what might be included in the prize, just that it would be based around Atlanta.

I love surprises (well, this sort of surprise anyway *laughs*)

This morning, the package arrived. Conveniently, I'm working from home, so I was in when the postman brought it *grins* Which was handy as the box was huge!

Everything was wrapped, with little notes explaining why Heather had chosen each item. So much fun - it felt like my birthday with all the little presents to open.

Check it out!

I got an exciting range of sweet treats. Peach taffy (because Georgia's nickname is the peach state apparently). I'm eating this now and it is tasty but kinda weird! I've never really had taffy before. Look at the cute otter tin, from the Georgia aquarium. I love aquariums, and Heather is lucky enough to live only 3 blocks away. This will definitely be some kind of notions holder once it is empty ;)

A box of baked grits... I know that grits are a southern staple, and these snacks combine grits and Vidalia onions (according to my note, they are the sweetest onions in the world and a grown just down the road from Atlanta). I'm looking forward to trying these!

Atlanta themed goodies - a cute magnet that is now on my fridge, a nail file from Heather's alma mater Georgia Tech, and a pin from the 100th Olympic Games, held in Atlanta. Funnily enough, this year the games are being held in London, not far from me *laughs* 

In the top picture you can see a coke cup, and just about make out this bottle opener. I didn't actually know coca-cola was invented in Atlanta, so that's really cool. Plus I love coca cola, and I need a new bottle opener *laughs* A well timed surprise indeed. Also, my note tells me that Heather can see coke HQ from her window - that's pretty cool! I live relatively near to the Mars factory, and on a good day I can smell when they're making milky-way bars *grins*

And, if all those awesome goodies weren't enough, I also have this gorgeous corridale to spin! Heather noted that she'd seen I was learning to spin and the fibre is from someone who lives just outside Atlanta. Look at the amazing colours (more teal than in this picture though).

So, I stand by the title of this post - Luckiest Blogger in the World!

Thanks Heather, this was such an exciting parcel to open, and a really great way to learn about your city. In fact, it's definitely made me want to come and visit *laughs*

Red Yarn at Night

Wow - my camera really hates red *laughs* But after so many weeks of all-grey knitting I needed something a little bit bright for contrast!

I updated progress on the gorgeous Stripe Study Shawl yesterday, so I won't bore you with that again. If you missed it, Narragansett was finished and is gorgeous and wonderful *grins*

Other grey projects - boyfriend's second sock, which has had about another inch of progress. I realised that I was hating knitting it on DPNs, having got so used to doing everything with magic loop. So, I have transferred the sock onto a circular and hopefully it will result in a little more knitting happening *laughs*

Gran's scarf is a little longer, but nothing really to write home about. 

And the red project will be a little vest to go over a shirt, using up some ancient acrylic given to me by a colleague. It's not the nicest to knit with, but it's a smallish project so I'm hoping it won't take too long. Plus, it's nice and bright, much easier to work on in low light than the dark grey of the socks!

In other news, I picked up my drop spindle for the first time in ages, and have been doing some spinning *grins*

I'm using the fibre I bought in Vegas - a pure merino in the colour "denim" - based on the colour the yarn is becoming with all the shades blended together, denim is exactly right. And it's so soft and lovely *grins* I think my spinning is improving - there are definitely still underspun, overspun, thick and thin bits, but it feels more consistent than it used to.

As ever, if you want more lovely knitting and reading content, head to Tami's and Ginny's *smiles*

Pay It Forward

Yesterday I was visiting Tanya's Blog and discovered a really nice idea. So, I commented and am participating. The rules are as follows:

1. I will send a surprise gift to the first three commenters on this post. The gift will be handmade by me. It will be sent sometime in the next 365 days. It will be a surprise. We all love getting surprises in the mail, right?

2. To sign up and receive a gift, you must play along, too. Pay it Forward on your blog, by promising to make a surprise for the first three people who comment on the post.

3. You must have a blog (that is updated, as I will blog stalk you to find the right gift for you).

4. After commenting here, you must repost this or something similar to your blog in 48 hours. If not, I will chose the next person who comments.

I thought it would be a bit of fun to join in, so comment away and sometime over the next year you'll get a present from me *grins*

Stripe Study Shawl KAL Update #3

I missed a week of the SSSKAL updates due to Knitting and Crochet Blog Week, but I'm back today with news of how the shawl is growing *smiles*

It's now impossible to photograph properly on the needles, not enough room to stretch it out without losing a lot of stitches!

I've (finally) finished the twelfth and final green stripe, so now it's just the loooooooong rows of the border to do. Luckily I'm still excited about the shawl, because those long rows are really a bit of a chore *laughs*

From a picture I saw on instagram yesterday, it looks like my co-conspirator Sarah has finished her shawl and is blocking it already. Go Sarah *grins* I'm a little way off, thanks to my finger mishap of a few weeks ago, plus focusing on my Narragansett when I realised how close that was to being finished...But hopefully I'll be there soon.

I've added a Mr Linky below, in case you're participating in the kintalong and want to showcase your post too - I'd love to read it! And I'm linking up with Frontier Dreams for Keep Calm Crafting On again this week.

Pop back later though, as I have another post coming (I know, 2 in 1 day!)