Review: Little Women

Little Women by Louisa May Alcott
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Why oh why have I never read this book before now?
I was enthralled from the off with the lives of the March's.
The sisters may appear to be a bit too goody-goody for some folks tastes but I read it in the spirit of what it was, a book aimed at young girls and of their time. There were parts that made me smile and parts that made me sad but overall it took me to a time and place so far removed from life today that it was most relaxing and a joy to hear the next chapter.


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When Madness Ensues

What happens when you are just over 48 hours away from a local yarn festival and you spy a wonderful pattern which would be ideal to wear to said festival? Why you cast on of course!
Watch this space........

Guddled

With my work season fast approaching it brings the knowledge that my knitting time shall be severely curtailed. With this in mind I got myself into a fair guddle over the last couple of weeks. I was trying so hard to get to so many things that my head went into a spin and it was all I could do to knit a few stitches here and there. In the end I decided to just pick up one item and get on with it.
The project I chose was one which had been languishing in hibernation for almost a year.

Unblocked Wild Violet Flowers

I dug out the beads, picked it up and got stuck in. It only took me a few days to get the knitting finished and it is now in the blocking queue.
The pattern is the beautiful Wild Flowers by Kitman Figueroa, and is the same one as I knitted for my best friend's wedding shawl last year. The yarn and beads were ones that I had bought as a kit for another project but the pattern did not speak to me so I had put them aside until something better came along.

The Sunday socks fell behind a little during my lost time but you will be glad to know that I am caught up again and ready to start pair 6 today.
Here is pair 4

I knitted these toe up as a plain stockinette foot with a 2x2 rib cuff.
The yarn is an absolute delight to work with. It is Suilven by Ripples Crafts and is a mix of Merino, Yak and Silk. It beautifully soft to the touch and it reminded me of a very fine cord when knitting with it.
Pair 5

Once again I chose one of my favourite patterns for this pair. I did toy with two other patterns but frogged both and went back to Socks on a Plane a free pattern by Laura Linneman. This is a very popular pattern in the Ravelry community with over 2000 pairs knitted and it is also the pattern I shall turn to today when I cast on pair 6. The yarn this time is Drops Fabel  a great go to sock yarn at a fantastic price.

Time for me to take my leave and get the Sunday Sock on the needles.

Gripped

Sometimes I can be browsing patterns on Ravelry and along comes one which takes my breath away. This happened in the early hours of this morning when I could not sleep.
I had been feeling that my knitting mojo had gone for a wee holiday when suddenly I saw the beautiful Muirs shawl pattern. It was love at first sight. I just had to purchase it.
The shawl is essentially knit in two parts, first the edging is done then stitches are picked up along this edging and the body is knitted from the bottom up.
I grabbed the first yarn I had to hand, which was Ripples Crafts merino/silk, (now sadly discontinued), in the gloriously soft Violet Whispers colour and cast on.

7 edging repeats done 

I am finding rhythm in the knitting of the edging and it is progressing at a good pace for me. I hope that I can get this done quickly as I would dearly love to wear this shawl to the Edinburgh Yarn Festival to show off this beautiful pattern.