Sunday 28th June

Hello friends, it is the end of June already, how the heck did that happen? So much has been lost this year so far and yet I feel so much has also been gained. We have discovered new ways to live and communicate and I can't help but think that without the wonder of the internet this period of such uncertainty would have been so much worse. We have been able to stay in touch easily across the oceans and some have even had the chance to see others using video apps and such. It is comforting to know that things are slowly beginning to a type of normality and here in Scotland things are starting to open up. I can only hope that things go smoothly and we all remain healthy.

I have been thinking a whole lot about needles this past week as I was getting ready to start the MKAL I mentioned last week. I ended up choosing a 3.5mm needle for my project and it got me remembering that way back in the '70s when as a wee girl I was learning to knit I thought that 4mm needles were tiny and everything went so slowly, too slowly for my wee impatient mind. Nowadays with my love of sock knitting and fingering weight shawls 4mm is about as big as I can handle comfortably. Oh, how times change.

Talking of the MKAL, the designer has asked that no spoilers be shared so as to keep the mystery for everyone so I will abide by that request and just share a picture of my beautiful yarn here.

I am going to take weekly update photos of the project as it grows and will share them all with you at the end.

I also have another knit by the same designer, Helen Stewart of Curious Handmade, on the needles. The Habitation Throw was designed for those lucky people who can afford the beautiful yarn advent calendars which talented dyers bring out each year. I have decided that it is just perfect for leftovers and have started this one using blues, pinks and purples.

I am already planning a second using the greens, browns and other colours. It is a most soothing knit that is great for TV knitting.

A shawl I have seen a lot of popping up on Ravelry is The Painting Bricks by Stephen West and the more I see of it the more I love it, so yesterday I caved and bought the pattern. Now once again it is beyond my means to get the yarns suggested but I had a rummage in the deep stash and found some KnitPicks Palette in the beautiful Tranquil colour which I will use for my main colour and have paired it with some Drops Delight in bright rainbow tones which will give me the desired finish. 

And now for the promised finished items. I have had a huge commission from my mum to knit 5 cowls and some baby items for her to gift. Here are the first three cowls.

And the baby items

These are all now packaged up and ready to post in the morning.

Well, I think that is enough for this week. Stay safe and healthy.

Mary

Sunday 21st June

Hello friends, and a very happy Father's Day to all you dads out there. I really must apologise for going MIA again so soon after starting to write again. This was due to two factions, firstly I inadvertently gave my laptop a coffee bath which killed it spectacularly and second was the most shocking and untimely death of my only Aunt. Susan and I were close friends and her passing affected me very badly.
On a happier note, I think, I return to you a year older and with a new to me laptop. It was a strange birthday with us still being in lockdown, but I am delighted to report that the Birthday fundraiser I held on Facebook raised nearly £200 for the PDSA which is the charity in whose Musselburgh shop I volunteer in normal times.
Now for some knitting talk. Firstly let me apologise for the lack of pictures this week. I was going to take some today but it is so grey and miserable that they just would not be right. I have been doing a lot of knitting and frogging and starting new things. I finished some stuff that still needs to be blocked so will have loads to show next week.

One thing I am really looking forward to is a new mystery knit-along being hosted by designer Helen Stewart in her Curious Handmade group on Ravelry. The pattern is for a shawl using three skeins of fingering weight yarn and begins on Thursday and I have decided to use the club yarn gifted to me by hubby for my Christmas from Ripples Crafts. If you want to join in you can still buy the pattern at a reduced price of £4 until the first clue comes out. I am incredibly excited as this will be the first MKAL I have participated in for a long time. 

Sorry for such a short post this week, I am extremely hopeful normal service will be resumed next Sunday, until then please stay safe and healthy.

Mary