New Year New Beginnings

Well it’s taken me a little while to get back to the blog since my last rash of posts. It’s all to do with internet access. We treated ourselves to 24/7 internet access for a week over Christmas and hence all the blogging – now we are back to a stolen hour here or there and with 2 bloggers now (what have I started with Cathal?) and the fact that I have an incredibly long bloglines list – there just isn’t enough time. This will all be fully resolved when we get set up in our new place sometime mid January. Until then we are living in a serviced apartment and much as I’d like internet access 24/7 the budget doesn’t allow.

So this is a wrap up 2006, plans for 2007 post – a little late.

I finished up the Jaywalkers – I haven’t yet photographed them though so I’ll try to have that done for the next time I’m online. They are my last F.O. for 2006 (ok, technically I may have had to finish the toe on 1st January, but they are still in the 2006 pile – I make the rules around here!).

So, starting with a clean slate – the Jaywalkers were my one and only WIP at the time, I started the new year with a case of wait for it, startitis. I knew I would, I just couldn’t resist.

So, here’s the pile of WIP’s. 1st up is a ribbed beanie hat I am making for Cathal, believe it or not although it’s summer here if it’s a bad day and the southerlies are in full force a warm hat is exactly what you need. So, I’m expecting this to be the first F.O. of 2007. I bought the yarn in Knit World in Wellington, a quite well stocked yarn store although the pattern books leave a lot to be desired. I’m checking out the knitting group scene and will let you know more when I know more myself.

Second up is a little scarf/necktie I am making for myself. I brought this yarn with me from Ireland from my stash (and it’s an Australian yarn). It’s Kaalund Yarns Enchante – 100% silk in Pawpaw shade. The recommended needle size is 2mm!!! I am knitting my scarf on 5mm needles to give it a light and airy feel. Very early days remains to be seen how this will progress but I do love the very subtle shades in this yarn.

The last WIP is a biggie, finally I have started the Apricot Jacket from Rebecca 27. I have already run into problems though. I had a search online and found that there are a number of errors in the pattern. However it’s not the errors that I have a problem with it’s the vagueness of the pattern – a few other bloggers mentioned the same issue and they all said that they just tried to study the picture to figure it out. I’m a little annoyed to be honest. I went to considerable effort to get this pattern and to find that it’s less than informative is disappointing. I’m at the stage where I have worked a number of rows beyond the 20cm ribbing and it’s just not looking right – I think I have done everything the pattern asks me to do – so, what to do? I may just persevere for another little while and see if all works out or I may frog back and start again. To be honest procrastination in taking either course has led to the startitis with the other two WIPs. I will say one thing for the Apricot Jacket, it is so lovely to be knitting with a yarn that calls for 5mm needles and the Rowan All Seasons Cotton I am using is very nice to the touch, so easy to knit with and grows so quickly – quite a contrast from sock yarn.

Ok, I may sign off for the moment, I wish everyone a very happy new year full of all things crafty. We rung it in at the Matterhorn in Wellington – we had a great night although it was a little weird not to be surrounded by friends and texting them instead knowing that we were 13 hours ahead. It was great to get phonecalls at midnight Irish time though – so I got to ring in the new year twice (albeit that I was a little hungover for the second one).

A big thank you to all my knitting buddies around the world, for calling by my blog during the year, helping me out with yarn or pattern acquisition and for commenting - it's great to hear from you all. I'm not making any new years resolutions this year (secretly, I have the same ones as every year, eat less, exercise more etc etc) - as we changed our lives so much in the latter half of 2006 I am just planning on living life to the full in 2007 in the southern hemisphere.