Well, quietish. My leave seems to have left me with very little crafting time, and also Shingles (very mild I should point out – I didn’t realise I had it till the rash came up, and even then it took a week to get someone to confirm it), both of which are a bit of a bummer. I just seemed to be busy all the time, and when I have had time, I have ended up sending several things to the great frog pond in the sky. The top down raglan has gone, mainly because I suddenly decided I wouldn’t wear the cardi in that colour. I’m not really sure what did it for me, but it is done. Life is too short etc etc. Don’t get me wrong, I love both the yarn and the pattern, but when it doesn’t work for you, it doesn’t work. I’m thinking of Zephyr Style’s Wicked in the yarn instead, as there are some really pretty short sleeved ones of it in the same shade as my Malabrigo. Malabrigo’s time WILL come.

I also started a cropped cardi from the Heartfelt Dark House book, in some Sublime Angora Merino (some mid blue). Apparenly I keep getting the wrong thing for this yarn. I got gauge, and started knitting, but again, just lost it. I realised I probably wouldn’t wear it outside the house, and I have enough of those types of things. I’m thinking of knitting Emily from the same book in the yarn instead, and have cast on for the u-neck vest in Fitted Knits for now.

BUT, I have made a hat from the Heartfelt book again – and a crochet one too! I had some Kid Classic and Kid Silk Haze lying around, so I decided to have a go at Gem for a quick result.

It’s a bit too big, and took even more frogging and re-crocheting. But the bonus is that I just ripped out an increase row and added an extra decrease row, and it was so much easier and quicker to do that with crochet! I’ll make it again in some leftover green, but definitely smaller. I just needed to finish something really this time, so I don’t mind too much that I have a bit of a teacosy head in this one.

Also, here is a progress shot. Half a pair of Monkeys in White Willow merino sock yarn (colourway Medicine Woman).

I’d forgotten how quick and easy these were. Well, I hadn’t otherwise I wouldn’t have cast on for them, but they are much quicker and easier than I remembered And purty. I forsee these being finished quite soon. Still debating what socks to knit next though!

More purty things

How pretty is this?! I saw it on Etsy in Knittingpretty’s shop. It’s 370 yards of sportweight handspun, in pinks and soft subtle brown. I’ve already wound and knitted a little swatch on 3mm needles and it makes a really subtle stripe. When knitting it in slouchy bed-type socks, as it inevitably will result in being so, it should make a little soft variation through, so not striping, but movement of colour. If that makes sense. And it arrived so quickly too – within a week from the US. Very impressive. Go look and admire and lust after yarn and stitch markers.

And also this:

10 hanks of Colinette Skye in Velvet Bilberry. Yum yum yum. This will make a replacement hourglass sweater seeing as my grey one is stretched out and too big anyway and clawed and rather sad looking now It has been a cold weather staple since I finished it, so I’m very sad to see it go, but also a little happy that it is a bit too big now This doesn’t feel like the softest yarn but from what I’ve read it softens with knitting and wear, and also proves rather sturdy too, which is more than I can say for cashmerino (which keeps its stitch definition rather well, but pills to stupidity within five minutes).

Lastly I’ve been baking lots. I’ve learnt how to make cinder toffee (very easy, but not one for people with bad teeth or lots of fillings…), flourless brownies (cooling as I type, with the hope they’ll be ok for work tomorrow for a birthday), and I also made hokey pokey biscuits with the intention to take them to work, but they were so good we scoffed them all ourselves… Heather might be interested in the brownie recipe (no flour at all! Dairy, but definitely gluten free as far as I can see), so I’ll post more info should they be good and tasty. No idea how I’ll get a gloopy pile of brownies to work though on the bus!