warm wool, cold snow...

well despite what i said in my last post, and the ache in my fingers, it would seem i can't stay away from knitting. turns out i go crazy if i'm not doing something with my hands, so i've been making small inroads in a new project.

bet you can't guess what the yarn is - ha! it's only too obvious what yarn can bewitch me with such lovely colours. i've had four skeins of this since october, and been trying to find a suitable project. this may or may not be it, but is keeping me interested nonetheless. i am working on a cowl/neck warmer variation of the maple seed hat, and i like that it is vaguely cable reminiscent, but not heavy, and somewhat lacy, but not too lacy. and i like the way it twists as it climbs. this pattern is virtually identical to the beaufort hat pattern that i made for my brother-in-law, except you do ssk instead of k2tog, and i had been wanting to revisit it since that toque was gifted so quickly after completion. i'm sure this pattern won't take all four skeins, probably just two, but i'm sure i'll find something else for the leftovers.

and from the first photo, you might see that snow has fallen again - hey, around here it used to be an anomaly, but not this winter - and at the moment the sun is peaking through the clouds, adding sparkle to the fresh whiteness. for a bit the snow continued to fall ever so lightly, much like dust swirling in a ray of sunlight. i might get out on a walk later today and then have some more photos to show, but for now i'll leave you with this glimpse of spring, however distant it may be - the rhodos valiantly pushing forward despite the cold.

New perspectives...

Admittedly, I was not initially wowed by this pattern. I had seen it on Ravelry, but I think my response was "meh", despite the large amount of folks trying it out. The same can also be said for this yarn, which the boy picked out for himself when I dragged him into a flurry of women known as a yarn sale. Colour me surprised, then, when I discovered how happy I ma with the final product and jealous that these socks are not for me.

The pattern is Charade, and the yarn is Cherry Tree Hill Supersock. If anyone remembers, I knit my Aquaphobia Socks with Cherry Tree Hill, so I knew I would like the yarn and it would hold up well as a sock. But I felt the browns had little appeal in the skein. However, knit up the variation is warm and rich, and it's a little hard to admit A was right. The pattern was not his picking though - just me trying to find something in that balance of what he will wear versus what will I knit. I did get a little tired by the end, but that may be due to other issues. All in all, Charade keeps you interested and looks great in a subtle kind of way. And if you're curious, the brown underneath the socks is not a scary shag carpet (although we have one), but rather a cushy, squishy sheepskin made for me by my dad from one of his sheep - I haven't convinced him to get any Merino sheep yet (they are sooooo cool looking) but thought the sheepskin fit well with the finished product.

But....this may be the last knitting for a little while. Hard to say for sure, as I am still thinking about patterns and eyeing up yarn, but at the same time my knitting enthusiasm seems to have faded a little at the moment. This may also be due to a lot of joint pain I am having in my fingers lately. Somewhere in between knitting, working on a computer all day, climbing, and other sport joint stress (oddly enough I think snowboarding is a factor, but maybe more in my wrists - falling), and my hands are turning into little claws. I've also been thinking about some other things - I've been wanting to get back into drawing a bit more lately, and I hope to be getting a new sewing machine in the near future to replace the cranky specimen I have mostly stopped using. So there may be other projects to show soon, if not of the yarn persuasion.

And there is also my photography, which has definitely been neglected lately. As the days begin to show a little more light, I'm tempted outside again to find interesting angles, and will try to share them with you. That's why I started this blog after all!

snow days are kool...

I finished this toque on Saturday and took some pics then (if you're on Ravelry you might have seen them), but I'm starting to get tired of posing for FO shots, so I thought this one would be better as an action image. So here I am keeping cozy in my new Koolhaas hat, perfect for those chilly days on the mountain. We had a beautiful day on Sunday, only my second time on a board, but I'm starting to feel more comfortable. The weather alternated between tempting to clear and closing in with snow and a biting wind, but the day ended with sparkling powder lit by late afternoon sunlight. Below is a photo showing my mad boarding skillz (yeah, that's with a "z" to show how hardcore I am), but hey, I'm just happy to be standing and sliding downhill at the same time.

Oh, you wanted to know about the hat? This is actually only my interpretation of the pattern. Not to downplay the amazing knitting talents of Jared, but I decided to work this one out on my own, although I give him much credit and kudos for the brilliant idea. This hat is wonderfully squishy and cozy, helped along by Debbie Bliss Cashmerino Aran. I love this yarn, so divinely soft, and with a slight silver sheen to the grey. I was at a loss for some time with what kind of hat it would become, but I'm definitely happy with the result.

I am well into some Charades for A, my second project with Cherry Tree Hill Merino Sock. I'm really happy with the pattern and the yarn, and should have an FO to show soon. And I received a great little Christmas present (albeit a little late) - The Knitter's Book of Yarn. I know many a knitting blogger has reviewed this awesome new book, so I won't say too much about it except that it's awesome (yeah, I know, I covered that), and I'm already eager to cast on for some Norwegian Snail Mittens. However, all this snowboard gear is going to cut into my yarn budget...