yarn along

"There was something about the smell of a roasting Idaho that was so cozy, and also, well, conservative, was the way Macon put it to himself.  He thought back on years and years of winter evenings: the kitchen windows black outside, the corners furry with gathering darkness, the four of them seated at the chipped enamel table meticulously filling scooped out potato skins with butter. You let the butter melt in the skins while you mashed and seasoned the floury insides; the skins were saved till last. It was almost a ritual."       

                                               The Accidental Tourist, Anne Tyler, p75

I am enjoying the routine-addicted world of Macon Leary, with his alphabetised life, so unlike mine. I'm at that part of a book where you relish the words so much, that you start to slow down and savour the moments.  

I could actually read and knit at the same time for once, happily knitting this. Excitedly anticipating the cast off so that I could try it on before completing the arms. It's very easy to do...one for multi-tasking, and the yarn amazing to work with But it was MASSIVE....My fault I know. I wasn't using the suggested yarn. I had done the gauge to check the tension, and that was fine. I think I should have picked a smaller size...the pattern is generous and I don't think the linen yarn suited the draped style...It's a little too heavy.

So I decided to unravel it and make an Annabel sweater instead. I made the cardigan last year in Icelandic lopi wool and I love it.  I think the sweater will be more suited to the linen yarn as it's fitted and so hopefully will work fine.  I got the pdf and I had to order some 6.5 circular needles. I found these sets of 16 circular bamboo needles online for the price of one pair in my local yarn shop. I Know! It sounds too good to be true doesn't it? I'm patiently waiting for them to arrive so I can begin the jumper. I hope they don't fall to pieces when I use them...

Meanwhile after repairing the socks I knit last year for the third time, I've decided to make some more. This time in yarn that isn't pure wool but has something to give it a little strength. I'm just too hard on them...always running around the house on wooden floors wearing them out. Pure wool is no good for me...

I found four balls of Sirdar wool rich DK at just £2 each in the bargain bin. It's wool with some acrylic and so equally soft and hopefully hardwearing too. It's lovely subtle autumn shades, not so much the grey of the photos. So my needles are dancing again...

...yippee...

...what about yours?   I'm joining with ginny again...coming?

debx

Ps ...I've just found another reason to like Ryan Gosling...