This is mostly a knitting blog. Sometimes pictures of things I've made, sometimes not. I'm a guy who knits, I usually attend a men's stitch 'n' bitch on Monday nights, and I prefer natural fibres to artificial ones. I have a love-hate relationship with bamboo yarns: I love what they can do and how they look, I hate how they are made. I've been knitting since about 2003, though I really didn't get into it until 2005, while convelescing with a broken leg. I must have discovered something good, 'cause I'm still knitting years later.

Tuesday, December 25, 2012

Today is Mithrasmas. I did not get all my holiday knitting done (bad knitter, no biscuit!), nor did I get what I completed into the post to reach the recipient today. I am a bad knitter. Well, I'm a fairly decent knitter, and have mastered knitting, purling, knitting in the round, decreases, double knitting, Fair Isle technique, and lace. I mean I'm a bad person who is a good knitter. So I am drowning my shame in chocolate and fudge and eggnog.

I did, however, manage to finish two projects. The first is the hat for my niece.
This hat is made of Aslan Royal Alpaca, and was done on US 6 and 7 needles. My niece's favourite colour is green. My nephew's favourite colour is red, and I have another hat on the needles, exactly like this one, except that it is red and white, rather than green and white.

This is a hat for another friend.
Madeleine Tosh Superwash worsted, in Jade. This is a simple double rib, knit for 10.5 inches. It fit him perfectly.

Of course I still have a hat and a half to knit, a cowl, and a scarf. Plus two scarves for Grace and Maddy that I promised them a year ago. It never ends.

Wednesday, December 19, 2012

Knitting Bowl

Chanukkah is come and gone, and I got a yarn bowl this year! I have to admit that I already have one, but it is packed away and in storage. This year saw the arrival of a new bowl. There are some great things about this bowl. First, it was made by my favourite local potter, Peter Grams. Since 1987 I have bought something from him every year, and since he dates everything, I can trace the path of my purchases. Second, it is blue, my favourite colour. And third, it was given to me by my friend Shari, who rather than enabling my yarn whoredom, gave me instead an accessory that will be useful as well as beautiful.

This is a close view, with a skein of Shibui sock yarn in the bowl.

This is a slightly different view.

I have already used my yarn bowl, and I love the way the yarn stays put and doesn't go flying across my work space (which is usually my bed, since it's the place where I usually sit whilst knitting). I'm excited to have this new bowl, and am looking forward to enjoying it for a long time to come. I've put a link to Peter's website, but here it is again, just in case anyone is in need of a yarn bowl this year: http://www.pgpottery.net/