Knitting in purple (part 1)

I have a theme going on here - purple. This is from the Erika Knight Classic book and is knitted in Kidsilk mohair. I just have to sew on the fastenings and sew on the ends - I must do it soon or it will sit for months.

I am using this alpaca to knit a waistcoat. I'm trying to design it myself. I wanted a deep rib and deep v but couldn't find a pattern

Since taking this picture I have finished this jacket/cardigan but I hate it so I'm about to start rattling it down. What was even worse is that I had to buy an extra ball of wool to finish it. Everything was wrong about it but the neck was the worst it was so loose and sitting away down at my shoulders.

Finally, this is a picture that Paul took and framed for my Valentine's present - I absolutely love it.

A whole new stash

I was at Twist Fibre in Newburgh on Saturday at a spinning class. It was really good fun but I seemed to have real problems with the concept 'clockwise' hence the arrow that was helpfully drawn on my spindle. Of course I couldn't leave without buying the equipment for my new project - you will see I like bold colours.

It is really enyable to do. I was told it was relaxing but I don't think I have quite mastered the technique to make it relaxing. I am still a long way from spining any wool I could knit with.

I also bought some wool to dye and then spin - not quite sure when I'm going to complete all these projects.

Here is me spinning, well I'm actually posing because I'm holding the wool the wrong way. You will see I am wearing quite a few hand knitted things. I think I may have commited a fashion faux pas as I read recently on a blog that you should only wear one hand knitted thing at a time. I also had on knitted gloves and scarf - it might be because I'm a big show off and as I was going to a wool shop where people appreciate hand knitted items. Anyway it is not my worst fashion disaster - I was a Bay City Roller fan - sorry you need to be over 40 to get that.

Finished transition gloves

I know that I have a reputation at the knitting group for not finishing things but as these required very little sewing and no button bands I finished them in under a week. I am really pleased with how they turned out. You can see that I used the darker colour at the end. I thought I wasn't going to have enough pink but I probably would have. If I did do them again I would use more contrasting colours and use smaller needles - even though I knitted them on size smaller than in the pattern they are still quite loose.

I can't help myself

I was browsing other blogs and I came across these fabulous transition gloves so of course I had to search to find where I could buy the pattern and found it at Knit Purl. I decided to knit them in mulberry and peony. Even though the wool and pattern was coming from America it came very quickly.

Beautiful alpaca wool

I received this wool in the post on Friday. I ordered it before I had gone through all my wool in the cupboard. But it was such a bargain, about £2.00 a ball. I bought it from a yarn store in America, www.jimmybeanswool.com This is the first time I have bought wool from America. On the same day I also bought wool for transition gloves. I will add a picture of the wool and pattern next time.

The wool in the picture is a beautiful deep purple and I think I will knit a waistcoat. I spent the whole weekend looking for a pattern - I love starting new things.

These are all the things I have to complete. A couple of these things have moved house about four times and one of them is nearly twenty years old. So many of them are just waiting to have button bands or just to be sewn up - the bit I hate doing.

This is me with my wool stash. Paul, my partner took this picture. I think he was trying to be too artistic he was up a step ladder to get the angle.