New Year, New Knitting

New Year, New Knitting.  Simple elegant, eloquent knitting.

It looks very red on my monitor and it really isn't.  I think it is taking up the background of my reddish wood.  It is actually very black. 

This is a longstanding colourway of Noro Silk Garden Sock, S211.  I have two balls and have not quite decided if both will be used for this.  They might be, because a largish, garter stitch, horseshoe shaped shawl in strong colours always has a place in my wardrobe. I can see me now wearing it over a crisp black shirt.  I am aiming for classy and businesslike with just a touch of saucy eclectic style. Simple garter stitch in a truly stunning yarn and colourway ought to be just abut right.  

Small shawls are so much more fun than costume jewellery which is what they replace in my wardrobe. When I started making small shawls, I was just thinking of interesting ways of wearing knitted goods at work at the store.  It had to stay on during a day where there was a lot of movement. Since my quasi return to office work, these pieces are even better.  The work is the same movements, but in an environment that is a lot more demanding with respect to what you wear.  

Small shawls are right.  They are a touch of colour, a touch of personal style, and a touch of interest on a simple palette. And they are a reminder to me that no matter how tough it gets, there will always be something good at the end of the day.  

I wish you all a lovely, wonderful New Year.  As Neil Gaiman so rightly says:  

“I hope that in this year to come, you make mistakes.

Because if you are making mistakes, then you are making new things, trying new things, learning, living, pushing yourself, changing yourself, changing your world. You're doing things you've never done before, and more importantly, you're Doing Something.

So that's my wish for you, and all of us, and my wish for myself. Make New Mistakes. Make glorious, amazing mistakes. Make mistakes nobody's ever made before. Don't freeze, don't stop, don't worry that it isn't good enough, or it isn't perfect, whatever it is: art, or love, or work or family or life.

Whatever it is you're scared of doing, Do it.

Make your mistakes, next year and forever.”