Friday 18 December 2020

Christmas arrived!

The blanket is moving along quite nicely, as it should.  

                     

I knit in a completely no stress way and my hands feel marvelous this morning.  I did think about taking this white section to the end to switch out the red, but in the end, decided for safety and relaxation.  There is time and it is silly to think of rushing now.  

And then Christmas came early!  Some stuff had already arrived.

                                        

My brand new colouring book came.  I have one that my sister gave me several years ago, and i have done some work in it, enough to think I might like to try a different one.  I have been thinking about this one for a while.  It is the title of one of my favourite stories after all, and back in the day, I did have a litttle bit of a hidden garden pocket at the acerage.  

                                        
It is lovely and delicate and I can't wait to start working in it.  Small enough designs for pencil colours surely.

My puzzles came!

                                       

                                       

They are both the challenging sort and that is just fine by me.  I have always liked to set puzzles, though when the boys were young, I went a different way.  I am looking forward to these.

My book came.  I really didn't need another book of sock patterns, but I needed this book of patterns.  In the dark days of early widowhood, the Knitmores podcast was one of the big things keeping me safe and sound.  The Knitmores, the sadly gone on to different things Saavy Girls, the Knit Girllls.  All of these lovely people did more than they know to keep me centered and focused on getting on with living.  

I am so glad I bought the book.  Just like when I listen to the podcast, there were places I nodded my head as I read the stuff between the patterns aned several places where I laughed out loud.  My after Christmas sock mojo is going to come straight from its pages.

                                      

Bravo for socks of socks.

And then the pièce de résistance some yarn.  And such delightful stuff it is too!

You know how you sometimes dream of a thing, but it really isn't your colours and you couldn't imagine what you would make of it or how you could possibly wear it, but every time you see it, you just wanted it?  No?  Well that is what sometimes happens to me.  Since the first time I saw Hand Maiden's magical colours, I wanted on of their brilliant ones.  More than ten years, I stayed with colours I generally wore and things that made sense no matter what I made with it.  

These colours are so brilliant so clear and strong and I wanted them and here they are.


Adam and Eve in a companion colour to the brilliance of  Hand Maiden's magical Bird of Paradise.


I started with one sweater possibility and before I went to sleep last night did a quick search on Ravelry for other possibilities and in less than a minute had another.  I didn't even get to any possibilities other than sweaters and I know that are some shawls that would be stunning in this combination of yarns.  Then there are the poncho styled things with sleeved ends that would make wonderful tops over simple clothes.  The brilliance of these colours knit into a piece like that, would be fantastic over a simple black tank and long draping black skirt or the wide legged pants like the Winslow pants that I just happen to have the pattern for.  

I don't know where I am going with this yarn, but the joy of the journey is the point.  I am just going to sit back, breathe deeply and follow along where this stunning yarn takes me.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

I am glad that your Christmas treats arrived. I like your choices, Needles. Those are a really diverse selection and will give you hours of fun. I didn't see that sock book before. Let me know how you like it. Those pictures of your yarns always make me want to shop for some new colours. I am really trying hard to use up some of my stash but it's the craziest thing. I can always justify getting just a little more yarn. It boggles the mind. I'm sure you know what that is like, looking at the size of your stash. I drool. Mine is no where near yours but I am beginning to think that I plan on knitting to a 120 ... and then again maybe I will. What about you?

I was looking at getting some books and puzzles too but probably won't be getting them until after Christmas which is fine. There was only so many days in my weeks for some reason since late November. I did get a number of cards and letters out to my elderly relatives. It has been a hard year for them. My husband and I will not be gathering with our family for the holidays due to Covid, but will be dropping off food & gifts for my mom as we are her support at 95. We also normally celebrate Ukrainian Christmas in the new year so it will be another round of food and goodies. Smaller in volume though so it takes the pressure off the baking this year and more time for knitting for me. We would normally get together for visits with extended family in January but this year it will all be calls and cards for those I didn't get to the first round. Always the eternal optimist.

Have a wonderful Christmas Needles and to you and your family a safe and happy holidays! Here's to an improved 2021!

Fay