Late again

No surprises there then, I'm late again with the work in progress post for this week.  I've been very tired this week and a touch out of it (though my body is adjusting to another new medication, so I'll let it off).  I have finished the knitting on the baby cardigan, though I think it needs one more row on the ribbing, so I'll have to go back and undo the casting off.  Although it's a nuisance it will look better and I only skimped in the first place because I was worried about running out of yarn.





Other than that I'm plodding on with my lace cardigan, I'm finally half way through the body but I was right to think of this as a long term project.  Mind you, as ever, actually knitting the cardigan, instead of leaving it to its own devices, might help.



I shall illustrate this post with a couple of recent pictures from the garden (since I have no new project photos), which is looking thoroughly overgrown after all that rain.  Some of the nasturtiums have already reached three feet, climbing up through the ceanothus.  The great tits and other birds continue to fill the garden with movement and chirruping, you can see even in just a week how much they've grown up.  I love to watch them "sun bathe" (for want of a better word) stretching out all their feathers to their full extent in the sunshine and pressing their bodies flat against the ground, or the tree, as two blackbirds were doing earlier in the week.  This morning the great tits were sunbathing on the shed roof, an excellent location as they were well camouflaged.


Verdant chaos

WIP Wednesday

I've remembered to post on the right day this week, which is a start.  I'm currently recovering from doing a lot of cooking in preparation for my sister's birthday, which was this Sunday, everything went down well including making a proper (non-packet) jelly for the first time ever - and mercifully it did set!



Meanwhile I'm still ploughing through my Pomme de Pin cardigan, it's now at seven and a half inches long, only ten and a half left to go, although I will try it up against myself as it gets longer to check it doesn't become too long, as I'm not especially tall.  Luckily I'm still enjoying knitting with the alpaca and getting the hang of the lace pattern and I can just about knit it in front of the television.



The improved weather has been such a relief and has provided lots of opportunities for watching the fledgling birds on the bird feeders, especially a whole group of great tits who spend hours on the feeders and a beautiful juvenile robin, who is yet quite to get the hang of the feeders.  I managed to get some photographs of the birds, by sitting very still in the garden holding the camera focused on the feeders and clicking away, although the slightest movement sent them flying for cover.  The juvenile robin, however, was most interested in what I was doing in the garden and spent a lot of time looking at me from the safety of the holly bush and chirruping away.  I do enjoy watching the birds and I'd recommend it, especially if you aren't well as it is a low energy, very cheering occupation.

WIP Wednesday (only a tiny bit late)

Thelonious sock by Cookie.a in Elle sock yarn, which is sadly discontinued, I'm sorry about this as it is a lovely yarn to knit with, has a good stitch definition and a lovely spring to it.  This pattern does require concentration, though I have now got the essential idea of the pattern and I'm thoroughly enjoying myself.  Sometimes it is good to do something that requires focus; it is almost a tutorial in living in the moment.

Since I have unfortunately been experiencing a lot of anxiety, with periodic panic attacks, lately so having something outside myself and worrying and anxiety is wonderful.  In addition to the usual relaxations of feeling the yarn flowing through your fingers and material forming on the needles and the miracle of turning yarn into fabric and creativity in general.

While we're on the subject I found this post from blogger, designer and knitter Karie interesting and liberating on the subject of creativity.

Sock Swap

Lately I've been lucky enough to take part in the first ever sock swap on the Ravelry group "British Banter" and today was the day we opened our parcels.  It's also been my first ever sock swap and it's all been very fun, encouraging one another along the way as we knit our socks, then seeing them all unwrapped.  I made the teal lace socks I have already posted on here and received the following beauties in Lorna's Laces Shepherd's Sock in return.  My feet passed a very comfortable day in the new socks and I have washed them so I can hopefully wear them tomorrow as well!



Here's to the next swap!