A week of knitting WIPs

The knitting needles have been working overtime this week (or at least that's how it feels!) and I have a plethora of projects to show you, sadly none yet finished! I seem to have slipped back into my old ways and the number of WIPs is mounting. I was doing so well too, being loyal to just one or two projects! Where to begin? Well, let's start off with a look at the Rene sweater. I've just cast off for the armholes on the back, so am hoping that as the rows get shorter, I'll be able to finish this. Then in theory, the sleeves shouldn't take long, nor the fronts (I think that I'm pretty much decided on a cardigan rather than a jumper now) so I might actually be able to get it finished this side of Christmas!

It's knitted in Cascade220 yarn and is knitting up nice and dense. It should be a super-snug, cosy sweater once it's all done.

I finally made a start on the September clubhouse yarn. I have to say that the colours don't especially grab me, but having seen Snoopydog's Miss Doolittle, I decided to be a copycat, and knit one for myself. I do love scarves, so I'm sure it won't go to waste. Infact, the children were drawing little pictures of me to go onto a school teatowel the other week, and I was wearing a scarf in most of their drawings! So far, I've knit the first half, and am ready to start the second. I'm knitting the narrower version, but am going for extra length. I'm pleased that I've finally cast the yarn on, as I was feeling a bit of a clubhouse failure for not knitting it!

I currently have two pairs of socks on the go. The first is my final plain vanilla pair for one of my Uni friends. I'm knitting it with Wendy Happy yarn, which is 100% bamboo. I've not used it before, but had to find a sock yarn with no wool in it whatsoever! I hope that it's going to hold its shape ok. I'm knitting a ribbed sock to try to help with the elasticity. I have until the first weekend in November to get it finished, as that's when we are getting together.

My second sock is from Knitspot - it's the Fishbone Gansey sock. I'm using a skein of Woolen Rabbit yarn that Kim sent to me. I dithered about deciding what to knit - first it was a shawl, then a scarf, but I finally settled on socks. The gansey pattern isn't popping out quite as much as I had hoped for, but the yarn feels just delicious. These are going to be 'stay at home and curl up in front of the fire' kind of socks! Very pampered tootsies!

I've also been doing some spinning. I've been working on some BFL fibre from Alchemy Fibre Arts for the last couple of weeks now. The single is sat waiting to be plied, but I haven't had a chance yet to do any more. I'm going to Navajo-ply it to keep the longer colour runs I think.

Yesterday I went down to London for Alice Yu's book launch at Loop. I test knit one of the designs way back. The shop was buzzing with knitters who had come to see Alice and say goodbye to her (she is off to Hong Kong today!), buy the book and some yarn to knit the socks with, and catch up with friends (and eat cake too, of course!)

There was a mini-get together of clubhouse knitters, all sporting their September/October projects too! Here are Gina and Janet showing off their Hazeline and Longshadows.

 

All the socks from the book were on display, along with far too many tempting skeins of Alice's Sokkusu sock yarn.

I do quite like these plastic feet - excellent for sock modelling! I wonder what on earth you need to google in order to track one down?!

There were so many lovely colourways, it was very hard  to choose.

I had a good rummage amongst the skeins of yarn, and tried to show some restraint! I eventually chose one skein of yarn, along with a copy of Alice's book, which she was kind enough to sign for me.

I did buy some more yarn, some Malabrigo Worsted weight, to knit Mr JK a Norwich City hat and scarf. All the merchandise from the Supporters' shop is acrylic and guaranteed to give you an electric shock on contact! I'm planning on knitting Jared Flood's Turn a Square hat. In case you don't know the colours that the Canaries play in, here's the yarn. The green isn't quite bright enough, but it will be fine for this project.

It's almost time for the next project in the Fall in Full Color club. My yarn arrived this week, an autumnal worsted weight package. I'm looking forward to the pattern release tomorrow. I wonder what it will be?!

So with the next pattern imminent, I'd better love you and leave you, and go and get knitting! Mr JK and I are off to Greece next weekend, as it's half term, so there's all the holiday knitting to consider too! Busy, busy! See you! xxx