Yarnuary 2020 - days 9-16

Continuing to share my daily entries with you all.

Day 9 - Something you've learnt

I've learnt that mattress stitch really does improve the finish of your knitting. I would spend ages knitting garments but was never happy with them until I learnt this skill. It’s just brilliant!

Day 10 - Your biggest weakness

Buying yarn, in particular rainbow yarn, appears to be one of my biggest weaknesses. I love rainbow yarn, it never fails to put a smile on my face. And that’s good enough for me!

Day 11 - What keeps your mojo going

If I ever feel like my mojo is waning, it’s quite simple, I knit socks! That repetitive motion is soothing, the colour choices are limitless and the progress is rewarding. Perfect if my enthusiasm is floundering a little.

Day 12 - Your least favourite project

Although this little kitty is very cute, it was soooo fiddly to make. Lots of bits to knit and sew and stuff. Far too much fiddle-faddling for me! And it’s so tricky to get the face looking right isn’t it? 

Day 13 - Something you've improvised

This hot water bottle cover was one of the first things I improvised using some hand spun yarn. Provisional cast on, knitting in the round, cables, Kitchener stitch - it had them all!

Day 14 - Your favourite colourway

Well that’ll be purple then!!!!

Day 15 - Your best memory

It’s so hard to choose just one 😬 But something that will stay with me for a very long time are the two running events I took part in back in 2017. If you follow me, you’ll know that Mr JK, an avid runner, died suddenly the day after completing the Yorkshire marathon in 2016. I most definitely was NOT a runner, I didn’t even own a pair of trainers! But when I saw his race photos a few days after he died, a crazy idea came into my head that I wanted to run a race in his memory. In particular I wanted to run in his footsteps a year after his last race by completing the 10 mile race at York. This race is run at the same time as the Yorkshire marathon and shares part of the route. I completed a half marathon, the Great North Run, a month before and then the Yorkshire 10 miles. I’m incredibly proud of my achievements and know that Mr JK would have been both proud and amazed! 

Day 16 - Your first finished item

I had a break from knitting for some years in my 20’s when I was starting my teaching career. On holiday in Ireland with Mr JK, I walked past a yarn shop in Kenmare and there was a throw knit in Noro yarn. I was totally seduced by the colours, went in and bought a couple of skeins on a whim and the rest is history! xxx