Finishing Streak

So what's my excuse for not posting for ages this time? Well I have no excuse until last Wednesday when I came down with a stinking cold which is still lingering. I was really unwell from Wednesday until Friday and on Wednesday and Thurday Vanessa was home from school with a bad cold too. Slightly better over the weekend but today is the first day I feel like I'm recovering. The weekend was busy as usual. Yesterday the girls both had ballet exams. Vanessa did ballet and tap (Ithink) and Emily did ballet and modern. They both did well I think. But we won't know for a few weeks yet.

I've been finishing a few things lately but most of them I can't share any details yet. I'm also waiting to hear about a few submissions and I've got no major deadlines right now so it feels kind of weird. Since Christmas I've gone from one deadline to the next with designing garments for Yarn Forward and I finished the last one before my Mum arrived and this is the first time I've got nothing for a magazine on the needles for months. I've been swatching and planning new designs though and been submitting ideas and got several more planned so Iexpect it won't take long before my needles are busy again.

In the meantime I've been adding a couple of inches on a lace stole for my sister. I'll try to get pictures later this week.

I've also finished a shawl that's been on the needles for ages. I can't even remember how long. I designed and knitted this version in HipKnits Aran Silk about a year ago, might even be longer. I never got around to writing up the pattern. Then last year sometime I decided to do a version in Manos Silk Blend too and get the pattern written up properly. The shawl finally came off the needles this morning and the pattern will be written this weed some time.
The shawl took 2 skeins of Silk Blend. I've been wearing it as a scarf this afternoon and it's lovely and warm and soft. It's a huge shawl, especially on my tiny dress form. I'll get some more modelled pics later this week. On some of these pics my dress form is a bit wonky.

It feels weird finishing a project. Some projects I'm so relieved it's finally off the needles and others I feel a bit sad when it's finished. Sometimes I'm rearing to get on to the next project and other times I feel a bit like I've got 'empty nest syndrome'. Yes, I kow it's weird. It's not like I haven't got loads of other wips waiting to be finished.

While things are a big quiet I'm hoping to get as much done on my sisters stole as possible. I'm aiming to finish it for her birthday in May. I also want to knit a cardigan for myself before we go away for Easter so I'd better get started. I've dyed the yarn, a gorgeous aran alpaca/merino/bamboo blend. The pattern is all ready. Let's just hope i can get it done on time.

this month is Lace Variety Club time again. It's bi-monthly now which feels strange. Having said that, it doens't feel like 2 months since i did the January parcels. I've got an old favorite this month for the yarn. It's a gorgeous yarn but I've not had it in stock for months but early Saturday morning a new delivery arrived. I'll be dyeing it on Wednesday so if you fancy joining, hurry up. The pattern is a pattern that's never been used for the Lace Variety Club before.

Here's January's yarn, the gorgeous Supreme Lace.
The No Wool club will be going out tomorrow. It should have gone last week but because I was ill I didn't get it dyed until Saturday and cotton yarn takes longer to dye than animal fibres. Anyway, it's all ready now. I love this month's colourway. And luckily I dyed some extra and I'm planning to keep some for myself.

There are 3 month and 1 month options for all myclubs and there is a Two Club options too if you want to join more than one club. they're all listed here.

I've been listing some yarn in the shop over the weekend too and there will be more to come this week.