Autumn's here and I've completed my first knitted design project, a pretty leaf pattern collar based on one of the lace edgings featured in Knitting magazine for May 2007 (check their new website at
http://www.knittinginstitute.co.uk/ ). I've also finally finished the two Shetland lace scarves I've been working on over the summer, in traditional cockleshell and horseshoe patterns. I've been lucky enough to get up to Jamieson's woolshop in Lerwick, Shetland twice this year and to buy the very fine
Ultra wool for these projects in person. The cockleshell pattern was quite fiendish and I nearly gave up after four tries and several swatches working out an error in the pattern (from Sarah Don's out of print book The Art of Shetland Lace)! The second one, based on one of Jamieson's own patterns, was much easier to knit but for some reason the grafting together kept going wrong. But they look great now that they've been washed and stretched out to dry on my dressing-room floor.
Here in the UK the days are shortening and it's time to think of some cosy autumn and winter projects. Mohair seems to be back in fashion, along with all things from the 1970s (which I'm afraid to say I can remember the first time round!) and a kind person in my Knitting Group has just given me some very fine red fluffy yarn to play with. So a good start to the season and to my new blog. We'll see how it goes from here.
