Progress

I have 24 squares now, half-way through!

Undercover is 2!

It's Undercover's second birthday this month. 

Of course, when Beata wrote the pattern she made a HUGE mistake... she used sock club colours Mozambique and Sandstorm. For the last two years, there have been a constant flow of emails asking for the colours. (Don't get over excited, I'm not about the announce their imminent return!) The truth is these colours were made when the sock club had 15 members, and were insanely labour intensive, so they are never coming back! 

But you would think we would learn our lesson, wouldn't you? Instead, Beata when recently turned out a gorgeous Undercover for a dear friend who moved back to Slovakia this summer and is due any day now, she used sock club left overs. This new Undercover is made from all sock clubs: Orchid, Iris and two skeins of Maleficent. 

I can't really say anything though, as I welcomed our friend Evin's son Liam with an Undercover made entirely of Tidepool seconds! This is the blanket eight months later beautifully modeled by the recipient. It is holding up to heavy usage and repeated washing pretty well!

In less light-hearted news, Beata's recently rescued German Shepherd, Brian, is not doing great. He is really struggling with the loss of his leg, and the chemo is taking a lot out of him. He is still the sweetest, gentlest dog in the whole world and is putting up with Beata's efforts to get him walking, including hydrotherapy, with good grace. He loves to sit in our studio at the door and snooze while His Person works. I know many people are sending good thoughts to him and Beata and we really appreciate it.

:)
Máire

Aranami shawl

 I love the look of this pattern, I like garter stitch, I like the yarn, but I hated knitting the shawl. I ended up working the 'scales' on the diagonal, as I couldn't bear cutting the yarn after every section.

I wish I've used a larger needle for a bigger, more lofty shawl, but that is just personal preference.

Overall, it's a fiddly pattern, but the end result is quite nice. The handspun single held up really nicely, despite it being hair-thin in places. Huzzah for long staple fibres!

Granny square blanket beginnings

I've started a granny square blanket and I'm so excited. Crochet is so fast!

This is my colour palette. I'm using some handspun, some of HF dyed yarn, some commercial wools and even some acrylic.

Every square will have a white border. I hope that will pull the whole thing together, as I have so many different colours, only a ball/skein each and lots of scraps.