Winter Hibernation

It's very fair to say that I have been hibernating all winter.  This year, it is nice to see spring again and all the new things it brings.  I am excited about the longer hours and new projects to come.

Today is my day off.  I usually spend my days off walking Lexi, knitting, reading and watching Netflix.  I decided that I might start sharing what I have on my needles, my W.I.P.s.  W.I.P.s is knitter-speak for work in progress.

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I am trying to concentrate on finishing this cardigan.  I am great at starting new knitting projects.  I am finished with the body and have started the first sleeve.  The pattern is Ombre by Tanis Lavallee.  This is her website/blog.  I dyed the yarn.  It is lace weight yarn held double.  It is a result of a dyeing experiment.  It has resulted in the knitted fabric to be a bit marled.  I am not following the gradient directions this time around.  ( I would love to do this pattern again)

The box of tricks are some stitch markers that I made and the scissors are a prize from a Christmas cracker from a zillion years ago at my Aunt's house.  It was so long ago but I vaguely remember one of my male cousins winning them and giving them to me.  I use them all the time so they were a great inheritance.

Goodnight Winter Hibernation.  Good Morning Spring.

The Mountains

The mountains are calling and I must go. - John Muir

The socks that I am working on at the moment.  I dyed them and really like the colourway, more autumnal colours.  I love autumnal colours.  I used to get more socks done.  I guess we all go through phases.  Looking forward to wearing these.

This is the cardigan I am working on. It's a mon-petit-gilet-raye cardigan.  It is my second one and I already started a second one.  The blue is some vintage silk merino from Jaeger yarns and the maroon and smoky colour is Rowan Kidsilk.  It is like a soft cloud of warm coziness.  I am going to make another cardigan with whatever is leftover.  Will have to add another yarn and colour to make up a second cardigan.

Looking forward to finishing a lot of projects.  Might just concentrate on getting them finished.  Though I have to do that scarf and knit a few other gifts.  Wish there were more hours in the day.  I would spend them walking the dog, drinking coffee, reading, cooking/baking, eating, drawing, knitting and watching a bit of netflix/movies/tv.  Though on the tv front, haven't really found anything that I really want to watch.  I like to veg out a bit when we come back from a walk, I like to watch something and knit.  Should probably read instead.

I better get cracking and start drawing.

New prints are going up in The Ellie and Ada Shop.

I sent my Aunt a Ellie and Ada Birthday card.  She liked it.  I think my two grandmothers would have gotten a kick out of the fact that I named this venture after them.

Also new discovery!  I have found out that the most loveliest hat, nice slouch, smurfy- slouch, cozy hat style. The best hat for my head is a hat that I knitted John.  It was the first hat that I knitted him.  Need to make more!  In my favourite yarn, Studio Donegal!

Happy May Sale 20% off in Ellie And Ada Shop

Spring Sale! Enter COUPONCODE - HAPPYMAY and get 20% off all your purchases! This is a sale to say thanks and celebrate Spring/Summer 2014. The coupon expires June 1, 2014.  The sale is on from today till June 1, 2014.  The sale is here in my Ellie and Ada Etsy Shop.

I'm working on putting up new prints in the shop.  I am also working on new prints.  Today wasn't as nice, weather-wise in this neck of the woods so I worked inside all day.  Looking forward to relaxing and knitting this evening.  I'm watching Selfridges at the moment on Netflix.  I am going to finish the first sleeve of a cardigan, I have been working on.  V neck cardigan in 4 ply.  It might become part of my new summer uniform.

I treated myself to some Jane Richmond patterns so I can't wait to cast on a few new projects...  Must knit faster!  She has a sale on in Ravelry.  3 for 2 which is a great sale!  Her Linden mittens look great.  I don't have the best circulation so I almost wear mittens/fingerless gloves all the time and a pair of 4 ply weight mittens would be very welcomed addition to my collection of mittens.  Mittens, cowls and hats are great dog/Lexi walking gear.  The best part of having many hand knitted items in Ireland is, once your hat, scarf and mittens get wet in the rain, you can grab dry things for the next excursion.  The joys of being toasty and not wet and soggy.

 This Birds and Little Polka Dots.  It'll be in the Ellie And Ada Shop soon but it is already available on my Ellie And Ada Society6 Page.

Knitting Sweaters for the Sun

The weather here in Ireland has been lovely.  One must always make time and appreciate the good weather whilst we have it.  (It can rain a lot here in Ireland, in case you never heard.)  Also one should make hay while the sun shines, so I killed two birds with one stone and sat outside in the sun and drew in my notebook.

Last summer was lovely and not typical Irish weather.  It was funny because I was too warm for most of my sweaters.  When the evenings got cooler, I was too warm for my mostly worsted/Aran weight wardrobe of sweaters/jumpers.  I am now trying to knit more 4 ply/sock yarn weight sweaters and cardigans to wear when the evenings get cooler. 

As per usual, I have many sweaters on the go.

This is my mon-petit-gilet-raye.  I already have another one on the go and have a few other colour combinations planned for the next one(s).  I want to make the neckline a bit smaller.  I didn't bother with the waist shaping because I don't like fitted things around my waist. 

 I'm putting more prints in my Ellie and Ada Etsy shop.  I am also working on new prints. This is Majorie Blue.  It is available in the shop!

Keiko

Just got informed that Society6 selected this print Keiko to be in the Society6 shop.  Delighted, so I am.

Going to Netflix it up now and finish a cardigan!  Can't wait for it to be finished, so I can dedicate more time to the new cardigan that I started.  Also want to get the last set of increases done on the new cardigan, so I can go to the Stitch and Bitch in the library tomorrow.  Haven't gone since December.

Preppy School Uniform

Almost finished my other stripey cardigan.  This is the next one.  I am using yarns that I had for (too) many years.  Love the colours.  Reminds me of a school uniform.  Unfortunately, any uniform that I had in a school was pretty hideous.  Bottle green and gone off custard was one particular colourway, that I can recall.

This yarn will be knitted into another Mon Petit Gilet Cardigan.

Just have to do the button band on the other one.

If you are on Ravelry, I am LHogan.