Knitting in the Sun!

This weekend has had some amazing weather! I'm so happy that spring has finally seemed to arrive (even though the pollen is kind of a bummer right now), and I've spent a lot of time this weekend in a chair outside in the sun, knitting and just having a relaxing time. 

Hobbe has spent a lot of time in the yard as well, and he really loves to be outside when it's warm enough. He only gets to go outside when we're with him, as he's really an indoors cat. And he's the most chicken cat there is, so he very rarely ventures outside of our tiny yard. Although, he's getting more and more courageous! On Friday Thomas was outside with him, and a strange black cat wandered through the hedge. Thomas bent to pet the newcomer, who then promptly attacked Thomas' arm! But Hobbe got into full protection mode, and flew on the intruder and chased him away! Thomas was so proud of the little guy, he's apparently a real guard cat :) (Thomas got some scratches on his arm, and we think that Hobbe got at least one good jab at the black cat as Thomas found some black hair puffs on the walk outside our yard later on, but no one got really hurt)

Ok, on with the knitting! I'm done with the two first charts (of twelve!) on the Scheherazade wedding stole I'm making for my friend. It's turning out really pretty!

At the edges it's supposed to be a lace pattern that makes the triangles, but I've substituted that for beads to make it a bit more sparkly. I just sent some photos off to Christine, so I really hope she likes it! I'm also going to knit her a matching bridal pouch/bag in my Palette yarn in the same colourway, but we haven't decided on a pattern yet.

Yesterday though, I wanted to sit in the sun and knit, and as I need the pattern for the stole, and the same for the Wrought Iron socks, I decided to cast on something new (did anyone say St James top? All stockinette? I have no idea what you're talking about. Am I knitting that one...?). I chose the Cotonnette socks from my 10 patterns collection (I really want to make all of these patterns!), and I picked my insanely multi-coloured skein of Opal sock yarn. Let's just say that the result is... interesting...

I can honestly say that the yarn is but ugly! The colours don't match each other at all, and the striping is weird and the flecks of orange is really wrong somehow. I've used this yarn (in other colours!) for socks for Thomas and his brother, and they are insanely soft after a couple of washes, so I know these will be great to wear. I guess I'll just wear them at home where no-one can see them! Or I'll give them to my sick uncle, who rarely leaves the bed. He has issues with bad circulation, so he often gets cold hands and feet, so I know that they'll be appreciated there no matter what they look like. I'm just glad to knit the yarn up and get it out of my stash! More room for new yarn!

And speaking of new yarn... Yes, I know. My name is Jenny and I'm addicted to yarn. Apparently I can't go more than a month without buying yarn! But in all fairness, this purchase is one that I've been waiting for since early february or something like that. Drops Garnstudio has finally made a lace yarn! It's been announced since forever, and the release has been delayed more than once, but now it's finally out in stores! The colour selection isn't great (yet - I bet that'll change in the future), but the yarn is awesome! This is my Drops Lace in a pale teal colour (colour 7120).

It's 70 % baby alpaca/30 % mulberry silk. Can you believe how awesome it is! 800 m/100 g, and it was only about $13 for one skein! Really cheap, I think. Especially since it has silk in it. I bought three skeins, and I'm planning on using it for an Urdr shawl. It's designed by Anna Dalvi, of Knit & Knag, and boy do I love her patterns! I've bought most of them, and this June she is coming out with her first book, Shaping Shawls! I'm buying it as soon as it comes out, as a pdf download. I think that the Urdr will be the next shawl I'm going to knit, after the two I have on the needles right now are done (remember, I'm also knitting a Panama shawl in purple, which is on the backburner until I finish the Scheherazade).

Now I really think I need to stop buying yarn! I really don't have any room for it as it is, and I really want to knit with the ones I have in stash too. Sometimes it's almost difficult to look at the stash page on Ravelry and see all of the gorgeous yarn I have, and know that I won't get to it any time soon.

Now I'm going to have dinner and watch another episode of Borgias. If you like historic drama, you should really watch this show! It's about the Borgia family that ruled Rome in the 15th century. Lots of them became popes, and it's really political and interesting. Love it!

/ Jenny