Growing up, my brother had a lot of Transformers, and I mean a lot! I was always fascinated with them, something about taking one form and manipulating it into something totally different, all encapsulated in a toy. Every time my brother got a new Transformer I would have to have a go of it at the first opportunity, I couldn’t always figure them out but it was fun trying (not so much fun admitting defeat and asking my little brother for help). The Aestlight shawl is a little bit like that. With a lot of knitting and a bit of manipulation it transforms into something completely different to what it started out at, and I’m not talking about the transformation of yarn into fabric. Its construction, to me, is completely unique, I’ve never come across anything like it and I love it. It’s so addictive and as a result has been my only knitting over the past week.
In a former post related to the Aestlight I said that the pattern had errors, well the only thing in error was me. I have no idea what I was thinking but I was reading the pattern chart back to front and disregarding the centre stitches as irrelevant (and now I sound like 7 of 9). Anyway, once I figured out what my mistake was and got the hang of the lace pattern (which is really simple by the way) it worked up really quickly. Within a few days the centre panel was complete and now I am working on the border, which feels like it will take forever to do. I still have some reservations about the colours together but the yellow in the Yarn Love Banana and the yellow in the Sunshine Yarns After the Storm are a perfect match. I think once it’s finished and blocked all those reservations will be a distant memory and it will look awesome, but first I have to finish that border!
I’ve been considering what to work on once the Aestlight is finished, I’m super tempted to cast on Sempervivum but I think I’m going to have to finish Millrace. I don’t know why I’m so resistant to getting that finished off, I honestly don’t think it’s going to take that long to complete, but I’m just so unmotivated…….. I like the pattern, the colour – though not what I expected isn’t horrible, so why can’t I just finish it off? Plus I have that Artichaut to finish off (Miss 9 is reading over my shoulder pestering me as to when it will be finished), it’s not like that’s a horrible pattern either. What is my problem? Not enough knitting hours in the day and too many beautiful things to work on I think is what’s at the core of this. Teething, non sleeping baby makes Christy a frantic and desperate knitter. It’s like somewhere in the back of my mind I have this idea that I’ll never feel awake enough, or never have the time to just knit without little people constantly demanding my attention, so I have to try and cast on every beautiful thing right now, while I have the least amount of time and energy. Deep breaths Christy, it won’t always be like this.
On Thursday my craft group – aka mummy’s sanity time – started up again. I was so excited about being back – not so much my little G who clung to my legs like some kind of 4 limbed, curly haired octopus. He was excited to be back until we got there and all of sudden there were a whole bunch of kids and no big brother to protect him. Funnily enough, when it came time to leave he was having such an awesome time he didn’t want to go. Once he was wrangled off me and I had a chance to make a cup of tea and breathe, I got to work on a crewel embroidery (much to the shock of a few people). Yes, I am a knitter of many talents including embroidery. I’ve never attempted crewel before but, despite it being a slow process at the moment, I’m really enjoying it. I’m working on the Bee’s World pattern from The Floss Box for J.J and I love it, I’ve already started making plans for the next one. It’s a secret from J.J which is why I’m not knitting at Craftworks. There’s only so much time during the week that I have where she can’t spy on me and Craftworks is the perfect opportunity for those secret projects. It would be easy to get obsessed with embroidery I think, it’s like colouring in but with pretty coloured string instead of pencils.
I know what you’re know thinking, it’s no longer a secret…… ha! J.J went to bed shortly after her little comment about her Artichaut, the embroidery remains a secret so sssshhhhhh!!!!!!
The last week has been a blast, busy but a blast. Last Sunday was spent at the beach celebrating Mr HKWT’s birthday. We don’t get to the beach very often and it was so much fun. Every year we promise ourselves that we’ll go more and then don’t follow through. Tomorrow is M.I.A’s birthday and the plan was to go again, but it looks like rain so I guess there goes that idea. One year we’ll get to beach more than once annually. Until then, I’ll cherish the trips we make now.
#1 Son has really enjoyed his first week and half at school. Every day he goes with a smile on his face and he told me the other morning that he loves school! I was a little concerned for a while last year that he wasn’t quite ready, well, I obviously was very wrong. Friday he had his first assembly and brought home his first Principal’s Award. I am a very proud mummy that is so happy to see her little boy thriving in an academic environment. I hope he always loves learning.
Have you ever tried crewel embroidery?
Have a great week.
Christy
Have Knitting Will Travel 