Mittenlove

Finished! Anemois are go...

Subtle, woodsmokey kinda colours. I don't think I have ever worn mittens before, but they are toasty warm. And will be perfect for our ski trip in a few weeks. They haven't been blocked, so still a bit lumpy, but I don't mind and they will wear in.

I cast on for some socks for me - three times now! First time wrong pattern, then wrong size, so fingers crossed. But the yarn is beautiful, so doesn't really matter. S asked me the other night why I took yarns that were works of art, and turned them into things that weren't works of art (ie socks). I protested, but in some way he is right - sometimes the yarn looks so beautiful on the skein it seems a shame to knit it into some prosaic item like a sock. But only sometimes. So anyway, currently knitting Hedera with Natural Dye Studio Mirage yarn. Stay tuned.

It has been a bit more chilly here over the past few days, but the plants are still responding to the very mild weather through January, and all sorts of things are going on in the garden! We are planning allotment business again - bought three types of seed potatoes yesterday! Can't wait for new potatoes. We are planning to use much more of our allotment this year - only got around to planting about half of the ground last year. Anyway, I am resigned to a winter without snow here.

Its cold enough to want to have the oven on so we have a hectic schedule of brewing, baking and roasting this afternoon, which should heat things up a bit (and feed and refresh us!). The ginger beer is ready to go - if you are interested in making some yourself (is super easy and you don't need to know how to brew or have much equipment) check out this BBC site.

In the back of my mind, I have decided to rip back the top of the Jo Sharp jacket I have knitted and turn it into a cardigan. It is lovely, but the length is not pleasant on someone of my curves. But am yet to muster the energy. Work has become manic (all my own fault - months of putting my hand up for things has finally caught up with me!), and I am more interested in making things than unmaking them by the time I get some time on the couch. Maybe after the socks. And the baby blanket (said baby is here and happy and gorgeous! Time to get knitting!). And making plans for my nephews birthday present (which should already be in the post! Oops).

Despite how long this post already is, I had started with the intention of answering this weeks UK Swap weekly question, so here 'tis: Q: What is your process when planning a project? Do you shop for yarn and then find a suitable pattern? Do you find your pattern and then go out to buy the yarn? Or are you stash-busting? If your stash is out of control, how did it get that way?

As my stash is pretty modest, and most things that I have that I bought for myself have a probable designated purpose, I often don't have suitable yarn if I see a pattern I like. So if I come across a pattern I love, then I often have to purchase the yarn for it. More often of late, I have found patterns that have suited yarn that I have acquired. I am gradually learning when a yarn is going to suit a certain pattern. Really, my stash is only big enough to keep me going with small projects between bigger, more planned ones. I only really have a stash at all thanks to swaps!