The knitting season has arrived

Every year at about this time I decide that I need lots of gorgeous handknits to wear in the winter. Last year, well I don't know what happened because all I ended up with was a Natural Fleece and Fur gilet and a Noro Blossom cardi. I did love them both but I must have had time to do more than that!
So, at the moment my WIP is the Rowan cardi, the Icelandic Lopi jumper (which is turning out really nice although I couoldn't be bothered to wait for a 3.75mm circular to arrive in the shop so I just used the main size for the welt. Big mistake really but I can get some shirring elastic or maybe when it's pressed...)and some socks which I have lost heart with and should probably rip out because they are too small for my son and my daughter won't wear them because they're not pink.
My to do list is quite long, mostly stuff for me. I need a black RY Alpaca Soft cardi, a felted Tapestry bag, a Noro Kochoran jumper and a Point 5 jackety coat. Plus I want loads of socks for the winter.
I'm not doing any christmas knitting because it was a bit of a last minute nightmare last year. I might make hubby a jumper but he does take the mickey out of the Point 5 one I made him last year. Apparantly he needs to go to the gym for a few weks before he can muster the strength to pick it up.
We're going away for the weekend in a couple of weeks which is always a great excuse to start a new project. I don't know what I'll take yet. Last weekend we went to stay with some friends and I started the infamous Clapotis scarf in the car. I am quite enjoying it apart from having to fiddle with the stitch markers. I'm doing it in Bamboo and it looks good.

The anticipation is everything...

We have just had some Icelandic wool arrive in the shop and although it's a bit rough, the colours are gorgeous. I just can't wait to start knitting it and I am enjoying that feeling because I know when I do, I'll start thinking about the next thing I want to make. I'm sure a lot of you are the same. The choosing of yarn and projects is SO much fun. Anyway, when we bought it they persuaded us to take the pattern books even though we got it for felting. It turns out there are some great patterns and I am going to do a traditional jumper knitted in the round with a yoke. I've never knitted anything in the round except socks, bags and hats so I am really excited. I am hoping to start tonight. I'll put a picture up when it's finished!

I am just finishing a sock yarn jumper for my son. It's not the best because the pattern is a bit lost over the front and back but looks pretty good on the sleeves. He chose the yarn so I'm sure he'll be pleased. He's 4 and always very appreciative on whatever I make him, unlike his 2 year old sister...

My Rowan Big Wool cardi is coming on really well. I finished the back this afternoon. I have made a mistake in the pattern but lucky for me it only shows up on the wrong side.

My lovely sister Becki with my crochet hat. The pattern is free from www.theknittingparlour.co.uk and will be in Simply Knitting Issue 19! It's designed especially for using Feza Premier, it shows it off brilliantly, unfortunately knitting it isn't quite the same.

How many times can you knit one ball of yarn?

I have a gorgeous skein of Colinette's new Tao silk which I'm using to make a display scarf for the shop. I decided not to do a normal garter stitch one or stocking stitch because with it being silk it needs to be a bit fancy. So I tried lace stitches, moss stitch, ribs, all kinds of things and nothing looked right. Nightmare. In the end I plumped for a drop stitch and garter stitch with a ruffle at each end, a pattern from my Auntie Val in California. It looks OK, but this silk needs something really special so I'm still not 100%. I'll see how it goes.
My hubbie and I spent Saturday recording the new Knitting Parlour Crochet Virgins DVD and we did a new improved version of the Knitting Virgins at the same time, with a new troubleshooting section! All kinds of hilarity when the next door neighbour started doing some heavy duty drilling and a wood pigeon started cooing right outside the window. Still, it's done now - what a relief!
All the new Rowan stuff arrived in the shop last week. What I really want to make is the kidsilk haze dress in the new magazine but it takes 25ish balls so would therefore take me FOREVER to knit so although it's gorgeous, I can't be bothered. Instead I am about to start the Big Wool Pampas cardi in the new shade Mulberry. I am keen on the pattern but had dilemmas over the colour because I do like the Mulberry but it might remind me of my school jumper.
I caught up with listening to some knitting podcasts at the weekend. I must check today whether Knitcast has posted the Shannon Okey interview. It might keep me going until her book comes out in October. I think Knitcast is my favourite podcast because Marie always talks to people who inspire me and it always makes me realise how lucky I am to have a 'knitting' job!