Much to my relief I finished my simple wedding shawl with the Rowan Kidsilk Haze. I started this in July 2006 for my MIL. But I then had not much of lace knitting skill. So imagine the terrible struggle. She made a simplified pattern that I started a year later. A new issue popped up: I hated Kidsilk Haze so much I called it Kidsilk Hate. And then I acquired a wedding ring. A reason enough to once again start the way to the finish. Well, I’m there. I still don’t like the yarn, though it has a beautiful glance. I don’t think the shawl is lovely, I’m chiefly relieved.

I happen to be in a finishing mood… here’s another one that took me quite some time. Again: the yarn, the Drops Alpaca. It was very splitting and the perfectionist in me didn’t like the unevenness of the knitting. But look… so lovely. It’s a Drops pattern. I crocheted a border around the jacket with Drops Alpaca Silke (which by the way is very nice yarn) and found butterflies on the Fair. No buttons, but things I made into buttons. Feng Mei, daughter of my colleague Wiep, likes it very much. That makes me happy.

Well, the pile of wip’s gets smaller and smaller (socks don’t count, do they?). I go back to the serious job of knitting Mart’s sweater and one, grey, hidden, unfinished thing (isn’t it, Gini?) that I have to get even with.
And, by the way, the Sock Table on the Craft Fair was a huge success. After 3 days I came home dead tired and with an amount of stash for projects that could keep me knitting through two or three economy crisis. All good bargains for hard times,  you know, had to be bought.

Thank you for all your wishes on my recovery… it helped! Once recovered I started knitting a hat for Ger. Actually he is the one who really takes care of this weblog. I only do photos and text. Unfortunately he also got the flu, so the hat had to be send. Ger? Did you receive it? Does it fit? Do you like it???? Getting nervous…

edit: Of course it arrived safe and sound and keeps his ears warm.

It’s knitted with Cascade 220 which I bought at Penelope Craft (they have a great pre order offer on the moment) and I found the pattern via Ravelry (of course). It’s a simple knit, and the decreases make the show.

I joined a swap once again: the mystery theme swap. I got a nice box from the States with Italian food and beautiful yarn. But that is not the reason I mention it. For once I want to pay attention to what I send to my pal. Look at this nice little kit. I bought it at HolyWoly. It was so carefully packed, with fine yarn, beautiful needles, etc. The perfect gift for a knitting friend or for yourself! Why not be your own Valentine?

And: are we going to meet each other on the Zwolle Handwerkbeurs (Craft fair)? Of course there will be the Dutch Knitting Café. But this time the Cafe will have kindred neighbours: a ‘Sock Table’ dedicated to the fine art of Sock knitting. Come by and knit  your first little sock (sponsored by Wolhalla) or learn to knit two socks at once or meet Dutch designers of the Yahoo Sokkengroep. And of course, you can meet me: I’ll be there three days, ’cause I invented and organized the Sock Table. Hope to see you there.

In the midst of a very busy schedule I went down with the flu. Days with a splitting headache, aching muscles and feeling a bit feverish made me slow down. I did not knit much, I did not read much, I did not much … I merely existed as a person with the flu. Pity, ’cause I could have done better with my homework for my course Better Knitting with the Dutch Knitters. Instead I barely did one piece. Still a few to go this week. It’s wonderful, by the way, to finally have time to linger about the technique of knitting.

I finished my Breezy Butterfly Sock (Ravelry link) and started Salida (Ravelry link), the KAL sock from the Yahoo Sokken_breiengroep. So if you are not on Ravelry (why not? it’s free, useful and quite nice), you can join this Yahoo group and get the pattern yourself. It is made by her and it is a beautiful, challenging and rewarding pattern. What more do you want?

In about three weeks we all go to the Handwerkbeurs (Crafting Fair) in Zwolle. Yes! And this week I’ll have some great ‘Fair News’ for sockknitters. There will be all the more reason to go.
Curious? Fine.