On The Needles

Now that Bifrost is off the needles and around my neck on a daily basis, I can focus on the projects that were lingering about, utterly unloved, while I knitted away like a madwoman on the Bifrost.

STARGAZER WRAP
I'm back to working on this one again. This is another garter stitch project and I had worried that I'd had enough of garter stitch and wanted to get stuck into something a little more meaty. But, given my other projects, this is just want I need for some auto-pilot knitting.

This is going to be a shawl big enough for two. We've booked a gypsy caravan for Rich's birthday in May, sold on the fact that the sky is so clear you can see the International Space Station passing. So obviously we'll be spending our evenings outside, enjoying the stars. Early May can be hit or miss weather wise, so a big woolly wrap seemed like a sensible idea. Now that we have a car, this is going to become an adventure blanket - something to wrap up in on long car journeys to Cornwall and everywhere else, something to spread out on a picnic.

I may have to get single minded on this in order to get it finished. May may be a long way off, but if I keep putting this on the back burner, it's likely to never get finished!

SOCKS
Oh socks. Remember when I finished my Hogwarts Socks I talked about how much I wanted to nail traditional, every day, socks in the round? Well, I've been trying this month. A lot. I had a go on DPNs and I just can't do it. I can use larger DPNs, I can use them to finish off hats, but actually getting to grips with them enough to knit socks? Just not happening.

Amy, of the Stranded blog, told me that she favours the Magic Loop method. Given that her socks are always stunning, this is advice worth following so Magic Loop is on my to-try list. After reading Winwick Mum's Sockalong book, I had a go on 30cm Addi needles, which felt really good in my hands, but they were too big. So I've got some 20cm to try, but I have yet to try them, for reasons that will become clear.

CHRISTMAS STOCKINGS
I had the fantastic idea to make Christmas stockings. I'm just crocheting the first of two, in red, white and green stripes for Rich. Mine will be in candy cane stripes of red and white. I figured that with lots of back and forth to Portsmouth and a long drive to Portsmouth, I could definitely get them done in time. Well. We shall see...