Cushendale Wrap Available

And not only available, it's bin on the telly! Stephanie was kind enough to wear it to The Yarn Room's fabulous knitting segment on RTE's The Afternoon Show on Tues 20th October. And not only that, she mentioned the Cushendale yarn too. Great stuff.

If you wanna watch the segment, go here and play the video from 1 hour and 9 minutes - 1:09 onwards. It's a hoot! Stephanie, Irene and Maria played a blinder in studio...and the rest of us sure had fun.

(Sorry, it looks like the RTE Player is blocked for use outside of Ireland. I can't figure out yet how people outside of Ireland can play it. Let you know when I do.)

The pattern is available on Ravelry now. Still trying to figure out how to publish it on the blog. Hey, I'm a knitter, not a techie!

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Reading Room

Looks like a great reading corner to me!

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Cushendale Wrap

As promised, here are some pics of my new pattern Cushendale Wrap.

This fabulous mohair yarn is from the Cushendale Mills in Co Kilkenny, and available from there and from The Yarn Room, Ashford, Co. Wicklow. (This is the yarn I got so excited about in this post.)


Double frill version in Poppy & Wine



Single frill version in Glacier & Sage

Knit it double or single stranded, with one frill or two. It’s an eye-catcher, whichever you choose. These versions are both knit double stranded. The red/orange version has a frill in each colour, the blue/green version has a single double stranded frill.

The pattern is under final revision and will be available on Ravelry and at TYR in the next day or so.

Just LOOK at the colours over here!

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She's back!

Back from my trip and absolutely exhaauuuuusted!

Almost (but not quite) too tired to knit. Definitely too tired for housework.

New project and new pattern coming very soon. With pictures, I promise.

If you're in the vicinity, come on down to the opening party at The Yarn Room on Saturday afternoon...starting at 5pm.

S'gonna be fun!
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OMG I LOVE MY YARNIE PEOPLE!!!!!

So...

Are there enough enthusiastic CAPS and EXCLAMATION MARKS in the title!!!? D'ya think?

Seriously tho', I'm having a really tough time these days with work stuff and deadlines and stuff going on in general, no biggie, BUT I was lucky enough to spend yesterday morning with a motley crew of Wicklow Knitters and members of the general population at my LYS.

While I was there, I was not only entertained, as always, by the chat and high humour, but also inspired, by a wonderful triangular shawl by Irene, to consider a sort of elliptical scarf, with a subtle frill and some short rows (knitted in my latest yarn love Cushendale Mohair Boucle - yes, I know it sounds unlikely, but this boucle is just different, OK?).

Annnyheeew....I swatched in several lovely colours, decided on 2 strands of different colours, started the project yesterday, pondered it all evening, changed the shaping several times, knit it all this morning, and took it to the shop late this afternoon for consultation, finishing and binding off. And in that short time people, I made a really lovely drapey scarf/wrap thingy, (if I say so myself - which I do) that just rings all my bells.

(Plus it must be said, over the same time period, I prepared several work presentations, chaired a tricky school Parent Association AGM, balanced the needs of the staff-and-parent school community and negotiated World Peace in My Little World. Little Ms Ban Ki-Moon, that's me.)

OK, so the frill could be a little frillier, but the dimensions and colour combo are just perfect for what I had in my head. Besides, I'm not such a frou frou lady that frills are what I depend upon. I've got dimples and a cheeky grin for that.

My point is, however, that over the past 2 days there took place one of those really pure yarn experiences whereby:

Yarn People + Yarn + Inspiration + Knitting = Joy & Happiness

And chief among them let it be said, are the Yarn People. Every now and then, in the midst of the chaos and cacophony of life, there chimes a pure note that rings true and sounds out for a long time. I'm just sayin'. It's been a nice few days.

Not only that, but I came away a few hours later with MORE yarn, MORE colours, and MORE inspiration for a modified version which I hope will become a pattern to put this yarn on the map. People, this yarn is fabulous. Just LOOK at the richness of those colours. Just LOOK! With your EYES!

Sorry. That too much? Watch this space.

PICTURES!? No, of course I haven't any project pictures. Silly question! I'm moving faster than the speed of light these days. Off on a work trip in the morning (guess which knitting is going in my suitcase? plus this crochet item) and I haven't even looked for my clothes, let alone packed them, or fed the children and laid out the necessary clothes and supplies to keep them going in the interim.

You'll just have to do what I'm doing and hold your breath.

Trust me.

I'll be back.

(Edited to add link to Cushendale Wrap Pattern.)

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Unusual But Effective Strategy

I met a knitter this morning at the Yarn Room (surprise surprise) and we got to talking (as you do) about all our projects and plans an' stuff and about how nice a distraction knitting can be from work commitments, chores and other tasks.

And about how this can be a bad thing for achieving deadlines etc.

She confessed that when she has to concentrate on getting some work done, she puts her knitting into her husband's car so that she has no access to it during the day.

Genius!

Of course, I'd have to put the whole stash and needle supply into the car as well, but I like the idea so I share it with you here.

Make of it what you will my lovelies.

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