FO - Liquorice with a twist

Pattern: Liquorice by Megan Marshall (soon available to buy - details are here)
Size: small
Yarn: Jaeger Matchmaker Merino 4 ply (2 balls)
Needles: 3.25mm needles, 3.25mm crochet hook
Modifications: I accidentally knit a garter stitch version but I don't think it detracts from the basic look of the pattern and I really like it. I also knit an extra repeat of chart 2 for slightly longer sleeves.

I was so pleased to be able to test-knit this for Megan. I liked the pattern as soon as I saw it on Ravelry and as you don't need much yarn it's a great way to use up any odd balls of 4 ply left over from a larger project. In fact I think it would work fabulously with lace-weight too if you wanted to make something really dressy. I'm not quite sure how many shrugs a girl really needs but I know this would be perfect with at least 4 more yarns in my stash.

Liquorice twist

I'm nearly done with chart 1 on the second half of the Liquorice shrug. I'm absolutely racing along, largely I suspect due to a slight misunderstanding re the pattern which means that I'm knitting it mainly in garter rather than stocking stitch. In fact I'm knitting almost the complete reverse of what Megan intended. Still it looks great, especially in the miracle yarn that is Jaeger Matchmaker 4 ply. The difference in texture between the second half on the needles and the first half which I blocked last night is amazing. The first is so stiff that a spoon would stand up in it, the second just flows.



Given how much shrug I'm getting for my yardage this might be the perfect project for the leftover Helen's Lace from my POTW and Peacock shawl. I mighr even try to knit it the right way round this time!

Season of mists and tiny little hats

Now that climate change has put the kibosh on the many of the traditional signs of autumn it's fortunate that there are some non-natural markers to let us know that it's time to break out the chunky yarn like the appearance of Fall Knitty, the return of Strictly Come Dancing and Innocent's Big Knit 2008. Between the credit crunch and rising fuel prices there's never been a better time to support Age Concern's Fight the Freeze campaign. Plus knitting tiny hats is super fun and helps me combat my knitting related ADD. Seriously they take half an hour each - gratification doesn't come much more instant than that



See.

I'm up to 21 so far and would like to beat my previous best total of 78 but me being me I've got other fish to knit.



Obviously a shot (taken with flash) of blue knitting blocking on a blue towel was never going come out well so you'll just have to take my word for it that this is the test knit of Megan's Liquorice shrug coming along just beautifully. The yarn is Jaeger Matchmaker Merino 4 ply (my last two balls) in a gorgeous shade of teal. I think this is going to look great with all my brown and blue stuff. If only it were shrug weather!