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YOP13 Week 34/53 – Two FOs! Just Wiggle It cowl and 2nd Bisbis beret

Acquisitions/Stash Management Collection Curation

I saw a short video of a lady saying we shouldn’t refer to our yarns as a “Stash”. She was talking about the guilt we can feel about a stash! We should see it as a “carefully curated collection”. I loved this idea and going forward I’m renaming this section.

Knitting

Accessories

I wanted to use my handspun merino/alpaca (finished week 26) and cast on Just Wiggle It Cowl by Susan Ashcroft. This called for 2 colours but I thought it would work with 6.

What I hadn’t realised is how much cutting and threading in ends there was going to be.

Adaptations:

  • I started the colour changes every 4 rows, then switched to every 8 rows, which means less weaving in and wastage.
  • I cast on the 47 stitches size which is designed to be longer and wrapped round twice. There’s a wider version for a single loop, but I like it this wide and single. (It has a provisional cast on so you can really make it as long as you want).
  • Technically I should block it, which would smooth the surface and show off the wiggly pattern of the stitches…but I really like how it has these ridges when unblocked so I’m leaving it for the time being.

It was a fun (and free!) slipped stitch pattern to knit, so I’d recommend.

I can wear it with wide or thinner stripes at the front

The cowl didn’t use much yarn, so on Friday I cast on a 2nd Bisbis beret by Sari Nordlund. I changed colours every 7 rows and finished it yesterday (obviously not blocked yet)! It’s a pretty cute set and I have some yarn left that I think I could make some wrist warmers too!!

Spinning

I made a start on spinning a blend called Nature’s Cuddle from World of Wool, that I dyed myself. It is a blend of llama, merino, yak and silk (unknown proportions) it was from their Nov-2018 Fibre Club box! The staple length on it is enormous, so I’m have to draft the fibre with my hands about 12” apart!

Other News

I handed my notice in at my job and left on Friday, yay to just 1 week’s notice in my contract! I hadn’t been comfortable there for a while and had nearly resigned before Christmas but decided to give it another 6 weeks.

I’m going to get back to making lampshades and other items for the gallery and will probably wait until our dog passes before I look for another job. She’s 16 in April and for a 25kg sized dog that’s very old.

I also have an enormous list of jobs to do on the house so I’m sure I’ll keep busy. I’ve deleted Instagram off my phone and iPad so that I don’t slip back into time wasting there! I still have my accounts, just taking a break for the foreseeable future. I also made a Swedish chocolate cake and some gingerbread cake this week, the idea being to freeze one!

This is a Year of Projects post. Officially the Group is in its 13th year, but this is my 6th year participating. If you would like to find more about the Year of Projects Group on Ravelry, as you’d be very welcome to join us. (There are 53 Sundays this YOP year, it happens sometimes!).

Year 13 list.

19 comments

  1. I love your Bisbis. I can definitely see knitting that pattern. Hmm, now for whom?? The cowl looks great. I love that you can wear it with thicker or thinner stripes showing. I’m sorry to hear the job didn’t work out as hoped. Sounds like you gave it a fair shot.

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  2. But stash is so much easier to say! Just as “quit” is easier to say than “retired” – but it doesn’t sound as good. And Swedish Chocolate Cake is an excellent suggestion for taking to dinner with a knitting friend on Friday – thanks! Which cake did you end up freezing?

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  3. Congrats on ending your job. I’m sure you’ll find many things to keep you busy. I love the cowl, its a very pretty slipped stitch pattern. (Very similar to the socks I just knit.)

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  4. Your beret and cowl are so pretty and very cheerful in color. Wow, Ylva doesn’t look 16! Enrique is heading to 14 and my heart hurts thinking of the fact he is considered a senior aged dog.

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  7. I like your cowl and now you have a hat to match!!!

    Wow a staple length of 12″, trying to think of what has a staple length that long with those fibers, maybe the llama? Sounds like it is very soft tho!

    I have to say that giving notice and quitting my job 10 years ago to retire was the brightest spot for me too. There was someone there that made my life miserable and she was unbearable by whispering very ugly things at me when she walked by my dest (and I never take up for myself). Not sure why she decided she didn’t like me, but oh man she did not. Honestly I think she had some mental health issues, but I was so happy for some circumstances that helped me to be able to retire early and quit! The stress evaporated the minute I walked out the door for the last time.

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