Sunday, April 1, 2012

Sheeps

About six weeks ago Kate Davies mentioned in a blog post that a kit was now available for her Rams and Yowes blanket and Sheep Heid tam and I decided I had to have it. After a bit of a coordination with a friend to order two kits at once and some patience while the wooly goodness traveled from the Shetland Islands and negotiated Canada customs the sheeps arrived and I am in love.

This isn't an easy knit for me, which I figure is good for me. I'm not usually a big fan of patterns with a lot of colour work - the look of them doesn't usually appeal to me as much as textured knits like lace or cables (except for quick baby knits using self-patterning yarns), but these patterns are different. For one thing, I very much admire Kate and love her blog, and I think it's also the fact that these patterns use nine natural (undyed) shades of Shetland wool, and oh yes, I'm kind of into all things sheep-y lately.

This project has coincided with me having less knitting time than I would like so I'm slowly plugging away at the tam and learning to knit stranded colour work with both hands, and having to tink and frog a lot, but loving it all the same. Last night I finished the yowes (ewes) chart and was so excited about my little sheep!

peek-a-boo sheep

Not a super picture, but the best I could do with one hand and a full spectrum lamp. It was sunny today so Dave and I ended up moving everything off the patio and scrubbing it clean and then we rushed over to our new garden plot to take advantage of the break in the weather and get some things planted. I didn't think to bring the camera  - it was work work work - but hopefully I will next weekend. We worked really hard and I got home so stiff and creaky I had to soak in a hot Epsom salt bath but it was totally worth it! A heron has its territory in the field next to our plot, the red-winged blackbirds were singing, a few eagles were soaring overhead, and the sun was warm and wonderful and full of spring's promise.

By the way, Kate's second issue of her on-line magazine, Textisles, is a good read. It features a history of knitted bathing costumes and two great patterns. I did a research project on the history of the bathing suit when I was in grade 9 - Kate's is much better!

Happy April, everyone!

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