I’m not sure what happened with the scarf. I love the yarn and I love the pattern but I put it down and didn’t have any urge to pick it up again. Strange. So I have decided to frog it and find another project that will inspire me to do something with the yarn.

I do however still love the crochet bag but I haven’t made any progress on this either as it was packed for the move and I have only just managed to unpack the box it was in.

Instead I have started a new large project. I’ve only ever worked on small projects before and I don’t seem to have much luck getting started with bigger projects i.e. jumpers and cardigans etc normally. I find that I don’t have the right needle size or because I don’t have the same yarn that is used in the pattern I can’t get the gauge to work out with my substitute yarn. I have put this down to my knitting inexperience as i’m sure there are solutions to the hiccups i’ve been having.

Despite this, I tried again with a cardigan pattern I liked on Ravelry called Springtime in Paris. I’m knitting it with Denim with Wool (James C. Brett). It took a bit of swatching the get the gauge right’ish and so far it’s looking good.

I’ve finished the first sleeve and I blocked it on my new blocking station (ironing board) last night.

Now i’m working on the body of the cardigan which is constructed in brioche stitch. It’s a nice easy stitch which means I don’t have to concentrate too hard whilst knitting and watching TV with Mr Stitchitch.

I’ve wanted to make a lace scarf for a while now. Whilst in the US I brought some lovely sock yarn by Lorna’s Laces. I did intend to use it for socks but it seemed a shame to use such a nice yarn to make something people won’t see very often. Instead I went online to Ravelry in search of an alternative project and came across this pretty pattern called Fern Lace Scarf.

I have only completed one repeat of the pattern so far so it’s difficult to see the detail from this picture but when I stretch it out by hand it looks like it is going to be really nice. I am really pleased with how well the colours are knitting up too.

I have also started making a crochet bag from a japanese crochet book I brought in New York. More pictures and details soon.

Sorry the pictures aren’t very good. I took them too late at night really and there wasn’t any natural light left. I will take some better pictures of my progress soon.

I really love this pattern, if you haven’t seen it before you should take a look at the pattern on Ravelry. Also see the completed projects, i’m sure you will be inspired to start your own.

Pioneer Sweater

I love the colours in this wool, they match my needles prefectly! It’s called King Cole Mirage (shade 870). You can see it here in my stash on Ravelry. When I saw it in the shop and I had no idea what I would make with it but I had to buy it anyway. I decided to make this V-neck sweater, it is published on Knitty but I actually came across it on Ravelry.

Sirdar Firefly Sweater

The pattern and yarn for this project was brought for me by my nan and as the weather is warming up here in Baku I thought I would cast on.

Since blocking it I have noticed a few mistakes but they are not too obvious so it’s OK. It is also bit ripply in places which seems to be a common comment for this pattern on Ravelry but again “pah!”.

Overall, i’m really pleased with how it’s turned out. The pattern is just sooo pretty.

I have enough of this yarn left to make another one too!

I was determined to finish it and not let it get added to my pile of unfinished projects so with a massive drive during the first race of the Formula 1 season this weekend I managed to complete it.

Here it is pre wash…

Then pinned out on the bed to block…

More pictures once it has finished drying!

I decided to use some of the yarn we dyed at a friend’s yarn party recently.

It haven’t used double pointed needles in a while and I need a bit more practice to keep my tension even but all in all i’m happy with how the first mitten has turned out.

On to the next… :O)