Hmmm - the title looks like something a hobbit would write - alliteration and all . . . . . . and I have no idea what's possessed me to start this journey into the blogsphere - especially about kniting - but it's my new-ish addiction so . . . . . . . . .
Recently I've finished an allhemp6 ponchette ( http://www.lanaknits.com/usa409.html ) in Sapphire - love the hemp - and took the advice of Venessa B to pour boiling water over the skein and soak for 2 minutes to remove the "pectin" from this "bast" fibre (spent some time on Wikipedia after that discussion, let me tell you!) and now it's a beautiful fibre to work with - very much like cotton.
Now - the trouble with this pattern is that it was so comfortable to knit, that I knit many innings of my daughters' softball games and got a bit carried away. So the garment ended up a bit longer (especially after blocking) than it probably was intended to be, but . . . . .. ripping out rows versus sewing just an itty bitty seam to shorten the neck opening? Sew it was and so it is! The garment as it stands today looks even better than the picture! Have been getting rave reviews on it - in fact both daughters (including the finicky teen) have requested one. The youngest gets hers first as she went on line and chose her colour first (Lilac) so ponchette number 2 is well under way.
Lately I've been obsessed about knitting socks. Why? I have no idea, having never knit a pair or worn a pair either. My dear Grandma must surely be laughing at me over something she created regularly out of necessity. I wonder what happened to that beautiful smooth, wooden darning egg I remember as a little girl?
Anyway - I digress. Tomorrow I'm off to my first real "Sock Knitting Class" at Three Bags Full in Vancouver with Sivia Harding. I'm so excited! I think Sivia is just amazing, and I can hardly wait to learn from her.
