Playing along with Ginny's yarn along this week. I rather like this idea of linking knitting and reading, two of the most relaxing things known to mankind (well, known to me, at any rate).
And what do you mean that doesn't look like much of a sweater yet? And what do you mean that ribbing looks like I couldn't find an appropriately sized needle and just did it in the needle I was using for the body?
I promise you that Teddy won't mind. He'll be too busy being impressed with those boats (yes, they are boats. Thank you. They are awaiting a row or two of funnel and some french knot portholes).
I have to say I'm not enormously in love with this colourwork thing. I very much like the idea of it, and I suspect if I had lots of time to devote to knitting for sheer pleasure of process instead of trying to actually create useful garments in a timely manner to get our family through the winter that I would enjoy it more, but I'm mostly just finding it plain old slow going.
Added to which I am following an Elizabeth Zimmermann 'pattern' for the first time and am scared. I'm looking forward to being done with the boats and just getting on with the knitting/maths combo unique to any of Elizabeth Zimmermann's instructions. At least then I'll only have one thing to worry about.
Oh, and the yarn is brilliant. It's Jamieson & Smith 2ply jumper weight (Ravelry link), and it's proper woolly wool. Not as soft as some of the more glamorous yarns, but warm and well dyed and not scratchy and 'sticky' enough that I'm not too worried about my intarsia slipping undone at a moment's notice. The colour range is amazing too. If you're thinking about using it, it's worth investing in a shade card (out of stock at the moment, but they do reappear at random every now and again. Or just save a bit of every yarn you order and make your own. You'll get through them all in a decade or so...)
Although I am not entirely thrilled with this whole colourwork thing so far, I am still determined to give proper Fair Isle a try one day. Although perhaps not till I've made a bit more of a dent in the winter knitting and both children are reliably sleeping in the evening.
Oh, and the books are interesting too. There's not a lot I don't know about budget cooking (surviving on one salary in one of the most expensive areas of England outside of London for three years has given me a whole new area of expertise), but How to Feed Your Whole Family... has managed to give even me a few new ideas and recipes, as well as a smile about the laughably long complete title every time I pick it up. I'm only on about page eight of Free Range Education, but so far it's an interesting read.
Incidentally, am I the only one incapable of reading only one book at a time? One the whole I stick to only one per genre, but it is usual for me to have at least one cookery, one non-fiction and one fiction book on the go at any given time.
