Feeling Sheepish

I was given three bin bags of unwanted wool in November. I am quite ruthless when I get a big haul like this. 

I NEVER put it in the spare room and say I will sort it out sometime. These piles of stuff are only ever allowed in the house as far as the Kitchen, they are picked over (I have had mouse poo yarn in the past) and I think carefully about what I will realistically use myself. There is a sense that they are still near the back door and can be divvied out to others quickly or in the case of the mousey ones, binned. On this good occasion some went to my Auntie, some to my mum, some into my craft class box and some to the charity shop. 

I kept a stash of Lopi icelandic fleece in cream and a few of balls of brown. It was real wool that smelt of sheep, what you might call sheepish. Not everyone is a fan of real wool but with a soft layer underneath, jumpers knit in wool really do keep out the chills and I love them.

With half an eye on climate change involving colder winters and the other eye on having something easy to knit, I have chosen the Simplest Sweater pattern from Ravelry. It is a free download which I have made before. In fact, it was my first attempt  at a top down sweater way back in 2010. I shrunk it to a size beyond anyone in our family!

I have plans to knit the top in cream and use the browns to create some kind of pattern around the bottom - stripes, snowflakes, something geometric, who knows? I will get to that part then do a stitch count and a bit of maths. That is how I roll, I know it gets me into trouble but I am one of life's risk takers. It is what makes knitting exciting. 

In other knitting news I have got my cotton sweater back on track. It is enjoyable once more even with the really long rows which incorporate the front, back and shoulder all in each row. Imagine the work in the photo folded in half and it should make more sense. Time to split for the neck soon. Great fun again!

A pair of socks beckons too. I haven't had a pair on the go for a while and I picked up this lovely ball of yarn in the half term break from Yarn in the Hills. The girls were lured there with the promise of a walk in the valley's stream along with lunch out but really I wanted wool. I wore my sheepish grin that day.

 I love wool shops; a place to chat about your hobby and really engage with the owner. I mean where else can you remove your boots, show the shopkeeper your socks while she swoons at a discontinued colourway simultaneously leading you to the new range on the Stylecraft shelf. Happy shopping indeed.

sheepish

/ˈʃiːpɪʃ/

adjective

1. showing or feeling embarrassment from shame or a lack of self-confidence.

   
   

   "a sheepish grin"

Hope you are all making something warm for the coming Northern Hemisphere season?

Jo xxxxxx