Ishbel

Continuing with the slow knitting phase, trying to avoid setting random deadlines and then getting stressed for not reaching them, I knit Ishbel at a relaxed pace. It was a perfect project for that kind of a purpose, being medium-sized, and easy while not boring. I knit the smaller version, which I'm planning to use as a scarf, but it may have to wait a bit further into the spring to be used, since the current weather requires more heavy-weighted neck wear.

Once again, I knit with Ohut Pirkkalanka, which is quickly establishing itself as one of my favorite yarns. I used 4 mm Addi lace circulars, which were a total joy to work with (only maybe something slightly shorter than 100 cm would have been more appropriate).

The Ravelry project page

Porom v. 2.0

My second try at Porom, and more successful than the first one, for sure, if not just for the fact that this one didn't felt into a baby sized beret. It's slightly slouchier than I'd like, and makes my head look even bigger than it already does, but I think it will get some use. Knit with 3.5 mm and 4.5 mm needles and two strands of Ohut Pirkkalanka (by Pirkanmaan Kotityö Oy), one of my favorite yarns, and blocked on a pink balloon.

The Ravelry project page

Needles, Notions And WIPs

Knitting has still been slow, but steady. I've been working on my second try at Porom, and it's looking more promising this time. I also cast on for a pair of Twisted Flower Socks, which is going to be a bit of challenge, but, compared to Girasole, they shouldn't be any more impossible to complete.

I've also been experimenting with different types of needles lately. I was dying to get nickle-plated DPNs, because they look so pretty, only to be disappointed by how heavy they are: even the 2.5 mm Addis are too heavy for sock knitting. I'm not sure what I'm going to do with them. I also ordered a pair of Susanne's DPNs in ebony. They are certainly lighter than the nickle-plated ones, although it's kind of hard to tell they are wood; their texture is very homogenous, almost like rubber.

What I've mostly been doing this past week or so is making stitch markers. I got inspired by Suzana's stitch markers and wanted to make some myself. I've now completed about 20 sets of 5 markers, and the huge majority of them have been sent out to other people, because I'm never going to need so many myself, especially with the pretty stitch markers I already got from Suzana.