Año 2008, post uno / Year 2008, post one

This is the first post the year 2008 has allowed me. So, if this is not too late yet, happy 2008 everyone.

Nevertheless, the title of this post could as well be "Hats, hats, hats" as my brown Robin's Blue Egg Hat has been so successful I had to make another two for Christmas and there are still another three to go. And what's more, everybody wants it brown, so there is little colour on my needles.

I have almost finished my "maglioncino lila" from Mani di Fata. It only lacks the finishing touch around the neck line. The result is not bad, but I would have liked a slightly thinner jumper. I followed the instructions almost word by word but I think it would have been better to make more decreases both for the waist and for the armhole so as to get narrower shoulders. The wool (Stop Reina) has pleased me: it is quite soft, has a lot of mohair (72%) and is much cheaper than, for example, Rowan Kidsilk, although, obviously, this one has polyamid instead of silk. I haven't washed it yet to see if it washes well.

I have just started Juliet, de Sara Johnson y Rachel Bishop with Stop Agata (50gr/65m - 70% wool, 30% acrylic). It is a single ply bulky yarn in gorgeous variegated colours. It is a pleasure to knit with it but it just goes a short way. What you see in the pic is a whole ball. Since I have read in Ravelry that the pattern results in rather big sizes I have gone for size xs and have cast on 16 fewer stitches. I will knit more rounds because I want to get a smaller neckline. I am always cold around the neck.

I guess I sound like a fan of Lanas Stop. This is not exactly the case. The thing is these are the only ones sold in my town. Their bad point is their high content in synthetic materials. Unluckily the shop owner has told me she is going to retire soon and, if nobody takes charge of the shop, there won't be anywhere left to shop for wool. Shopping on line will be the only option. Let's wait and see.

SP Sí, este es el primer post que el año 2008 me permite; así que, aunque sea un poco tarde, feliz 2008 a todas.

No obstante el título podría ser también "Gorros, gorros, gorros" ya que el Robin's Blue Egg Hat, que en este caso es marrón, ha tenido tanto éxito que me encargaron dos más en Navidades y aún me quedan otros tres por hacer. Para colmo todo el mundo lo quiere marrón, así que no hay color en mis agujas para gorros.

Casi he terminado el "maglioncino lila" de Mani di Fata, a falta solamente de la terminación del escote que pensaba haber hecho el fin de semana pasado, pero no hubo tiempo. El resultado no está mal, pero me hubiera gustado un jersey un poco más fino. Seguí las instrucciones casi al pie de la letra y encuentro que hubiera sido mejor hacer más disminuciones para entallar algo más la cintura para dar más forma a la sisa y dejar unos hombros más ajustados. La lana (Stop Reina) sí me ha gustado, es bastante suave, tiene mucho contenido en mohair (el 72%) y sale mucho más barata que, por ejemplo, Rowan Kidsilk, aunque, claro, esta tiene poliamida en vez de seda. No la he lavado todavía. A ver qué tal responde al agua.

Acabo de empezar Juliet, de Sara Johnson y Rachel Bishop, en Stop Agata (50gr/65m - 70%lana, 30% acrílico). Es una lana de mecha de colores variados en mezclas muy bonitas. Da gusto tejer con ella, pero cunde poco. Lo que veis en la foto es un ovillo entero. Puesto que he leído en Ravelry que el patrón da unas tallas algo grandes, estoy siguiendo la talla xs y he montado 16 puntos menos. Haré alguna vuelta más con el objeto de conseguir un escote más cerrado. Es que tengo un cuello muy friolero.

Supongo que pareceré una forofa de las lanas Stop. No es exacto, pero es que aquí no hay otras. Lo malo que tienen es mucho contenido en material sintético. Por desgracia la dueña dice que se jubilará pronto y, si no traspasa la tienda o algo así, se acabaron las lanas aquí. Sólo nos quedará comprar online. Ya veremos.

Para acabar. Una crítica al catálogo on line de Lanas Stop: podrían poner muestrario de colores y puntos de venta.

Update / Actualización

It is over a month that I haven't posted anything. I have been busy at work and, as far as projects are concerned, most of my time has gone looking for inspiration. Other people's blogs are a good source when one is wondering about what to do next, once she has finished the jobs that have been lying around for a while.

I am nearly done with two, very similar, girl´s cardigans, just lacking buttons and finishing touches. And the last three days (should I say nights? since my knitting usually starts after everybody else has gone to sleep) have gone into a beadless Odessa hat for my daughter.

I have also made a few additions to my mag collection with the purchase of Labores del Hogar (march 2007), Mani di Fata (feb 2007 - still expecting the march issue to arrive at my bookshop), and Ideas y Puntos (march 07) with a beautiful rag doll I intend to make for my daughter and a bunny patchwork american. I am posting pictures of all of these.

PS The jumper in the previous post is from the August/06 issue of Mani di Fata.

SP Ya hacía más de un mes que no actualizaba el blog. He estado muy ocupada en el trabajo, por un lado, y por otro, buscando inspiración para nuevas labores. Los blogs de otras personas son una buena fuente cuando una se plantea qué hacer cuando acabe un par de labores que llevan rodando por ahí algún tiempo.

Ya casi he terminado dos chaquetas de niña muy parecidas, pero de distinto tamaño, a falta de coser los botones y dar los últimos retoques. Estos tres días pasados (más bien debería decir noches, ya que normalmente empiezo el punto cuando todos están acostados) se han ido en un gorro Odessa sin cuentas para mi hija.

También he aumentado mi colección de revistas con el número de Marzo de Labores del Hogar, el de Febrero de Mani di Fata (el nuevo aún no ha llegado a mi librería) e Ideas y Puntos de Marzo. Del último me gusta un muñeco de trapo que quiero hacer para mi hija y un mantel individual con un conejito de patchwork. Mirad las fotos.

PD El jersey calado del mensaje anterior es de Agosto/06 de Mani di Fata.

Coming back / Viaje de vuelta

We have just returned from Madrid, where we spent New Year's Eve at my father-in-law's. Part of the family were missing this year: my DH's sister from Galicia didn't come this time because they need the time to move house (they are renting an appartment while the flat they have bought is finished); his brother spent the night at his wife's family, but, before, they came with their two kids, who my daughter adores, to exchange Christmas presents. The children went mad playing with their new toys.
We have come back today and stopped at Plenilunio to do some shoppings on the way back. I found a stall at a shopping centre selling typical handcrafted items from different countries. I got these two wooden boxes made of pine-tree wood and handpainted in Colombia. I asked the shop assistant whether they were usually there or just for the Christmas period. The first is true, so I may go back for some other presents later on in the year.
(Sorry, I'm a terrible photographer)

SP Acabamos de volver de Madrid donde hemos pasado Noche Vieja y Año Nuevo donde mi suegro. Parte de la familia no ha estado este año: mi cuñada de Galicia no ha venido porque está de mudanza: ha alquilado un apartamento mientras le acaban el piso que compró; mi cuñado fue a pasar la noche con la familia de su mujer, pero, antes, se pasaron con sus dos hijos, a quien mi hija adora, para vernos e intercambiar regalos de Navidad. Los niños se pusieron como locos cons sus juguetes nuevos.
Hemos regresado a casa hoy, pero en en camino de vuelta hemos parado a hacer unas compras en Plenilunio. He encontrado un puesto muy bonito donde venden artesanía de distintos países y donde he comprado un par de cajas preciosas de madera de pino pintadas a mano en Colombia. Le pregunté al dependiente si el puesto estaba ahí de continuo o sólo para navidad. Dijo que de continuo así que no será la última vez que me acerque a comprar regalos.

Icarus finished

Well, here it is. Finished. I have finally completed my Icarus shawl and I am so pleased with myself. I have really enjoyed knitting it, which was, incidentally, my first shawl, first lace project and first blocking. I love the result so much that I have been trying it in front of the mirror the whole day: before hiding the wool ends, before blocking, after blocking, on trousers and jumper, on an overcoat... I have already started to miss the project and thought about starting the second. But I must be a sensible girl and finish other things first. I must confess I am the sort of person who starts a knitting project just for the fun of it although I set myself some 'loose' targets and I think "Well, it does not really matter if it takes me another couple of months". But then, once I have started, I begin to feel the necessity to knit quickly and see the garment finished.





These two pictures were taken before blocking. After 'blocage' it measures 180x85 cm.

Knitting Icarus has taken me about a month. I work out and look after my two-year old daughter, which leaves very little spare time. So I have been staying up late to enjoy some lonely knitting. The problem is that I have been feeling quite sleepy during the day lately.
Next projects:
- I have to finish Sofia´s cardigan for Christmas. I've hadly started it.
- I want to make a sleeveless cardi for my daughter. I have 1 1/2 balls of soft green yarn.
- I want to knit a stole or scarf in one of the leafy patterns I have been trying lately.
- I have to finish the table runner in ' punto Assissi" (cross stitch) that I showed in a previous post.