Ursula Cardigan

The world was white and beautiful this morning when I woke up. When summer began to turn into fall after all the glorious warm long days, I felt a bit sad and found it very hard to say farewell to those white nights, but today when I looked at the scenery, gazed at the thermometer (a good stretch below zero) I was so very happy and sort of wished for a long winter. I know, it sounds odd, and a bit scary, and sometime next spring I have had enough, but today, this quiet December day, with barely daylight at all, winter seems just right. There have been lots of candles, hot drinks, lovely wool and knitting.

I am knitting Ursula cardigan out of "Colours of Shetland" (by Kate Davies).

I am using various yarns, and since there just did not seem to be enough of any specific color, I need to stretch my creative muscle a bit. I could have bought more yarn but in a way, I enjoy this challenge. There is no way to tell if I am successful in the end, but this is just knitting and then I have learned something, if my plan is not working.

Ursula has patterning in the bodice but none in the sleeves. I am wondering if... am not sure... And since I am not there yet, I will have plenty of time to think about the sleeves. The construction is going to be something new to me: top down set in sleeves. I am adding a bit of shaping, not much, because the fit of the cardigan is close and I am knitting the second size. There is going to be steeking which is interesting but little scary too. All in all I am very inspired and have hardly been able to put the cardigan down.

(Love those buttons, will use them for backing buttons if I cannot find another use for them.)

I am not sure about the colors either, so far I have started with dark grey and the first stripe of patterning is in orange, the next one probably in lighter grey but from then on, nothing is settled yet.

I have been looking at the designs in the new "Yokes" book (also by Kate Davies). I cannot decide which one I like best... Frost at Midnight uses beads in a beautiful manner, I don't think I have seen this anywhere else. I have knitted with beads mittens and scarves (have I?? I'm not sure of the scarves, anyway have thought about it), but never a sweater, so I will need to do this at some point. Buchanan has a very fresh design in the yoke, a bit different and very appealing to me. Westering Home is simply stunning. Keith Moon simple but glorious in its simplicity, would never have thought anything like that. Epistrophy was the very first one Kate presented in her blog of the new book, and after seeing that I could not wait to see the rest. Seeing each one was such a treat and nourished my inspiration. All the above mentioned are interesting but so are the rest, I could cast on for Cockatoo Brae, Foxglove or Ásta Sóllilja or maybe Bluebells or Fintry just as well. All very beautiful.

I have not yet read the articles in the book but there is plenty there to read and learn. 

Isn't this all very fantastic: lots of wool and a book full of inspiration and a long winter to knit through.

Thank you all for welcoming me back! This feels just the right place to be now.

Wool with you,

Lene