Alpine Shrug

So here's my latest finished object. I actually finished it a few weeks ago but I've been waiting for the weather to allow me to take decent pictures. I think it took me about a week to finish, maybe even less. I thought that I'd find it boring knitting four pieces exactly the same, but it knits up so quick, you don't have time to be bored!



The only mod I made was to knit one less repeat than the pattern called for. This was to make sure I didn't run out of wool. My mum had already made one and she had run out so warned me about it. I still ended up using a 6th ball to join the seams! I crocheted the seams rather than sewing them as it just seemed easier. I think my tension must have been quite loose and this was why I used more than 5 balls. It has come out rather huge! I haven't put any kind of fastening on it since I rather like it the way it is. I may add something in the future. It depends how fed up I get with having to hoist it back onto my shoulders all the time.

I finished another project last week but I'm not going to blog about it yet because I'm going to try submitting it. I'm really pleased with how it's turned out, but pattern-writing is tricky! We'll see how it goes. Wish me luck!

My name in lights

One of the things that I wanted to do this year was to pursue singing more. When people hear me sing, they always ask me why I don't do something with my voice and I never have a good answer, except that I'm lazy! I think for a while now I've been lacking in confidence about my voice. But over the last year, I've found a really great singing teacher who's given me my confidence back. So I decided to get off my backside and go join an operatic/musical society (all part of the NY resolutions of doing more) because I love performing on the stage (got that from being in a band) and choirs can be a bit boring. This week I went for an audition for a part in their latest show, The Man Of La Mancha. And I got the part!! I'm so excited and the standard was extremely high, but I did it, and this has boosted my confidence so much. And ok, so I won't have my name in lights, but it's a start!
I'm feeling the same at the moment about knitting too. I think I need to have more faith in myself and not be-little my talents so much. I've worked hard to learn both these skills of knitting and singing but too often I dismiss them. I am good at what I do and I should say that more. I've been so encouraged by people on Ravelry asking for a pattern for my Anthropologie-inspired jacket so I'm trying to work on that right now. I think you have to just go for things and see what happens. I have nothing to lose and I shouldn't be afraid of not being good enough. That shouldn't be a reason for not trying.

Resolutions out the window

I didn't keep to my blogging once a week resolution very well, did I? I'm sure it's been about a month! Anyway, I'm feeling in a much better frame of mind. The days are starting to get noticeably longer and even though it's only by about an hour each end, it's really making a difference to how I feel. Three weeks ago I had my interview for my PGCE course. At the time, I thought it went dreadfully and convinced myself that I wasn't going to get in. Then a week later I had my letter confirming I'd got a place! I was over the moon and now I'm feeling a lot happier about the whole teaching thing. I'm excited to start doing something new again as I think I have had enough of being an assistant! It's hard work trying to second-guess someone else all the time, so I'm looking forward to working by myself and being the one in charge.
I don't feel like I've got much knitting done, though I do have two finished objects, so it can't be as bad as I think. I'll blog the first one today, then the other one in a few days when I've taken pics.

Finished object: Briar Rose by Ysolda Teague.
Time it took to knit: About one week.





I am really happy with this knit. It was a really clever construction, and I like when I can learn a new technique through a project. The fit is perfect too. The only trouble I had was with the decreases for the arms. I didn't think the instructions were that clear as to where to do the decreases and I had a lot of trouble making them line up neatly. Nevertheless I would definately recommend this pattern to other people!





One other great thing happened to me this week. On Ravelry, someone asked me if I was going to write a pattern for one of the jackets I'd designed myself. It's only a little thing, but it put a huge smile on my face! It's something that I had sort of planned to do a pattern for, but I want to make a second version first as there's some thing I'm not completely happy with. I think I'd make it a free pattern though since it will be my first one and the idea for the jacket came from Anthropologie in the first place. Here's a pic of it:





So watch this space!