New Projects!

I started this on Friday night. It's the Rainbow Chain Carriage Blanket by Erika Flory. You can see other examples on Ravelry. It's knit using Peaches & Creme Solids in all the colours of the rainbow (16 to be exact) and alternated with this clever chain stitch in off-white which makes it look like a layer of chains overlaid on the stockinette colours (am I making any sense?). Anyway, it's soooo much easier than it looks, very effective, washable, tough (cotton) and ideal for summer. I'm sure it'll look fantastic when it's finished, but I can't do any more as I'm waiting for the rest of the MC to arrive (Ecru) and I've gone as far as I can, over a quarter of the way through in just one evening. I hope it turns out a bit larger though.

I think I might start this wonderful shrug next (also on Ravelry) as I've just taken delivery of some gorgeous Dream in Colour Classy, naughty me! I originally ordered it for the Tulips Cardigan (for a friend), but when it arrived I couldn't resist some more Giant Peach for the shrug!

Last night, probably too late in the day, I decided to dye some yarn for the first time (DH wasn't too pleased). I got these sock kits from Tall Yarns N Tales at a knitting show, and am planning on doing some blue and natural striped socks for DH, and some red and natural striped ones for me.

It's quite an easy technique that doesn't involve boiling in pans, but a quick 10 minutes in the microwave, woohoo! In order to get stripes I halved the skein in length and dyed one half in tupperware, with the undyed half left outside the tub. This is it just before it goes in the microwave:

Both skeins hung up to dry:

Those of you who know my blog will know that I hate sock-knitting. That doesn't mean that I don't think it's a very skilled task, I do, and I really admire the many of you who do it on a regular basis, but I had a bad experience a couple of years ago and swore I'd never try them again. Now I'm eating my words! The pattern seems like a very simple top-down construction, and as long as I avoid the dpn's, I shouldn't go wrong.... You know I will! I'll let you know how it goes once I've wound these now-dried skins and cast on.

I'll leave you with another magnificent peony; really striking:

Talk soon, Rowan