Front and back views of my weird shrug. Basically a tube knitted from two different colour schemes of wool, each ball of which is fairly different in itself. I like it though. I might knit some more variants of this, it seems useful. Wool used is a Japanese hand dyed called Noro Kureyon.
On Wednesdays Alistair does online wargaming. So I have a project, following on from my christmas films project, of watching things he wouldn't enjoy.
Currently this is romance/romcom films. My favourites so far are ‘Crazy Rich Asians’, which is more of a romantic drama, but a bit of a Jane Austen style set in Singapore. Beautifully produced film in amazing locations.
And ‘13 Going on 30’ with Jennifer Garner (from Alias) and Mark Ruffalo (from Marvel). Jennifer is a 13 year old girl who suddenly wakes up and is 30, in the future, and sees her life has gone off track. It’s very funny.
Popular films I didn't like included The Proposal: leaden and obvious humour. And The Holiday: great female cast but the least appealing romantic male leads ever gave it zero sex appeal.
Anyone agree/disagree or have any recommendations for my project? My favourite romantic comedy is When Harry Met Sally. Genius.
We took a week off to rest and replenish. During the week off I have:
Tried new wines
Revamped front garden with large pots and shrubs to relieve the expanse of tarmac.
Progressed new striped knitting project (pictured). I have a line up of knitting projects plus wool ready: three jumpers/cardigan, one gloves, one socks.
Made jeans
Read weird and interesting novel: ‘Piranesi’ by Susannah Clarke, I feel I should get back into reading novels and am enjoying travelogues in lieu of actual holidays: currently Empires of the Indus by Alice Albinia.
Made cat linocut
Went for some different walks
I noticed this cat in a window of the tenements that look over our garden yesterday. Linocut print.
So we have a week off coming up. But we can’t go anywhere. So to take my mind off the fact that this should be a holiday I have a lineup of fun projects:
Knit shrug from this lovely, if wacky, Japanese wool (pictured above)
Sew pair of comfy jeans
Do painting of the hellebore flowers which are currently the best thing in the garden.
I am also doing the spring wardrobe purge including cheap and nasty acrylic jumpers, coloured tights (why?) and shoes I bought on the internet which don’t fit properly.
As I am a sucker for punishment I also did a lot of work on the front garden, installing pots and putting in shrubs and plants. It looks better, but still not great.
As Spring seems to be emerging I feel the urge to sew again.
I have some really nice dark blue denim for a pair of jeans style trousers (still not got hang of front zips) and some grey jersey. Mysteriously this is formed as a tube. I have had various ideas for it including tracksuit trousers (I just dont wear them), 80s style skirt (not needed) and dress (not a very peppy colour scheme). But I think they may end up being a cardi with useful leftovers for another project. (Shown above).
The knitting goes on as it is long and mindless so quite relaxing and I have ideas for some 80s inspired jumpers from the Vogue Knitting book. This book has patterns from the 80s to present but the 80s seemed to be a decade of appealingly crazy knitwear.
