From the purple dyeshed...

One of the disadvantages of having a shed full of yarn is I am often tempted to stop half way through a project and start a new one.  This lack of commitment to a project can be for a number of reasons: sometimes I want to try a new yarn, sometimes I'm not enjoying the project (those ones often get frogged), and sometimes it is because a project has attracted my attention because it includes a knitting technique I've not tried before, and once I've mastered the technique I lose interest in the project.  But I've been trying hard of late to finish what I start.  It hasn't been easy!

As long ago as April last year when I was in Darlington having a trunk show at my favourite yarn shop (A Fine Yarn), I decided on the colours to knit Nothing but Stripes.  This is knitted in 4ply, and I settled on my 4ply 100% Bluefaced Leicester for the job in Carnations and Damson.



By the time the Tanera Mor retreat came around in September last year I was bored with Nothing but Stripes.  I took it with me to the island fully intending on pulling it all out and finding something else to do with the yarn.  I had finished the main body and only had the sleeves to do, but I could see it languishing in my "Works in Progress" pile indefinitely.   But when I mentioned to the others attending the retreat that I was about it rip it all out there were howls of protest, and so it came back home off the island with me, still unfinished.

Then at the Glencanisp retreat I picked it up again and began work.  Then I lost the pattern and couldn't remember what size I was making!  So once again it got thrown into a corner and neglected for a couple of months.  But now I am happy to report it is complete!  Nothing but Stripes.  You'll be able to see it at Edinburgh Yarn Festival, and if you want I'm more than happy for you to try it on.  Apologies for this poor photo but it was a dull, windy day today.



I do love the stitch definition that you achieve when using the Bluefaced Leicester.  It is very crisp:



Although I promised myself in January that nothing else would be begun until Nothing but Stripes was complete, I was swayed away from my determination when I saw a beautiful shawl pattern had been released by Karie Westermann, called Byatt.   I was looking for something I could knit while watching pots bubble in the dye shed, and as soon as I saw this I knew this was it.  It was a very easy knit, and I selected Slice of Lime and Assynt Peat for my colour combination, again in the 100% Bluefaced Leicester.



The pattern was very easy to knit, and as soon as the section using the contrast colour began I knew I'd made the right choice with the two colours:



And today Byatt had her first outing, and I love it.  She received many compliments from the folk at the Assynt Centre where I went to help out with lunch today.  Lovely pattern Karie.



Maybe 2015 will be the year I both start, and finish, projects.  But I'm not one to make rash promises!