Wurming

My friend who hosts our fortnightly craft group has recently started a monthly evening sessions specifically  for anyone from the craft group who feels they would like extra help with a project. She is experienced in several crafts, including knitting, and keen to pass on her what she knows. I can see myself keeping her pretty busy as I probably need a lot of help with a lot of things! To start with, I really want to learn more knitting skills. I literally spent about ten years knitting only dishcloths, scarves and the occasional tea cosy, and it's only been in the last year or so that I have branched out a little to include more complicated tea cosies and scarves, wow and even a baby blanket and some wrist warmers. There are so many lovely patterns that I see on Ravelry, and on other blogs (hi Karen!) , but some of the patterns terrify me, so I thought I would deliberately choose patterns with skills I don't have, and work on them with my friend's help on these Wednesday evenings.

 I have never been a hat person. Put a hat on my head and I suddenly remind myself somewhat of Compo, or Benny., I just feel vaguely silly in them.  I own one hat, a brown knitted hat with a peak that's quite cute, and I do rather like myself in it, but it doesn't cover my ears, so it is more decorative than effective! I need something for these cold wintry days (although by the time I finish it, it could be Spring!), so I am knitting a  wurm  hat. The yarn is 50% merino, nice and soft, and wasn't too expensive, about £7.50 for 3 balls. I have never knitted on circular needles before, and am finding the whole magic loop thing a bit of a challenge, but I started this evening and have managed ten rows so far. There is a complicated part coming up in about another fifteen rows' time, so at that point I will probably put it aside until the next time I see my friend.

I am reading One Deadly Summer, a thriller, lent to me by someone in my book group. I am not sure about it yet, only being a few pages in. I abandoned The Kiss. I don't seem to be able to get into reading so far this year, I can usually read two or three books a week, but I don't think I have even read three this year, despite having lots of new ones for Christmas, a pile from the library and three to read for my book group. I think I am knitting more than reading these days, and also I always used to read in bed and in recent weeks I seem to be asleep before my head hits the pillow. Maybe I will feel more like reading in the Spring - as soon as we get some sun I am going to make a determined effort to sit outside for a while each day and try to top up my sadly lacking Vitamin D. A half an hour each day sat at my little patio table with a drink and a book sounds lovely right now, on this cold winter's evening.




Joining Ginny for this week's Yarn Along