Calm Down

After the debacle of the Garden Shawl's runaway stitches, I decided it was about time I had some "TV knitting" - something I could work on while watching TV, in the evening, with the electric light and maybe even after a glass of wine (or two). I couldn't really justify buying anymore yarn, even though there is a sale at my LYS and even though I will be buying some yarn there before the end of the month. It's just that there is so much yarn in the house I am running the risk of losing all the other members of my family, when they are inadvertently sucked into the bales of yarn that are lying round the house, some of them in the most unexpected places.

I started a Clapotis:



I am using some stray yarn on a cone (as you see), unknown material, unknown origin. Bought it in the Charity Shop (aka "The Boutique") for a few shillings ages ago. It's got a sort of silky, slubby look to it. At least there's plenty of it - this pattern absolutely eats yarn. I'm very, very glad I'm not using any expensive stuff.

Here's a close-up of the ladders:



I know I said I wanted some TV knitting but this is so mind-numbingly boring that I cannot imagine getting to the end of it. I read of people who have made more than one. God Forbid! If I don't throw it across the room, pick it up and make a noose out of it, I deserve a medal. I will keep you posted. I am not, in any way, denigrating the designer - it looks great when it's done (if it's not fashioned into a noose), and I'm sure it's a good pattern for those making the move from garter stitch scarves on tree trunks to "real" knitting but it's not the pattern for me. Serves me right for jumping on the bandwagon (which was disappearing rapidly anyway).

The Clapotis is obviously for knitting in my sleep. I therefore need something else, easy but not so easy as to put me into a catatonic state. And the winner is:



What the heck is that?

It's the start of a "Tam Jacket" from Debbie New's excellent "Unexpected Knitting". I'm using pink variegated Jaeger Baby Merino, together with an odd round of plain pink Baby Merino (to show up the ingenious construction). It's knitted in the round starting with 6 stitches. The thought of starting that on dpns was far too daunting. I'm using the two circular method - much easier, no fighting with that porcupine. It's going well, so far. Here's a close-up of the start (Emily Ocker's method again):



This is my sort of pattern: choose the yarn, choose suitable needles, cast on a few, increase at various points until it's big enough, make another, join them together. Result: a baby jacket (or one for you if you make it big enough).

All for now, off to work. I really don't know how I had time to fit work in, now I'm working less, the other stuff has expanded to fill the gap. There's probably a name for it - Some Smarty Pants' Law.