Cue the suspense

Look what came in the mail last week:

It's the three installments of the first Biscotte club of 2011, plus a little treat:

Louise has been including incredibly cute bags and accessories from Creations Marylou with her club entries, another reason it's killing me that I missed last fall's club and then her holiday one too. I swear I will never again let physiotherapy interfere with my yarn purchasing.

But back to the suspense. I now have those three pouches sitting in my closet waiting for the mornings of the first of February, March, and April, when I will be able to open them in turn. After that, when I turn on my computer for the day, I will find some awesome new pattern designed specifically for the yarn I've just opened. And the yarn will be fantastic, with gorgeous colour and lush feel, because in my increasingly vast experience Biscotte's hand-dyed yarns are all just downright sumptuous.

If I'm making you wish you too had signed up, you can always go to the online shop and see what's in stock today.


While I wait for February 1, I have got something to knit that I've wanted to get onto my needles forever:

Yes! My longstanding Mariner obsession is finally being addressed!

But with more suspense, because I am using the discontinued Jo Sharp yarn my friend destashed over at my house last fall. There are 10 balls, which might be enough and might not; I might have to make the sleeves shorter, or add a second colour to the lower back, and I just won't know till I get there.

One thing I do know almost for certain is that mine won't look exactly like the magazine's version, because it took me almost one whole ball to get to the end of the hem.

Of course, that's because of the half-linen stitch. And I don't care if it's inhaling my yarn; it is one of the most satisfying stitches I've done in forever. So simple - worked flat it's essentially knit one row, knit one stitch and slip one throughout the next row - and such a fabulous effect. Bonus: this yarn is seriously yummy to touch and work with, and now that I've decided to call the colour toffee, I am finding that delicious too.