Happy New Year and happy new yarn

You may have noticed a lack of new yarn around here - I've been avoiding yarn stores till I get through my stash, the Christmas cowl I knit being a rare exception. But I got the idea I'd like to make one of those chunky wool Nordic knit sweaters with the patterned yoke that were so popular in the 1980s. So...

I'm getting set up for a fast knit! The main colour I wanted in Estelle Outbook Chunky wasn't in stock in store today, so fingers crossed it's in the shop's warehouse or I'll have to change my plans a little. What I picked is a dark green, and my idea for the yoke is to do a slight colour border at the neck - not the massive bold patterns that featured on the originals.

 

I haven't used this yarn before, but it's 100% Australian wool and $11 Canadian for a 100g ball, which is ridiculously cheap for something as soft as this is. Great colour range too. Guess I shouldn't have been surprised when I pulled some out from the centre for my test swatch and saw this knot:

I'll keep an eye going forward but I sure hope there aren't too many of them in a ball!

The Prym ergonomic needles are new to me too and so interesting with their triangle shape and scoopy tips. They're super lightweight, like picking up a feather in each hand.

The circular needles have a smooth wire cable - so thin, and again, so light in your hands.

Feels weird working on big needles though, after all those years making socks! 

The needle/yarn combo is so nice, my gauge is super relaxed... one stitch and one row too many for the 4" test. I planned to make adjustments the base pattern anyway so I won't bother trying again with smaller needles.

It's silly to launch a new project this way - no yarn, and pattern either! I bought a couple of old Patons pattern booklets with a plan to cobble together instructions to make what I want, but it hasn't arrived yet. Oh well, that's the nice thing about knitting, isn't it? So much flexibility.

 

We are slowly putting away the Christmas decorations here - sad to see them go in a way, but I'm excited for January. It's always a wonderful month, I feel. So many cozy nights in with a book or some knitting, or painting or writing.

 

Hope you've had a lovely week and a great weekend lined up! Thanks for making Hugs a part of it, and I'll see you next Saturday.