Lately, I’ve been knitting a lot. The only downside to this is that it’s left less time for blogging about knitting. I’m working on the prototype of my first cardigan design. You’d think this’d be a quick process since I’m working plain ol’ stockinette in a single self-striping yarn, but… no. It’s taking forever. I even did a recount to check that I hadn’t accidentally made an extra six sleeves because that would at least explain the slowness.
It’s not as though I’m making it out of cobweb-weight mohair or anything crazy like that. The yarn is a brand new release from Stylecraft – an aran-weight acrylic-wool blend called ‘Life Heritage’. It comes in these splendid colourways:-
The colourway I’m using is called ‘Seagreen’. It’s always important to coordinate with your surroundings. (More on these particular surroundings in a moment.):-
Actually I do know why it’s taking so long to finish this thing. It’s because I keep doing things like deciding to move the first armhole gap three centimetres to the left, thus requiring me to rip back four hours of my life and reknit the blimmin’ thing. Anyway, the thing about… WHOA, WILL YOU LOOK AT THAT?! I’m writing this blog post beside the pond, and look who’s enjoying a moment of, um, intimacy! LOOK!
Anyway, back to the knitting, and re-knitting, and then re-re-knitting. One thing that I can confidently confirm is that Life Heritage is a robust sort of yarn that stands up just fine to a vicious cycle of knitting-ripping-knitting abuse without disintegrating into a whiny mess of fluff. (Sadly, the same cannot be said of the knitter, but you can’t really blame Stylecraft for that.)
Another reason I haven’t finished this cardigan is because last week we – the Stoic Spouse, the Twinnage, and I – made a 500-mile journey north, right up to the ludicrously beautiful island of Mull, off the west coast of Scotland.
And without forcing you to sit down for a formal viewing of all eleventy thousand holiday photos, please can I just say, Mull is awesome, stunning, peaceful, and rammed full of wildlife. You can scarcely move without tripping over a seal or bumping into a golden eagle or two (which may explain why eagles always look so disapproving).
We arrived at the house that we’d rented for the week, only to find a stonking great stag making itself at home in the garden:-
There were some knitting opportunities, of course:-
Plus a couple of opportunities to wear a load of knit/hook-wear:-
But to the delight of the Twinnage, we spent a lot more of our time eagle-watching and whale-watching, paddling in the sea amongst tiny fish, and walking the hills.
And don’t even get me started on the raw beauty of Fingal’s Cave…
Are you sure you wouldn’t like to pop round tonight – say, about 8pm-ish – for a formal screening of The Holiday Photos? I’ve got some breadsticks somewhere, and there’s a definitely a bottle of wine in the fridge… I’m sure it’ll only take an hour or six…
Count me in!
Consider your space on the sofa reserved. 🙂
Your yarn choice is a perfect pairing for your views! Lovely! Thanks for sharing. The pic with the boat seems to exude all of the colors in that color way.
I’d love to pretend that the whole thing was deliberate, but it was a very lucky coincidence of yarn and surroundings.
Fun posting but can you PLEEEASE post the pattern for your amazing sheep hat????? Or email me????
I wish I could! The hat was a (bought) gift from my lovely aunt about 15 years ago. The hat itself is crocheted and the sheep is knitted. Maybe I should try and write up a guess at the pattern? (It is an above-averagely splendid hat.)
That’s interesting. If I were to make up my own version, I would definitely knit the hat and crochet the sheep. BUT the sheep might morph into a moose, or a bear, or something.
I couldn’t love you more if you were my own flesh and blood – your bright and positive attitude, your artistic talents, your family devotion, and on and on – count me a devoted fan across the sea. The photos remind me of the coast of New England where I lived for the first 30 years of my life…thanks so much for all of it.
Gosh, I blush a little more each time you comment. Thank you. And if that’s what New England looks like then, (i) you grew up in a mightily beautiful part of the world, and (ii) you’ve just made me want to visit New England.
i ALWAYS love your photos!
thank you so much!
daisy
No, thank YOU!
Beautiful yarn and photos…what a joy to dive into your post, Phil, Thank you. X
And thank you for such kind words.
Wow what a beautiful place and the knitting is quite good too😁
The place is STUNNING!
I love Stylecraft yarn. Just bought a pattern for a raglan sleeve jumper in this new yarn. But doing one similar in chunky (as I have loads)! Thanks for the lovely pics and your chirpy comments.
X Coral
You’re welcome. And enjoy the speediness of knitting in chunky yarn. 🙂
If you filmed your slide show and posted it on YouTube I promise to watch it… the photos you shared here are magically delicious. Love the yarn colors reminds me to get back to work on the sweater waiting in a drawer for the sleeves to get done.
Hmm, that might be a little beyond me in terms of technical competence. (Personal Facebook page???)
I don’t really understand balls of wool of different colours. Does the wool just make the patterns as you knit? So do you have to buy different balls for different sizes? Or does the same pattern happen no matter the size? Or is it just magic?!
It’s magic! (But seriously, the ball has lengths of each different colour so that as you knit, you create the stripes. Easy AND pretty = win!)
Thanks for replying! I’m still puzzling over the mechanics though…. Does the wool only make one pattern? I mean one jumper pattern and the stripes just appear but if you were to make a hat with the same wool the pattern would be wrong?
Your jumper looks like it has little twined white and purple bits, does that just happen as you knit??
I would love to drop in and see your holiday photos, but, alas, I’m an ocean and continent away (in British Columbia!!). Love your posts, this one especially.
Hmm, that’s a poor excuse, I feel! That said, having visited British Columbia many years ago, I can confirm that your scenery is WAY more stunning than ours. But thank you for your kind words about my blog.
There is nothing that I don’t love about this post <3
Coming from you, I’m taking this as a BIG compliment. Thank you.
Knitting, – great, photographs- fabulous. Totally enjoyed the blog>
Your comment – very kind! Thank you. 🙂
Beautiful island, beautiful sweater, I would have taken you up on breadsticks wine and holiday pics but it would take a bit more than 6 hours to get there from here in Ontario. Next year I’m gonna get me a pond!!!
Oh, you so need a pond. EVERYONE should have a pond. Meanwhile, thank you for your kind words, and you are excused photo-viewing duties on account of your distance from Oxfordshire. (You do live in a splendid part of the world, though, speaking as someone who once spent three very happy months in your country.)
I’m on my way!
Liz down the road.x
Excellent! Consider your seat on the sofa reserved. You haven’t got any other commitments for the next seven or eight hours, I hope??
The Magic of Mull stays with you forever. I know that, even though I moved away to Wonderful Wales. Love the new wool,MIGHT even knit myself something for a change.
I can so believe that (about Mull). And yes, most of Wales is so beautiful, too.
Great photos! I’m on the next flight out of New York:-)
Thank you for sharing. I’m in awe at the beauty and I want to go there! (The yarn and knitting are wonderful too) 😊
Love the colourway you chose for your new pattern. When are you going to present us with the pattern for your marvellous sheep hat? Or a link to whosever it is, please.
And is that the pond you dug yourself that has the damsel flies busily laying eggs in it? Well done you, all round!
Love Mull, love your blog and the new yarn! Penny
Loved this blog!
The holiday pics are stunning and I am with the lady above, your hat is wonderful. The yarn colours are pretty wonderful too. Good luck with the cardigan.
I would happily sit and look at holiday photos,oh and I can show you mine. Apparently,after five pics the Yorkshire Moors all look the same – utter nonsense if you ask me!
That yarn is lovely knitted up.
Ooh mull looks amazing! And that stylecraft goes perfectly with the sirroisurrou. Happy knitting!
I’d love to come but I’ll have to bring my knitting xx
Great scenery & new yarn, what’s not to love! Great photos too.
As always I love your post. Mull looks magical.
I went to Mull once… many years ago as a student. It rained – and I don’t mean just a bit damp – I mean TYOHOONED down solidly for 4 days. I’m not scared of a bit of wet, but you just couldn’t even see!! So I know the inside of the pub in Tobermory rather well, and I know how to do the cribbage bit of dominoes thanks to that trip. And how to play backgammon! The pub was lovely, and the trip was Before Children so it was still fun… but your pics have made me think I’d like to go back and try again!
Looks like a great vacation! I love Scotland. And I also love the cardigan you are working on. Self-striping yarn is my go-to when I’m tired but want the fun of variety as I make yet another pair of socks from the pattern I have memorized…
Fingal’s Cave! One of my favourite pieces of music. I won’t try to spell the composer because I’ve been drinking gin and autocorrect can’t be trusted, but your photo looks as stunning as the music 😀 xx
I always love your posts, but the pictures in this one are absolutely wonderful. I like self-striping yarn and this one looks great.
Currently reading your blog while in a lodge on the west coast of Scotland. Perhaps we should compare photos!
Great article and amazing pictures as always… Mull is a magical place
Lucia xx
Fingal’s Cave! Lucky you!
That cave is amazing! And all of your holiday photos are stunning. Don’t worry about sharing too many. 🙂