A Colourful Handmade Wardrobe in the Works. . .

I'm working on so many projects right now and enjoying every minute of it.  I'm in love with the yarns that I'm using, the designs are fun and challenging, and I'm excited about having all these new, colourful additions to my wardrobe.  Next month I'll be off on holiday and I want to bring ten knitted items with me and wear a different piece each day (this is predicated on actually finishing some of the pieces in this post, but I live in hope. . . )

First up though is something I have finished.  Here's what I'm calling my Hap for Springtime, based on Kate Davies' Hap for Harriet.   

I used two skeins of Blacker's Blue-faced Leicester laceweight in this gorgeous moss green colourway.  I saw this colour everywhere the last few months as I was knitting this and walking through the countryside - the colour just glows in the sunshine.  It was in all the new growth of leaves, among the mosses in deep woods and on the moorlands, and in the fresh grass of country meadows.

This is the perfect summer shawl, lightweight but really warm for chilly evenings.  I love it!

I'm also digging out projects that have been languishing for ages.  I loved this rich magenta wool when I saw it in the skein about five years ago.  I bought enough for a cardigan, knitted most of the pieces and now it's just waiting for a bit of blocking and seaming.   I am so, so close to finishing this.

The minute I finished my hap, I cast on for another top with some of my Rowan Summer Tweed.  This is Scout, designed by Julia Frank.  It has an interesting construction; you increase at each end and as you work from the bottom up on the back and fronts, you are also creating the sleeves.

And here's another summer top in the works.  I'm not sure this self-striping yarn is going to work with the pattern so the project has stalled a bit, but I'm still committed to knitting some more on it and seeing how it goes. 

Not forgetting my Bowland cardigan though, designed by Susan Crawford. I've done one full repeat and love my choice of colours. This may well be the project that I take with me on holiday.

And remember all those crocheted hexagons I was creating as part of the Rowan Crochet-a-long? I've finally decided what to do with them all and am seaming them together today.  Lots of ends to weave in, but this pile will hopefully become something nice soon.

Woolfest this weekend!  I am so excited. I'm going up with three friends and there is bound to be lots of laughs, lots of knitting time, lots of lattes and with any luck some very restrained wool buying!