Hap #6: Noro Nut-Hap and More Autumn Knitting. . .

I recently completed my Nut-Hap, designed by Jen Arnall-Culliford and though it's a bit wonky (due to my careless knitting), I think it is an interesting piece.

I had always wanted to do this in lace-weight to bring the size down a little as the original piece is huge and would be far too warm for me. I cast on the same number of stitches but added a few rows for width. This has changed the sleek stream-lined shape of the original pattern (sorry Jen), but as I plan to mostly wrap this around my neck, I'm not too bothered about it.

I was lucky to find three balls of Madeline Tosh Prairie lace in my stash - leftovers from previous projects and the colours really matched the Noro yarn.  I only had the three that would work, so just  did three tucks.  And this was a lovely technique to knit, although  with such small stitches, you really had to be vigilant so they wouldn't slip off your needles.  I wasn't so keen-eyed and a few stitches dropped which I managed to secure and somehow get knitted again, but I'll be the first to admit my technique was a bit sloppy and the tucks don't lie as flat as they perhaps should do.  Well, I'm happy to sport the crumpled look.  It's the colours I think that make this project zing.

I will admit that I was happy to get the Nut-Hap off the needles.  I love the design but it is a LOT of knitting and I was getting a bit bored with it.  The only cure is to cast on something new that is easy and really interesting.  Waiting For Rain fit the bill perfectly.  This is designed by Sylvia, a Canadian who goes under the name Softsweater Knits and this is a brilliant pattern, using short rows to create the lace panels. This is an easily adaptable pattern for size, number of colours and panels - it's a quick and lovely knit.  The rusty colour is called Moroccan Spice and it was hand-dyed by Riverside Studios in Wakefield, Quebec. It is absolutely gorgeous yarn - the colours glow.  The lace panels were knit using Life in the Long Grass yarn, a new-to-me dyer based in Ireland.  The colourway is Peninsula.

I really love this shawl - I would have made it bigger but I only had one skein of the main colour.  Still, it's big enough to wrap around my neck and I can see this being the go-to scarf for this autumn.

 What else am I knitting?  Why, more lace-weight because I'm obviously crazy.  But I love this Kidsilk Haze striped yarn that I recently bought. It has blues, greys, greens and yellows in it and it's perfect for a Slovenia, designed by Kaffe Fassett.  And it's self-striping so I don't need to add the stripes myself and weave in a hundred ends.  This will make a simple but cozy top.  I have a bit of a love-hate relationship with Kidsilk Haze.  The fabric created is so light and soft, but with its mohair halo, it can be really hard to see the stitches clearly.  Still, this makes the perfect project to carry around in your bag - it weighs hardly anything!

And the colours are reminding me of the hills near Llangollen.  We were back there yesterday, leading the walk for our group and the smudgy colours still strike me with awe.