Drink Tea and Do Some Knitting

Very good advice if you ask me. I have been enjoying many a cup of tea this last little while and I have been enjoying knitting my aran woolly. Is it my imagination but does one seem to drink more tea when knitting?? I have been hellbent on finishing my jumper. Since I last 'chatted' with you, when a menial chore demanded some of my attention I have repeatedly said, "just a moment; let me finish this row". I always remember my darling mum saying to me "Kimmy (no-one but my mother ever addressed me so)...always finish the row you're working on before you put your knitting down." Wise woman, was my mother. So.....because I would never in a million years think of disregarding her wisdom, I always finish the row. =)

My single-minded determination of knitting till I reached the woolly finishing line, with both knitting pins raised high in the air, whilst rather exultantly shouting hip-hip-hooray; has reaped wonderful rewards. The constant clickety clack of the needles has resulted in the completion of my aran woolly. A huge sigh of relief at this juncture. This jumper really took an age to knit, and I might add I am not in the least bit sorry that it is done.

It is a jumper which oozes cabled texture and is a long one.....it covers my derriere. It is a bulky knit, perfect for those early, wintry morning walks where the landscape is shrouded in a veil of mist. 

These last couple of days the mornings have been unbelievably beautiful. These mornings when the sun's rays send beams of light through the maze of mist is truly a most splendid sight. These misty mornings delight me. They declare God's loving kindness to me. Each morning is a gift from Him to me. It is these mist-filled mornings that God's awesome handiwork brings a tear to my eyes......they humble me. I will never tire of seeing the majesty of the sun rising each morning, kissing me on the cheek.

So.......me thinks whilst roaming around this little patch of paradise that I call home, on those early, misty morning meetings with my Heavenly Father, my aran woolly will keep me toasty warm.

The garden is still being a bit of a showoff; not that I mind of course. The Cosmos are still 'cosmos-ing', a few of the roses have decided to still astonish with their beauty and the Easter Daisies are in bloom delighting many a bumble bee. The longer the garden gifts me with beautiful blooms is just fine with me, thank you very much.

Little pink, orchid-like impatiens cover the ground everywhere, like a carpet. They too seed like weeds every Summer. These pretty flowers though, will soon disappear.

I cannot tell you how much I am beside myself with great joy with the completion of this woolly. My poor ol' pea brain no longer has to perform cranial gymnastics. My muddly brain pan no longer has to think about RT, LT, MB, C3, BC, FC, C4B, C4F etc etc., or indeed which row I am up to. Thank goodness for that! Though, would you believe another aran pattern has caught my eye. I know, I know.....what am I thinking!! But.......for now the most taxing thought in my muddly brain pan is in which pretty teacup will I drink my tea?? =)

Until the next time.......

Knitting patterns are child's play......are they not??

A long, long time ago, when the woolly mammoths roamed upon the earth, my mum taught me to knit. She also taught me to read knitting patterns. Is it only me who found those vintage patterns of old, easier to read than some of those of today??

Way, way back then, one could sit and relax and read the instructions in each row. Each row contained all the instructions of the pattern for that row, without having to don one's explorer hat and slash through the jungle of the written instructions, in search for each section of the pattern within that row. Sometimes one needs to turn the page as the Patterns from A to 'Zee' are just too lengthy!! I mean really, my brain pan is muddly enough.

It's not that the patterns are misunderstood, it's just that my eyes and brain have to perform major calisthenic feats to tie in the individual patterns into the one row. Oh......and then, Pattern A might only consist of ten rows, Pattern B...16 rows, Pattern C....8 rows, Pattern D....24 rows etc etc, sometimes leading me to Pattern Zee.......forever counting, forever wondering what blasted row I am up to within that pattern!!!! I suppose the positive thing is with all the cranial gymnastics happening I won't slip down the path of cognitive degeneration anytime soon; that is of course if I don't go stark raving mad from the hyperactivity of it all and end it all by falling on my sword knitting needle.

All I want to do is sit and  pick up my two knitting pins, unravel a ball of wool and clickety clack my evening away in a relaxing manner. I don't really want to take 20 minutes to finish a row. But then, I suppose if knitting patterns were written in the manner I prefer, I would be overcome with back problems of gigantic proportions, carrying around a tome somewhat akin to those family Bibles of old! A note to myself......"suck it up Kim and just get on with it!!!!"

Anyway.........I have decided to knit a jumper in readiness for Winter. Although at the moment the weather is quite warm here at the bottom of the world, it won't be long till Old Man Winter sneaks stealthily around the bend in our country road, forcing me and all the other inhabitants of this rural outpost to be clad in our winter woollies to ward off  'His' bitingly, freezing breath.

I have chosen this lovely mint green, 10 ply Aran wool. The brand is Royal and it is wonderfully soft and warm.

The pattern for my jumper is a lovely Debbie Bliss one dancing with glorious aran patterns. Alas....unfortunately for me, it is a pattern where I have to gymnastically jump from one pattern to another to knit each row. Aaah.....such is my life.

To make my knitting days and nights a little easier I have written out the odd and even rows onto a piece of paper to help with the taxing of my peabrain! I also photocopied each pattern onto one sheet, soooo much easier than referring to the pattern all the time and turning page after page, adnauseum.

I don't know what it is but I always seem to select a pattern which takes an age to knit. The bask took a wee while, but persistence paid off, finally advancing to the FUN part; the myriad cable patterns.

My pea brain is a jumble of RT, LT, MB, C3, BC, FC, C4B, C4F etc etc........but I do love aran knits and I do love the challenge of them, even though they do take me an age to knit.

All that woolly texture is looking mighty purty, if you ask me.

Now then, you really didn't think I would not sneak in a rose or two, did you?? After all, it is the peak of Rose season down here and I again, wanted to impart a sense of summer to you lovelies whose tippy toes are a little chilly. I just wanted to warm the cockles of your li'l hearts.

Enough of this chit chat! Time to enjoy a little more knitting and a cup of tea. Time for some more mental gymnastics. Check back in about six month's time....perhaps, just perhaps this knitted woolly, oozing with aran loveliness, will be finished.....one never knows, sometimes, just sometimes, miracles do materialise in a small country town.

Until the next time.......

Linking up to Janine's, Wool on Sundays and Stephanie's, Roses of Inspiration.