After I finished my second Saturday Shrug, I still had some mohair leftovers. I decided to knit the Softie, a hat from the 52 Weeks Of Easy Knits by Laine Publishing that I bought last November when it came out.
An easy 1/1 rib hat with a little pointy top, matchy matchy with my second Saturday Shrug. I like hats that sit a bit high on the head. All warm and cozy for this quite cold February in Normandie 🙂
The pattern is well written and fun to knit, the colour work is not difficult at all. The Mohair yarn from La Ferme de l’Accroche Cœur that I bought last summer is of the softest cloud type and my sweater is the lightest and warmest one I currently own. I wanted to make a colour work sweater from the time I saw the yarn in the store, and was not decided on a pattern at the time.
I took the opportunity of an offer that Camilla Vad had on her patterns and got two of them to read through and decide which one would fit my mohair. So the Agnes Jumper it was, as Esther had smaller motifs that would most probably get lost in the mohair fuzz.
I had to fiddle around, as usual, as I was not knitting at the recommended gauge and did not swatch (please do not tell anyone and do not do as I do..). I made an (educated) guess from the 1/1 ribbing at the neck, on smaller needles. Turned out fine ! At first I was kinda nervous as unravelling mohair is a pain at best and impossible sometimes.
These little Annette Mittens by Lauriane et Charlie took me quite some time to finish, I was distracted and stressed out. Now they are complete, a fun butterfly stitch, yarn that was a gift from my second son, what’s not to love.
An easy free pattern, a sunny colour for grey dull winter in Normandie days and warmth for the current temps (below freezing right now).
Another delightful project, my New Year cast-on with yarn a lovely YouTube subscriber gifted me with. I wanted to start the year with a meaningful project.
The Borough Hood by Tori Yu was on my want list for quite some time now and the fabulous gift of Biches et Bûches Le Petit Lambswool paired with Le Petit Silk Mohair, both in dark blue turquoise, was the perfect present. I cannot thank you enough, you who so generously gifted me with this opportunity to knit with this combo for the first time.
The colour is right for me, I never dared using it before other than in little touches or in much darker tones, now I won’t stop ! I think cold blue-green hues suit me quite well (if I may say so..).
The pattern is fun to knit, the whole hood is shaped with short rows, then finished in the round to the desired length (I made it a bit longer). It does start and finish with i-cords. I do not mind binding off with an i-cord, but do I not like casting-on this way. I find it very cumbersome as a cast-on process. Next time I may add one afterwards !
This pattern I will knit again, a fun quick project.
Surprise, I had an impulse cast on, out of frustration, with these screaming loud colours that are not at all in my own colour range and habits. A symbol of my inner screams. Life is tough sometimes..
For context, I wanted to use some of my mohair leftovers, from the Aulon and the Poitou farms. I have two sweaters quantities left, one blue and one green, the pink (that looks red on the pictures) and yellow are leftovers from other project. I also had a line up that included the leftovers from my Agnes Jumper, greys, icy blue and white.
Around the same time, Jackie Rose, half of the famous Cady Jax Knits YouTube Channel, released her Saturday Shrug pattern that immediately got fame and traction on social media. So I dived into my mohair and placed the colours next to each other. They looked OK striped up on my bed.
Once I had used the first four colours, green – pink – yellow – blue, it became obvious that the colder greys, blue and white were not fitting in. This very primary colour scheme was strange if I placed the colder colours on top. I continued, using all the pink I had. I also wanted to finish with the green, so I stopped when I could not add a pink repeat.
I made two modifications (other than adjusting for the lighter yarn I was using, and smaller needles) : a little shaping at the bottom (wider) so that the shrug does not slide up when I move, and one knit row when changing colours, for not seeing the two different colour strands on the purl stitches as I do not like that.
Not quite in my habits, and I think that a few loud pieces can fit into a mostly blue colour block wardrobe. I do have some neutral browns, beige, red and black, and a few brighter pieces such as the pink cotton tee or my second Manhattan Hat, that find their place in my rather monochromatic preferences. So will this Saturday Shrug.
My shrug is light, warm, unexpectedly easy to wear, and on constant rotation.
I am casting on a second one with the grey, blue and white mohair as soon as my current WIP list has diminished !
This first edition of 2023 will be very short and sweet, as the Wooly News series is an adjustment variable to my publications – when time is scarce, this is what does not make the cut. I’ve had a bit of time during the holiday season, and my taking care of my mother filled the little gaps of free time. this is not an excuse or an apology, just so that you know.
I have had my eyes on Irene Lin patterns for quite a while now, and she is re-publishing the Ramble Jumper with modifications and additional sizes. The original version was published on LoveCrafts in 2019. I love this design. Is that the colour choice ? The lovely details at the bottom and on the collar ? I do not know, and this one is going to my “I Want To Make” bundle on Ravelry. the test knits are inspirational as always, some very subdued, som very colourful. I may reconsider the wide sleeves though, as they usually are not very practical for me.
I was going to highlight another pattern, and I am not sure my choice will need any traction. Any way, Jackie from the Cady Jax Knit YouTube channel just released a free shrug pattern, the Saturday Shrug, that can very easily be adapted to any yarn weight (just change the number of stitches) and colours, stripes height and qualifies as a good stash buster. An additional good point for you if you are on a Yarn-No-Buy Year project. I placed it in my “Want To Make” list.
Yarn Companies and Stores
La Bien Aimée
Once again, this company I love has caught my attention. First because they have a section I had not noticed before, Happy Accidents.
These are one of a kind, skeins or batches of skeins that did not end up being as intended or as previously made if from a recurrent colour way. They can be too light, too dark, too cool, too warm etc And that are still quite beautiful of course. These skeins are discounted regarding the regular yarn base price and can be quite interesting as they contribute to reduce waste !
One additional news I already have been talking about in Wooly News #22 back in September 2022, is that La Bien Aimée is going to release a new book with Laine Publishing. We sort of have a release date as Aimée stated that “La Bien Aimée will have a pop-up shop in Paris at the end of March and beginning of April to celebrate the release”. From the description of the location “a beautiful passage in the center of Paris, surrounded by lots of charming restaurants and cafés”. I was willing to place my bet is on Lil Weasel, a charming store passage du Grand Cerf, that perfectly fits the description, but it appress it will be 27 passage Choiseul in the 2nd arrondissement. Anyway, we’ll see once it is officially published 🙂
De rerum natura
De Rerum Natura has released a new colour for they Ulysse and Gilliatt bases, Cacao.
This deep brownish colour has deep red mahogany highlights, making it quite interesting as they say it changes with light. They used two shades of brown with an additional shade of black to make this vibrant colour.
Without any surprises, as I am a teen of the seventies, I always default to Pink Floyd when I need comfort, easy listening, known vibes and tunes, and music I know I like from the beginning to the end. Even if I prefer the beginning and the middle albums, up to Animals sorta. I listen to later ones though !
My all times favorites albums are Wish You Were Here and Dark Side Of The Moon. When I was 13, I got a cassette player and money to buy two albums. These are the ones I listened to up to the tape shredding into pieces, that I have in vinyl, in CD, several versions of the same album, some in DVD when they exist etc. So you see, I did not participate to the battle between The Beatles and The Rolling Stones (even if I prefer TRS) as I was a Pink Floyd die hard fan. I am listening to Cre/ation : The Early Years 1976/1972 as I write, and I set up to listen to the whole series when I drove down for half a day during the end of year holidays 🙂
Series or YouTube
I have finished Supernatural, and The Rings Of Power. I did not talk about the latest one because I stopped watching any other show or series while going all the way up to the last episode of the 15th season of Supernatural. I liked the end TBW.
As I am a Pink Floyd child, I am a LOTR child too. When I left to go to the US after my PhD graduation, I was 25, had one suitcase, $100 in my pocket (and a post-doc waiting for me) and the three LOTR books that I had read time and time again, and still am. Another comfort reading for me. I liked the movies, the series is OK. It takes place before the LOTR books (I have read and seen the other books and movies, not as much though) and found it entertaining enough. Not the greatest, not the worst.
I have now to find a show or series to watch, if you have suggestions please comment down below, thanks 😊
As far as yarn, the no-buy year was a success because I stayed within my guidelines. I only bought yarn in person or to complete a project. So that was good and a success, without feeling I missed anything, other than the Nightfall edition of La Bien Aimée Corrie Confetti. I still miss that dark blue unique batch, even though I had no pattern in mind. I just loved the look and the idea of it.
All in all, I spent €1528.46 this year, that is €126.54 per month if I include my “reward”, the swift and ball winder. I have not broken down my expenses by categories, I may do so at some point, and that is a third of what I spent last year. So I did contain my expenses and there are no regrets. That was my first goal.
Did I reduce my stash, yes, a bit, but not that much as my mother gave me all of hers and I have been using it for mostly acrylic care-free presents.
What Did I Learn ?
What I realized during the past year is that I now need to question my pattern library. My Ravelry Queue was filled with patterns I had bought with a project in mind and were still sitting there, after over a year, and as PDF files in my computer. What is shiny and new and attractive one day will quickly be pushed by something else, as shiny and new and attractive. Do I need to buy all the digital patterns that appeal to me ?
I have organised my Ravelry Queue to list the ones I bought and really want to knit, that is still a lot.
Thanks to the comments on my dedicated YouTube video, I have been pondering this point a bit further. One thing to consider is that online patterns can go offline and become unavailable, even on Ravelry, and more so on personal blog posts or sites.
I think I will set up some time out or Purgatory time (hey, even if I have just watched the last episode of the last season of Supernatural, I’m still under the influence :D). I may use either the queue feature or the cart in Ravelry before actually buying. Creating a Favorites bundle is another idea. Not sure for how long the Purgatory time out will be best though. May be 6 month, or until a discount offer applies, or until I decide to cast on ? I am still undecided and I will have to update this point as the year unravels, for it to be a practical guideline.
Books and magazines are another question as they can go out of stock, out of print, and not have any digital format to fall back to if they become unavailable. You know that I love books and browse through them on a regular basis, either for ideas and inspiration or just for quality day dreaming time. That is why I won’t change anything to my regulations for books. I will continue to buy the ones I would be sad if I cannot get them at some point. I will have to be aware of not participating into some FOMO – Fear Of Missing Out – trend, where the new and shiny is the main trigger.
All in all, I am happy with all the books I got in 2022, so I will continue to buy them with intention.
Updated guidelines
Yarn :
I’ll consider buying limited edition yarns. I still feel the miss for some I did not buy in 2022, without being that painful though ! I’m not sure I’ll buy a mystery box again
I’ll buy yarn for presents if I do not have what I need in my stash
I may also buy yarn to knit a project with stashed yarn
If I go on vacation or to an event or go visit a producer, a mill, a yarn shop, I may buy some yarn either as souvenir or for a specific project
I’ll also allow myself to buy replacement items, notions, needles etc. if any break or if I am in need of a special item for a special project
Patterns, I will set up a Purgatory or time out process to double and triple think buying digital patterns. I still want to support creators, causes etc. So I will have to find the right balance to contain my digital patterns library – and us it !
Books and magazines, ie paper prints. You know I love books and prints, the smell, the feel, and the reading process, over and over. So I’ll allow myself to buy the book that will go out of stock for being popular, the ones I would miss if I cannot browse through them in my house
I have been wanting good needle sets for a long time. I am using cheaper ones. Even though I am not much into rewards, I was very happy to get the swift and ball winder in December 2022, without thinking about that much during the year. So I’ll look for good quality exchangeable needle sets, both regular, shorties and DPNs
This one took a while to make, for two reasons. One, the yarn color is dark, and I have a difficult time knitting at night with darker colors, even with led lights I place around my neck. Second, I did enjoy the process of knitting and the yarn combo so much that I made it last longer !
The Sorrel pattern by Wool and Pine is easy and very well written, all the explanations for the elongated stitches are in writing and video. This is the second pattern I knit from them and I do recommend both the Summer Sorrel and the Sorrel.
The yarn combo from La Bien Aimée was a splurge and a treat, yes. The Merino Singles associated to the Mohair Silk, a delight in my hands, on me now, and for the eyes. The fade going from Air Guitar to Storm to The North, doubled with the mohair silk in Winterfell is just stunning if you allow me to say so of my own project 😺
One of my all times favorite knit, that I am wearing everyday or so since I finished it !
I’m on a small objects stroll and was itching to cast on something with this bright pink mohair from Ferme d’Aulon en Pyrénées that I had in my stash since Summer 2020. I had made cowls for my coworkers as Christmas presents that year – do you remember Covid ? I had to have the cowls shipped to my friends even though they live quite close to me. If you want pictures of this wonderful village the mohair comes from, please check my post from Summer 2021.
I had 1.5 skein left sitting at the top of my mohair stash, right before my eyes, because I wanted to use them, but for what ? That was the question.
I really should listen to myself, and cast-on small sizes for hats. But no, I made the medium size. It ended up being too big, of course, and I was very frustrated. It is impossible to unravel this very hairy mohair.
I decided to gently felt it, on medium warm water with a regular laundry in my washing machine. It came out felted, not too much, and still a tinsy bit too big. So I placed two invisible elastic threads, one at the bottom of the hat and the other at the fold of the brim. Now it fits me perfectly and I wear it every day. The felted mohair offers a good protection against the cold wind fwiw.
I am so so happy ! Add a bright warm hat to your wardrobe and your day is different when you wear it 😺💜
Knit Now 
