Ravellings

Knitty heaven

woollythinker

After a week in the glorious Highlands*, I can say one thing for sure: Scotland is just made for knitting.
We’d barely arrived when my fingers started to itch. It might have been the weather – excessively cold, wet and blowy; I wasn’t prepared to be quite so rudely treated in August! – it might have been the ancient associations of Aran fishermen and Fair Isle patterns. Or it might have been the colours.
heather.jpg
Whatever the reason, I was overcome with the urge to make all kinds of things I’ve never turned my hand to before: hats, socks, scarves. (Can you believe I’ve never made a scarf?) To dive into a big pile of lambswool in subtle shades of heather, olive and rust.
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To churn out big, chunky, WARM pullovers in the most traditional of patterning.
cromarty firth.jpg
Okay, it probably was the weather.
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Still, I didn’t do any of that. If I’d actually encountered any yarn shops, things might have been different. But as it was, I stuck to my travel project: a little to-be-felted bag in that previously seen Kureyon, which happens to be quite Highlandsy after all.
I haven’t gotten over these strange urges, though. I am champing at the bit to be quit of the various things I’m working on now – red wrap top, knit tits and bag – and whirr away on proper winter warmers. (It doesn’t help that London has quite suddenly gotten over this archaic notion of “summer”.) But I’m knitting so slowly these days. And there’s that darn stash diet to think of. So I’m scheduling a nice Fair Isle mitten phase for, ooh, 2008 or so…
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* I have never visited Scotland before – arrived in the UK from South Africa just four years ago – and I was awed by just how gorgeous it is. And the lovely people. And delicious cooking. I can’t wait to go back.

7 thoughts on “Knitty heaven”

  1. I think you’d love Ireland too, think of all the beautiful Arans we produce. BTW thanks for the call this morning regarding my order I was in work with someone else standing beside me at the time, which is why I may have sounded a bit short. I love all your needles and bags etc. am so looking forward to using the Lantern moon DPNS on my next socks.
    Anne

  2. Thanks for the comment Anne! I’m very sure I would love Ireland – am looking forward to visiting there too. Glad you like the site and I know you’ll love using the Lantern Moon needles, have fun!

  3. Absolutely gorgeous pics.
    There’s definitely something about the cooling weather, the same thing is happening here in the Pacific northwest – talk about itchy fingers!

  4. Your pictures look amazing, I’d love to visit Scotland some day.
    (by somebody also on a yarn diet, and hating every minute of it! Arghhh!)

  6. Ooooh, lovely. I have blanket permission to go ahead and book us a holiday for sometime soon, and Scotland has been high on the short list. I think this may have pushed it to the very top.

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