A New Year in so many ways mean new beginnings – but for my knitting – no I don’t think so! I guess my resolution this year is to actually finish what I’ve started, and I am absolutely not allowed to cast on something new, before I’ve completed at least one of these. It is time to make status, and to see where I’m at – please follow along.

Ferda Sweater by Pickles
Put on hold as I was doing a test knit with a dead line (read about my Inner Peace Sweater HERE), still starting on the Ferda Sweater early last autumn, this is the project where I truly rekindled my love of chunky knits. I adore the graphic design of Ferda, inspired by the Norwegian forests reflecting in their lakes, the triangle patterning is highly addictive as it grows so quickly on your needles. So addictive I actually forgot to stay on track with the chart and ended up creating a somewhat different version of my own. The wonderful smooth texture of Pickles Tjukk Merino, gives a very soothing knit working with two colours at the time. As you can see, I’ve completed the body, so I’m about half way through and I’m more than ready to get those sleeves done – watch this space!


Sophie Hood by Petiteknits
Oh you know me! I’m not one for project crazes. I just don’t understand why everyone wants to knit and wear the exactly same thing. I’ll tell you where my resistance to uniformity comes from – I’m Norwegian!
You see, a very very beautiful and a very very safe country, also means quite a lot of conformity. I have friends visiting my home country coming back from their travels, and when I ask them how they liked it what I hear the most is ‘the nature is nothing but stunning, but why do all the people look the same?’ My best story to tell, and it is a true story, super star Robbie Williams came to play in our capital, this is a huge deal as we don’t have many super stars traveling so far north. Of course the Norwegian press was on it, and so quite a few international ones, and after the gig the main question they asked was of course “How did you like performing in Norway?” Robbie’s response came quick as lightning “I’ve never seen as much beige at once in my whole life!” 🤣
The last two years I’ve probably shifted about 500 Sophie Scarfs through my doors – and I just didn’t get it! Just why???
Wait … you say there’s a hood now??? I spent a few hours in the shop during Twixmas … I honestly do not know how this happened … but I accidentally cast on a new project. In hindsight thankfully so, because the New Year sent me off with a blooming ear infection making me sofa-bound for more than a week! I couldn’t eat, I couldn’t drink, I couldn’t talk or move my jaw, my face was so swollen I started wondering if it would ever go back to normal, but I certainly could knit! And now I get it!
What a cleverly constructed project, scrumptious Garter Stitch broken up by the neat finishing of I-cord edges, the Sophie Hood gives enough to keep you interest peaked, it grows quickly for instant satisfaction and the rhythm of this knit is incredibly soothing. I’ve claimed for years and years that there is a lot of mindfulness in knitting – OM through each and every stitch – and this is clearly present in the Sophie Hood – no wonder this is a design that knitters want to do again and again!
For my Sophie Hood I really wanted to indulge in the lush colours and heavenly fibres of Nua Worsted (Merino, Yak and Linen), so I chose to do mine on a 4.5mm needle. The pattern suggests 5mm, so I went for the largest size but with the ‘strethcyness’ and flexibility of the garter, I found it really does not make much difference for the finished size. I needed about 5 hanks (250g) to complete this project.

A note on the size grading though. The Sophie Hood is graded in three sizes, however this is related to the length of the ‘scarf’, the size of the hood stays the same. However, it is worked flat, you start from one tip and work to the width of the scarf, before shaping the hood, and then go back down to the tip on the other side. All shaping is done along the edges using increases and decreases (no short rows or anything like that) so to create a larger hood, simply work a few more rows to your desired width, shape the hood, and remember to work as many rows on the length going back down again. This pattern is easily adaptable to any yarn and needle size. I really wanted to indulge in the lush colours and heavenly fibres of Nua Worsted (Merino, Yak and Linen), so I chose to do mine on a 4.5mm needle. The pattern suggests 5mm, so I went for the largest size but with the ‘strethcyness’ and flexibility of the garter, I found it really does not make much difference for the finished size.
With just a couple of ends to weave in – yes, I will be casting on more of these for sure!

Leopard Coat by Pickles
Now, this is not a project for the faint of hearted – it is definitely a ‘labour of love’ kind of thing. The thing is – I am deeply in love with the Leopard Coat, I can’t wait to, and can totally picture myself, wearing it! And that is the kind of motivation that is needed for such a project.
I love the colours of Pickles Big Fuzz, and I really like that it is a chunky Mohair that can be worked on its own, but after all it is a big FUZZ! Fluffy yarns are a challenge coming to colour work as the strands easily tangle up, and you need to be prepared to pay attention keeping them separated and sorted. I normally hold all strands in across my fingers when doing colour work, but when using the Big Fuzz, to keep my floats consistent to the back, I find it easier to work with one strand at the time and rather swap between for each colour section. Doing this I’m creating a beautifully fluffy but even fabric, which is very rewarding in itself, but there is no denying that it takes longer, the flow or rhythm is more abrupt, and it does take me longer to complete each row than it normally would. Impatient as I am, this is why it is crucial for me with a project like this, to really really love it.

I also found that having another project (with a bit more flow) to work at the same time – as a palette cleanser in between – has really helped my motivation as I love coming back to this project after a little break from it. Right now I’ve reached the stage where the colourwork is really coming together, the leopard patterning is now clearly visible and takes more and more form for each row that I finish. And I am totally loving the result!

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