A New Year

There’s been a lot of changes in 2011 for me, the people around me, and the world. It’s been a memorable year but generally not for the right reasons. It ended on a high note though and I have great hopes for 2012.

So what happened to me last year?

• I lost one gentle, relaxing job and started up a harder, more stressful job for the same pay.
• People around me fell ill or faced the possibility of illness.
• I got IIH, an unpleasant condition that meant I had to put off moving to Canada for three months.

Most importantly, though,

• I moved to Canada!

Yep, that’s right, after years of wanting I’m finally in the land of mounties and maple leaves. As I type this I’m sat in the mountains of British Columbia surrounded by some absolutely lovely people (and cats). Finally I’m where I want to be. In a few days I’ll be moving to Oshawa in Ontario where Nari and I will be looking for jobs and an apartment together. It’s like a dream come true and believe me, it’s a dream I’ve had for a long time. Pretty much as long as I remember.

None of this has anything to do with knitting or craft on the surface but believe me, internally it does. Because of all the shifts and changes in the last year I’ve spent a lot of time concentrating on getting better at knitting. I’ve learnt a lot of new skills and I’m proud of how far I’ve come.

New Skills

• Long-tail cast on – which I now use for everything
• Stockinette stitch – or rather, how to do it neatly.
• Knitting in the round
• Jeny’s surprisingly stretchy bind off – perfect for ribbed things
• Simple lace (usually lace rib)
• Increases and decreases of various sorts
• How to find and use vintage patterns

Major projects completed

• Mittens for Tamara
• Headband for my big sister
• Socks for Nari (my first complete and functional pair)
• Crochet shawl
• Hat for mum
• Escapism mitts for me (my proudest achievement so far)
• A beret for Jen

The majority of these were made in the tail end of the year while I was lying in bed or otherwise compromised with this delightful illness. I’m mostly better now and coming off my pills (although it is technically incurable) so I’ll be working soon and will have less time to knit. I don’t intend to let this stop me.

I’m going to post tomorrow about my major knitting resolution for 2012.

How has your year been?

Renaissance Dyeing

Natural dyers of fine embroidery threads – Renaissance Dyeing.

Once in a while I’ll come across a site I simply have to share. It’s not because I’m sponsored by them or anything – this blog is purely free range – but because I’m so stunned by what they have to offer that I keep the tab open for days just to occasionally flick through and see the gorgeous things they produce.

This is one of them. Renaissance Dyeing is a company that uses traditional dyes to produce modern yarn. Their reasoning sounds pretty sensible:

Plant and natural dyes give a light and tonal vibrance to your work that cannot be matched by staid chemical dyes and they help not only protect you and yours but the environment as well.

I have to agree with them. Their colours are sublime. Take a look at some of their designer knitting kits such as the Urban Troubadour which is a gorgeous pattern with rich yet not overpowering colours suited perfectly to one another.

2012 is the year I’m going to learn to spin and dye my own yarn, just you watch; sites like this inspire me. I can’t promise I’ll be starting out with vegetable dyes but it’s certainly not something I’d considered much before and this company has changed that. Especially since you can order the extracts online to dye this way!

I stumbled on the site looking for yarn made from Poll Dorset sheep’s fleece, a breed that originated in my county. I stayed for the beautifully rich colours and the ethos of the entire site.

Since I can’t afford these wonderful goods on such a small budget right now, I’m hoping someone can buy some so I can live vicariously through you!