Wild and Woolly

Self-indulgence

Daffodils on our mantelpiece...

...and in the garden

The first stirrings of spring are happening at last. Our daffodils and japonica are out and I caught the chickens sun-bathing on the back lawn yesterday - their wings spread out and eyes half closed in blissful doziness. I, too, am looking forward to two weeks of self-indulgence now that school has broken up. Well, as much as is possible with three teenagers also home for the holidays. I managed virtually a whole day of work on the Hunter Jacket. I have knit all the pieces but the finishing (sewing together, knitting on button borders and collar) is taking a lot of slow careful attention. The borders are all folded-over hems, the collar with short-row shaping - so it is a highly 'finished' garment. The result is looking fabulous and fits beautifully, so hopefully I will have pictures to post tomorrow.

As a break from all the sewing up, I decided to start on my next project which is the Tea Leaves Cardigan by Melissa LaBarre. This is the antithesis of the Hunter Jacket in terms of construction - knit top-down, on a circular needle, with knitted-on sleeves and no sewing up at the end! The yarn I am using is Dream in Color Classy (Purple Rain): absolutely gorgeous, rich colour and a high squidge factor.

Put the kettle on...

 

 

 

Cockadoodledoo!

                              

Result!  The big news this morning was that 'Maggie' (formerly called 'Roxy'!) had laid an egg! Everyone was very excited but particularly George, as you can see from the picture (she's his hen).  We opened the hen house door this morning to see if our girls wanted to come outside and they all did. The kids drew up a chair and sat and hen-watched!

                            

And then the postie came with my Interweave Knits magazine and the tote bag I had ordered from Ravelry - great!

                           

I'm waiting for this evening to have a good look through the magazine, but on first inspection I like the Windowpane Coat but I'm not sure if I'd get round to knitting it before the winter.  More realistic might be the Dumpling Bags - love the design and love the name!

The chicken has landed

                                 

Our hens arrived this afternoon!  We went to choose them at Fosters poultry farm yesterday and the hens, coop, run, food and other bits and pieces were delivered today.  The children have a chicken each: George has 'Roxy' a Black Rock, Hatty has 'Audrey' a Silver Link and Hannah has 'Phoebe' a Light Sussex (pictured below).  They are beautiful birds, now tucked up in the hen house settling in.  We have to perch train them over the next few days and also get some electric 'pony' tape to protect the run from Mr. Fox.

                              

I also managed to persuade to Chris to let me take some pictures of him in his Cobblestone Pullover, which I finished back in July.

                              

Pattern: Jared Flood in Interweave Knits Magazine, Fall 2007; knit in Debbie Bliss Donegal Luxury Tweed.  More details and more pictures on Ravelry.  If you don't know Jared Flood's designs, have a look at them on http://brooklyntweed.blogspot.com/.  He has a great eye for shape and fit and which wools, even which colours, will suit a particular garment.  And his photography shows his work to great advantage.