Things I am knitting and things I have knitted

08/12/201505/01/2016 / Anna / Leave a comment

It’s cold outside and in. My evenings are more free than they have been for a while. I have no great urge to be outside in the dark nights. This can only mean one thing: knitting.

When I’m busy working daytime and evening it’s hard to switch off for what little free time there is. In an effort to make the most of the restless energy I have at those times, I like to knit. It’s a productive act, but also one which takes me away from the computer screen. The same could be said of washing the dishes, but that’s much less fun. Here’s some things I’ve been working on for the past while.

Up-top is the pattern Grizzly by the Brown Stitch. My mum gave me some balls of lopi wool a while back (thanks, mum!) and I’ve had them waiting for a pattern to find them. And there it is! I love it already and am really enjoying knitting it. I’ve been pleased with the last few things I’ve finished, though haven’t loved the process so I’m extra-enjoying this one.

Hermaness Worsted by Gudrun Johnston. This I knitted with New Lanark aran yarn, leftovers which I’ve had in my stash for years. A nice pattern, though I felted it every-so-slightly as I blocked it, so it’s not shown off to its best.

Take Heart by Fiona Alice. This pattern was the only thing I bought at Edinburgh Yarn Festival, after seeing a lovely version of it at the designers’ stall. It’s probably my most favourite hat I’ve ever knitted. The cables represent a major knitting achievement for me – I neither enjoy knitting cables nor am I very good at them – so those with the pompom = joy. The first attempt at a pompom for this – my first pompom since I was wee – resulted in one virtually the size of my noggin so it’s hanging up on the wall instead. The one pictured is slightly more manageable.

After in excess of a year knitting it, I finally finished this hap. The pattern is A Hap for Harriet by Kate Davies. I really, really love the finished result of this, though I found the knitting a slog. I bought the yarn in Harris on a family holiday a few years ago. It’s lovely.

All projects ravelled here.

Cianalas

09/03/2015 / Anna / 2 Comments

Being back in the city grind and with a few weeks of no escape, I can’t help but think of the landscape and open stretches of the Highlands and Islands. The word cianalas about sums up how I’m feeling at the moment. A combination of homesickness, melancholy, and general longing for a place or, as in my case just now, places and culture. Day-to-day life in Edinburgh doesn’t afford me the opportunity to be as immediately absorbed in Gaelic culture and heritage as I was in the islands so I need to be making more of an effort. It seems fitting that on a dreich day in the city the only word that sums up how I’m feeling is a Gaelic one.

Cianalas – kʲiənəLəs – ke-en-alas.

Photos from misc. places in Uist, about this time last year.

Elsewhere, mostly unrelated:

Edinburgh Yarn Festival is coming up; I’m really looking forward to it.
The Danish Diaspora exhibition in Haddington looks very much worth a visit (Nikolai and Beka Globe’s Mission House Studio in Harris is wonderful).
Ernest journal is a relatively new find for me but I’m enjoying it very much.

Distractions

13/01/201513/01/2015 / Anna / 6 Comments

As the pile of job applications keeps growing and as my annual Winter cold takes an ever stronger grip on my sinuses, I thought I’d take a minute or two to round up some things I’ve been enjoying recently. There surely is no soul on this earth who enjoys filling in job applications with or without a cold.

It’s just a few days ’til the launch of Celtic Connections in Glasgow. It’s always a feast of interesting, challenging and inspiring music and with some of the best horo-gheallaidh you could ask for in the Festival Club. I can’t wait!

BA2 I recently read The Silent Weaver by Roger Hutchinson and was reminded of the beautiful and enigmatic works of Angus MacPhee. Some of these are on display in Kildonan Museum in South Uist; I’ve spent a lot of time entirely transfixed by them. The Silent Weaver does justice to the man and his work as well as setting it within the wider context of mental health care in the 20th century.

A winter walk to see in the New Year. We took a trip north, enjoying the snow, trees and frosty landscapes of the uplands around Blair Atholl. I love Perthshire at this time of year. Photos in this post from that walk.

Yesterday heralded the old new year (interesting article by Angus Peter Campbell in the link) so with that I wish you all bliadhna mhath ùr.

Snàth at Uist Wool

05/10/201404/10/2014 / Anna / 1 Comment

I mentioned Uist Wool a while back and some of the impressive work they’re doing. Recently, as part of the Hebtember season of events they had on show Snàth. The exhibition is a celebration of where they’ve reached so far in their wool production, and drawing upon the skills of creative folk from across the Outer Hebrides. The items on show – ranging from practical outerwear to upholstery – are a perfect blend of environment, landscape and substance.

It’s an excellent showcase for the wonderful skills of craftspeople in the islands. Testament to the quality of the product being produced, the tweed woven by Rebecca Hutton Taobh Tuath Tweeds, using the Uist Wool yarn, was given the Orb. I continue to be full of admiration for those working here and what they’re achieving. I cannot wait until their yarns come on sale next year.

Of all that was on show perhaps my most favourite was the exquisite Eriskay geansaidh. It had just arrived on the day we visited and it made me squeal with delight seeing it. A thing of beauty perfectly encapsulating tradition, heritage and, ultimately, practicality. I’m rapidly becoming more obsessed with these geansaidhean. I *must* knit one. One day.

(excuse the terrible photo – I was far too excited to think of taking a remotely decent one)

Ursula

24/11/201323/11/2013 / Anna / Leave a comment

This is the first bit of knitting I’ve done in a while from beginning to end, and not abandoned half-way through. These have been a joy to make, as well as pleasingly using up leftovers of other yarn. I bought this yarn in Oban years ago, after an amazing holiday to Mull and Ardnamurchan. I chose the colours then as they reminded me of the colours on the hillsides that had surrounded me. Happily, those same colours are surrounding me here on Uist at the moment.

Pattern: Ursula Mittens by Kate Davies

yarn

uiseag

Gaelic heritage • landscape • environment

craft