Old favourites and new ones

Believe it or not, but I actually have an FO pile. Not as big as my UFO pile, but still. These days the bottleneck is actually the photographing. Curling up with a book or some knitting has been a lot more tempting lately than standing outside with freezing fingers trying to get some good photos of knits in the snow.

I’ve always loved books, and my dad read a lot for me when I was a kid. I actually think he was pretty relieved when I learned to read on my own, but until then I spent hours and hours snuggled up in the sofa while he read for me, the same books over and over again. One of mine, and and I think his definite favourite was the book about Serafin, his friend Plym and the hamster Hercules:

I suddenly remembered this book because I now have another favourite with almost the same name, my new Seraphim shawl! You can tell it is a favourite cause when this picture was taken I had worn it enough for the scalloped edge to need a reblock..

Pattern: Seraphim shawl from MimKnits

Yarn: Little Knits Indie II in burgundy, 2,5 skeins

Beads: Gütermann 9/0 rocailles, colour 5435

Needles: 3 mm circulars and 0.65 mm crochet hook for bead attachment

Size: About 190 cm wingspan and 85 cm long

I added beads to the pattern section using the crochet hook method as I went along. The beads are really small and not visible at the first glance, but I think they add a little extra without much bling. The beads are actually a dark purple, a leftover from one of my first blog entries, the Odessa wristwarmers. But together with the deep burgundy yarn you can’t really tell any difference, and I think red beads would stand out much more, which was not what I wanted. This colour thing never stops to confuse me…!

I cannot say enough good things about this yarn! It is amazing to knit with, blocks like a dream, keeps the shape and shows patterns well, gives a fabric that is light and warm and drapes nicely, and comes at a good price. And a little goes a long way, I had 4 skeins but only used 2 and 1/3 so there is plenty left for a scarf or something else. The only thing I wish for is more available colours, but I have already bought some in silver grey for another shawl.

Since I’m not the dramatic drapey type, at least not most days, I usually wear my shawls tucked around my neck. Then I can get away with wearing something nice and handmade without dressing up like a Victorian lady. A bib is probably more my style..

Coming up next: more book reports. Knitting book reports!