New Year, New Challenge

Last year you may recall I took part in the 365 project - aka A Photo a Day.

As I posted my last photo on New Year's Eve, I felt a sense of loss. As well as being delighted that I'd completed it, I already missed it.

The following day I was sat on the sofa knitting with Brits and we got to talking about patterns and designing. I mentioned that I'd played with some ideas and had thought about a designing challenge but never really had confidence in my own ability. Looking at other people's patterns, they looked amazing, delicate, magical almost. I wasn't sure I could achieve that.

However, Brits had her no-nonsense head on and gradually "8" was born.

Basically there are 8 Sabbats throughout the year approximately every 6 weeks. So the challenge is to design a pattern that encompasses that festival, select the yarn and then knit it up.

So the first festival is Imbolc. The first Spring festival. Snowdrops and crocuses are pushing up through the snow. The glimmer of new life signalling the coming of warmer days. I sat in my favourite restaurant a few days later and set about playing with oil pastels to come up with a colour way.

and then I had to think about the pattern. I liked the idea of snowflakes and flowers so set about designing some ideas incorporating those themes.

Meanwhile, I ha to find some yarn. I knew that finding something that would be "perfect" (ie what I'd imagined) was damn near impossible so I approached Laura who owns Abstract Cat. (Remember all my lovely porn?). I asked her if she'd be interested in a commission and she immediately said "Yes". I emailed the colourway over but gave her free rein in terms of application and technique. It proved to be trickier than either of us first imagined, but Goddess love her, she finally got the dye to hold and the wool not to felt on the 4th attempt. This was the result.

When I opened that email the other Sunday, I squeed with excitement and almost cried at how utterly perfect it is. Now all I had to do was formalise the pattern. Eventually I got it to fit together. I actually loved that part of the process. It's a combination of a jig-saw puzzle, maths and something almost alchemical. I tried It out on regular yarn so I could quickly see if I it would work. And it did!

So now I'm knitting this shawl. I'm hoping to have it done by the end of next weekend but I think that realistically, it may take a little longer.

So I'm almost 1 down 7 to go. I'll post pictures of it when it's done and then I get to go through the whole thing again.

x