46 Fish

It was a really nice Saturday here in Charlotte today. The temperature was in the 70's but there were enough clouds in the sky that I didn't get too uncomfortable doing some yardwork. I'm declaring war on my lawn. It's in such terrible shape with bare spots, and lots of moss mixed in with the weeds and a little grass. Today I put down the moss gone, and in the next week I'll be seeding some new grass. Hopefully I'll be able to whip it into shape for the summer. I was also working on some flower beds today, working composted leaves into the soil to make it a little more amiable for flowers and herbs. I've got a very satisfied feeling about what I got done today, but there's so much more that I'll need to do. There are still lots of leaves to rake out of flower beds, despite trying to keep up with them over the fall, mulching to be done (my favorite), and a little creative landscaping to figure out to make everything look a little better. I'll have to take it just one day at a time.

Knit-wise, I'm still working on my fish. They've been the perfect project to have tucked into my purse for working on in odd moments at work or wherever I find myself. The purple is going to be on every other fish, with the variegated Koigu ones scattered throughout. I think I need just one more skein of Koigu to have enough of them, but couldn't decide which color I wanted the last time I was at The Needlecraft Center in Davidson. I thought it would be fun to bring in a different color, hence the greenish one, but the purple-blue skein was just so perfect with the main color. Maybe it's too close a match, and the green is better? I can't decide! I have discovered that I've made the fish slightly wrong , though. I've been working increases for the tail on both the right and wrong sides. That's the way I read the German instructions, but I recently ran across the original English (and now I can't find it again... sorry!) and it appears that you're supposed to do the increases only on the right side. So the tails on my fishies are too short! I crocheted a couple of them together to see if they'll still lie flat, and I think it will all be ok.

My other big project lately has been trying to finish my collection of discontinued Rowan yarns for Alice Starmore's Erin cardigan from The Celtic Collection. I'm very nearly there. I've been keeping an eye on ebay, and in the past few weeks have won five auctions to boost my collection. I'm now lacking only two colors, and then I'll be ready to go, at least with the yarn requirements. I'm not sure my fair isle and steeking skills are up to par yet, but hopefully I'll be ready to jump in once I've got it all together. It feels like it's been an epic journey already, and I haven't even started yet!

Comments

[Mandy]

Barbara,
The fish are adorable. They look great crocheted together. I vote green Koigu for a bit of a splash (forgive the pun), but I always vote green when it's an option! Can't wait to see it come together.

[Nicole]

The blanket is going to be super cute. I vote for the purple skein on the left. I think it compliments the others better (but of course, it is always hard to tell on a computer screen).

[Wendi]

I love the fish! What size will this afghan be? That would be a perfect new baby project!
What kind of Rowan yarn are you collecting? It looks like my skeins of Magpie, so if I have any you need, I'm willing to share or trade.
~Wendi

[vanessa]

hey, i just wanted to let you know that my 17 year old dd loved your tweedy cardigan so much i had to order the yarn to make one for her :-)

[diane]

everything ok? have missed your posts.....

[Pam]

Hope you'll return to blogging. Just spent a few minutes running through your finished objects again and really miss your input. You are a lovely knitter and I enjoy seeing what you've done.

[stell from nz]

Love the fish, i have just started my own fish blankie from left over sock yarn and went web surfing to find others. it looks like a great blog, are you able to update the fish report for us please?