I had to chase a greyhound today. It went up to me in the park, looked adoringly at me, then grabbed a ball of wool and ran away. It did not get very far - not because I am a fast runner (ahahahahaha!) but because its owner was right next to us. According to Lilith, who is wise in the ways of dogs and wool, some dogs react instinctively to the smell of sheep even if they're a nice city-dwelling dog. Guess that tells you just how rustic and just-off-the-sheepsies New Lanark's wool is..
.. yes, I have begun knitting David's sweater and I'm using New Lanark Aran in the "Bramble" colourway. David chose the colour himself, bless him. I have decided to make up my own pattern as most men's patterns are not geared towards a skinny indie kid like David. I'm knitting bottom-up and am yet to decide what to do once I reach the yoke. In other words, so far it is pure stocking stitch in the round. It's not very exciting, but it is plain knitting and rather hypnotic. I'll get it done in plenty of time for our overseas visit to colder climes.
I have also begun a quick little colourwork project. I've long thought back to my favourite sweater ever: a green and red sweater with a cowl which my gran knitted for me when I was twelve or thirteen. Sadly she gave the sweater away to charity when I moved across to the UK (I've always felt the timing was highly suspicious). So I'm trying to create the sweater as colourwork mitts and I'm trying to do this from memory.
I'm using two partial skeins from the stash - Artesano DK and Rowan Felted Tweed - and am enjoying the process a lot. I'm frogging a lot as I'm working out what I want from this project, but it is pretty cool stuff. I'm learning a lot about colour dominance and about the Faroese geometric patterns which inspired the old sweater. Also, ignore the "holes" you see in the top bit of the mitten - they have been fixed.
Finally, I'm going to rip out the first sweater I ever made (rav link). I have worn it three times, it does not fit and I love the yarn and colour so much that it seems an awful shame to let the yarn go unused. So, ten balls of Noro Kureyon in a fabulous purple-pink-charteuse colourway. What would you make? I found this pattern earlier today but I would prefer something with sleeves (it's the Scotland-is-chilly thing) and I'm not sure if I could pull off wearing that top.