celebrating a shawl with a hike

"Mamma, I picked flowers for you!" ... and that face. Love!

This one got some flowers as well, wearing a sweater I knit for him. Love!

Well, my wish for brighter skies did not come true but it didn't really matter. Today was a national holiday (religion-related, this time) and so we invited Úlfurs friend Sóla for a sleepover and then took the kids for a nature hike in Heiðmörk. I ended up taking way too many photos of leaves and trees because every sign of how nature is waking up just thrilled me. The children were delighted, pretending to be in an enchanted forest, looking for dwarfs and wolves and picking flowers for us. We climbed up a hill, stroller and all, and once we got to the top we had a much anticipated snack. Then Oddur and me could also photograph my new shawl a little bit, in spite of the already mentioned lacking of good light. 

Red Rock Canyon MKAL

Pattern by Romi Hill

Yarn: Juno Fibre Arts Milly Singles in colorways "Canopy" and "Deep Sea"

Needles: 3.75 mm

I am absolutely baffled that I made this! It is such a fine knit lace and so huge - it didn't seem like that on the needles, I tell you. Of course, I love it. The colors work so beautifully together and fit the pattern perfectly too, in my opinion. I've been wearing it more or less since it was washed and blocked. I'm wearing it now, in my pajamas, as I type this post. (I'm contemplating wearing it to bed, although that's probably where I'll draw the line). Many thanks to Romi Hill for designing and hosting this MKAL, and also to my friend Linda who let me wash it and block in her home, with her skilled and experienced supervision... and far away from my children's curious hands. 

I'd recommend mystery knit alongs to every knitter, it's fun and exciting and I think they really help with trying new skills without the chance of dreading it. I already did another one earlier this year and I'll probably do more in the future. Also, I do not regret my New Years resolution of more selfish knitting in 2014 - the joy of keeping beautiful things once they are finished is surprisingly close to the joy of giving them away :) 

I'll be back with more soon - but now I have to get back to the granny square blanket. A bientot!