Spring 2019

It's not that I'm lacking inspiration it's that I've plain too many ideas and limited time/energy/focus. First step I'm going to try listing out the ideas until they feel less overwhelming. Second step I pick one and gosh darn stick to it.

26/05/2019

I May Have Improved

So here we are at the end of spring. I have succeeded in one update, which I'll talk about in a moment. I have a handful of other patterns ready to go once I write them up, so let's call it a win.

For the past few months I've been working around the theme of birds. I like birds. I was in the young ornithologists’ club as a kid, grew up near a RSPB bird reserve, and still get a kick every time I see a little egret on the walk into work. Specifically I’ve been thinking about song birds which are small and theoretically take a lot less knitting. I worked out a basic small bird body shape and have been tweaking it for a range of garden species.

But that’s not the update I’ve written up this quarter.

See, patterns I understand and patterns anyone else might understand are different things and I’m still trying to figure out the best way to write out the colour changes and leg structures of the complicated critters. I was partway through a wren design (that I’m really proud of by the way) when I noticed the only other pattern I currently have in my birds folder is this, the wing feather...

...and I was not happy with it. I’m hoping it’s a sign that I’ve improved as a knitter that I could look at this design and instantly think of a better way to go about it. Therefore, over the last two days I’ve done a new feather design, this time in both wing and tail feather varieties. It’s quicker to knit, looks better, and still works as a fantasy themed pen cosy. Here it is, wing feathers on the left and a tail feather on the right.

Doesn't that look more feathery? Here’s another shot of the quill, ready to be used. Slightly smaller wool and bigger needles made this feather is a bit floppier than the rest of the ones I knitted. Still like the effect though.

I’m still not sure if I’m going to delete the wing feather pattern that I’m unhappy with or leave it up as a historical record.