Another panel complete

 Just finished this panel. Need to sew it into place, hence all the ends. All of these colours have the same white wool as the background. I really like the way the colours look with a light background.

Another update

 Do you know how hard it is to come up with a title for each post? I know they all sound the same, but sorry, not sorry.

Anyway, this is, of course, an update on the progress of Iona. I am still working away on the squares, and still enjoying knitting them. I thought I had enough colours, until I went into a shop yesterday, and saw some lovely yarn that just screamed take me home for the blanket. They are going to look so nice together, will give the blanket a really lovely pop of colour. 

The panel I am working on at the moment is with the white as a background. I am trying to alternate between light foreground, and dark foreground. I think it is looking quite good. I will put up a picture once I have this one completed - the panel - not just the current square. 

I have pretty much memorised the pattern, which isn't surprising. i've actually lost count of the number of squares I have knitted. One day soon I will actually count them up, and put up a post, if anyone other that me is interested.

You know, if anyone is reading this, you are allowed to leave a comment. It might help me to know there is some one out there interested in what I am writing.  I know what I am writing isn't all that interesting, but it helps me to keep track of my progress. I can look back and see how I was going on this blanket. I don't usually stay with only one project, usually by now, I would have started a different project. But, I am actually wanting to stay with just this one, and keep up the work on it. Part of that is because each square looks different, what with the colour combinations I am using. As I am working it, I am seeing different ways I can combine the colours.

Still here, just not written in awhile

 I am still working on my Iona. Will get some more pictures up once I have this panel finished. I am going to try something a little different for the next panel. I have heaps of white yarn, so am looking at using it as a background colour. I'm thinking it will look really good with the darker colours. I will need to check what colours I have already used with the white, because I am not ready to double on them yet. I actually don't know if I will need to double on colours. I seem to have more than I thought I did. 

My finger is nicely healed now. I used a diffeent splint, one I made from an ice block kind of stick that I found in a craft box. It worked really well, and allowed me to continue knitting, and to be able to do my job at work. In fact, it felt much better with the new splint, than with the one made from a cotton bud.  I am keeping it, too. You never know, it might come in handy. Not that I intend to hurt my finger like that again, not in any hurry for a repeat performance. 

Gardening is not fun

Well, sometimes it isn't. I have hurt my pinky finger doing the gardening today. I think I may have pushed - if that is the right word - my little finger back a little too far. It isn't broken, but I have come up with a unique splint - a cotton stick/bud - cut in half and taped on either side of my finger. I am hoping I can still knit with my finger wrapped like this. I truly have tried to just sit and read, or sit and watch television. I can't do it. So, good old kiwi ingenuity kicks in. Lets hope this works.   

Final colours

 The final three colours for the blanket have arrived. I will put up a picture of those colours later. Now I just need to keep on making the squares, and sorting out what colours to partner with each other. I need to look at what I have done, and try to make sure I don't mix them together again, unless it is reversed. The current panel has started out with more purple colours, which I quite like. The whole panel won't be like that, as I don't have enough purple. But I might get half of it like that. Again a picture will be taken later, once I have used up all these purples. 

Another panel done

 I have to take these pictures in three now. This is starting to look the way I want it to. The colours are looking good, for me, anyway. Still got a lot of knitting  to do, but the fact that I am sticking to this one pattern says a lot. I usually work on other projects, but want to stay with this one.

Just a little update

 I have been plugging away at Iona, and am happier with the colours that I am now using. As I said in my last post, I am going with colours that make me happy.  Yes, there are some darkish colours, but there are more light ones. 

I did say that my knitting is my voice. It reflects some of me, I like colours, preferably light, bright, colours. I guess that is because I try to be positive. I am not a light, bright person. In fact I have been told I am quite a boring person. I have learnt to accept that.  I know I can't come up with anything witty, but do I really want to? Sometimes I wish I could, I envy those people that can come back with a clever reply. I am surely not one of those. 

I try to see the best in people, always believing that there is something good in most people. I get hurt easily, but that is because I feel things personally too much. I don't really want to harden up, that is not who I am. I may not shed tears in a sad situation, at least not where it can be seen. I usually cry once I get home, or on the way home if I am walking. It's not good to be in tears at work, it can be seen as a sign of weakness. Am I weak? I sure hope not!!!!

Trying to find my voice

 I've been going through a little bad period lately. I feel like no one listens to me, and I don't want to roar to be heard.  When at work, I can say something, but don't get heard - not because I talk to quietly, I am told I talk too loud- but because no one listens to my voice.

In doing the Iona blanket, I thought I could sort of use my voice. I can't explain what I mean, but it makes sense to me. So, I am going to use colours that 'speak' to me, and if others don't like the combo's that I use, then that is their issue. I am going to use colours together that I like. After all, I am the one who will be looking at this blanket. There will be a few darker blocks, but that is because most of us, and myself included, have dark days. But, there will be more lighter squares, and that is because I don't want to be in those dark places for too long. I prefer colour, and mixed colours are even better. So, the blanket is going to reflect that as much as possible. 

It is probably a good thing that no one reads this, because I don't think I have expressed myself very well. I have the ideas in my head, but find it hard to express in person. But, in my head, I use my voice, and my expressions in my voice, putting the emphasis where I want it. Others reading this will use their voice, which is fine by me. It will be interpereted their way, which is what I would expect. I still hope that if anyone reads this, that they will try to understand where I am coming from.

Another panel done

 This is coming along nicely. Now have three panels done. Getting better with the colour selection, too. Actually picking colours I prefer, and not what others might like. After all, this is a blanket for me, so I need to be happy with the way it looks.

Love these two together

 These are both old yarns, and have been in my stash for a while. One good thing about doing this blanket, it is helping me to use my stash of 4 ply yarn. I didn't realize just how much I have.

I like the way they look together. This may be the brightest square in my blanket.

More progress pictures.

 You can see it fits across the bed nicely now. I am working on the length, and don't think it will be too many squares more than the width.