I'm taking part in the Rowanette "Hearth and Home" exchange along with lots of other bloggers as well as people who don't blog but use the time more productively for knitting! Rather inappropriately though, I'm making a Debbie Bliss design cushion in Debbie Bliss yarn. I must have a thing for pink cushions because I made this one for a previous Rowanette exchange:
That would be the Embellishment Exchange: what year was that? 2003? It's knitted from four Debbie Abrahams blanket squares in oddments of Rowan Handknit DK cotton. The beads are quite chunky glass ones, my husband took great pleasure in pointing out that if you went to sleep on this cushion you could end up with an imprint of a heart on your face, and actually tested his theory too. I hope it's still happy in its home in the USA, prints or otherwise.
This time I'm going for something more plain and simple as I think that would suit my recipient. I seem to be doomed to knit in discontinued yarns but I did find some Cotton Silk Aran on offer for a great price, so I could make one of these simple two-tone buttoned cushions from Debbie Bliss Number Three.
Goodness, how it splits! I have never encountered a splitting yarn before, and had bravely thought that my knitting style must avoid it, but I've battled with three sorts of needles before finding that (as usual) Addi Turbo's suit it best. I had to steal the 4.5mm one from another project on the needles - do you ever do that, knitting a furtive row onto a less favoured needle?
The knitted fabric is even and vibrant though, and I hope it will stand up well to household wear and tear. This colour is a magenta purple which will be teamed with a contrast band and buttons ... to be revealed later!
My target is to finish this project by the end of June so I might actually manage it by mid July. I've borrowed the videos (yes, some of us still use VHS) of last winter's BBC adaptation of Bleak House from my in-laws, who painstakingly recorded each episode in order, which is about eight hours of viewing. I'm going to try to watch and knit each evening for one episode after the children have gone to bed. (Stop sniggering, all you parents). I cannot find anything I want to watch in real time on TV these days except "Lost". In fact my attempts to follow Bleak House when I missed three out of four episodes made it a bit like Lost - far too many characters and unanswered questions). If Bleak House runs out it will be back to Lord of the Rings again.
Damn, I am pretty sure that you are not knitting for me. Without prejudice to the person who is, do you think I could swap? I love those cushions and I really like that yarn too (splitting and all). They've got some on sale at Elann and I've been toying with the idea of getting some although I have been good so far. A.x
Posted by: Amelia | June 25, 2006 at 06:39 PM
Last year's cushion looks lovely, I'm sure this year's will be loved too. I am about halfway through my exchange gift but still feel nervous, this will be my first exchange.
Posted by: Rebecca | June 20, 2006 at 10:37 PM
I remember seeing that cushion at Libertys before it went to its new home, it was absolutely beautiful. Good luck with Bleak House and the knitting after the children are in bed!
Sarah
Posted by: Sarah | June 12, 2006 at 10:46 AM
hi sam, beautiful cushions! ive lost my exchange details ,and have had to ask polly for them,[ bet shes annoyed with me]am still battling on with wi competion piece, will show you when i see you next, we are meeting on weds 21st june, so hopefully will see you then? dx
Posted by: donna | June 09, 2006 at 10:26 PM