Toscane

One of the things I love most about living in Canberra is winter, with the crisp air, smell of woodsmoke and gorgeous blue skies. However I am not loving winter so much this year. Winter has been kicking my butt. I am so cold all the time, probably from being so sick and having reduced circulation from not moving enough when I was recuperating from my surgery. For the first time in 20 years, I have actually looked forward to summer. And I hate summer.

Last year I made a beautiful charcoal coloured shawl using Elsebeth Lavold Silky Wool, and I've been wearing it constantly on these super cold days we've been having. It is so unbelievable warm and as I still had four skeins of the "Bristol Red" Silky Wool in the stash from when I purchased it last year, I thought it was time to make another big warm shawl to keep my shoulders and neck warm.



This is the Toscane shawl, another pattern by EclatDuSoleil. I really love Helene's patterns, obviously - this is my third of hers and I have plans to make more. She has a real knack for shawl pattern writing.

The pattern recommends using a floufy yarn like alpaca to bring out the bobbles in the stitch pattern, but I went in the opposite direction with a very matte, very textural yarn. I like how it turned out. This shawl will be worn frequently - like it's charcoal cousin, it's warm and cozy. Unlike it's cousin it's RED, my favourite colour.


I think I'm going to wear it tomorrow for an early, cold start to the Old Bus Depot Markets' Creative Fibre Day. I don't do the markets anymore, but Carrie does and she'll be selling my sack bags on her Fibrewebs stall. I've offered to help her out for a couple of hours (and not just because I might get first dibs on her lovely  hand dyed yarn). If you're in Canberra, come along - it's always a great day.