Lockdown knitting

 After over 6 months of no community cases, we had a case of the Delta variant in the community on 17 August.  We had already been told that as soon as there was any Delta we would be in lockdown.  6 hours after the announcement we were in the hardest level of lockdown.  Only essential workers can go out to work, and trips out are limited to essentials - supermarkets, pharmacies, doctors, testing and vaccinations.  You can walk for an hour in your area but only with people in your bubble.  People living alone can only form a bubble with one other person who also lives alone.

It was good that we went into lockdown early as the affected case had been to a lot of highly populated places, these people have become infected who have also been to a lot of places.  After 2 weeks the majority of cases are in Auckland with a few in Wellington.  From Wednesday the rest of the country goes to level 3 with Auckland and Northland remaining in level 4, probably for another 2 weeks.

I've been trying to maintain my fitness regime by joining a 6 week challenge through Les Mills on Demand.  Also the trainers at my own gym are running regular facebook training, done from their homes.  Nice to see familiar faces when you live on your own and aren't going to see anyone for weeks.

And of course, I've got lots of knitting done.

I have a HO.  

This is a shorty vanilla sock that I just had the toe in last time.  I've started the second sock, have done the toe and part way up the foot.

I have progress on my other Dear Bjorn sock

Misurina is coming along

As is Ranunculus

And Cragside

Stephen West's mystery shawl starts in October.  I wasn't going to do it this year as I have the 52 Weeks of Shawls and there are a lot in there I want to make.  However being in lockdown has given me the urge to join in the MKAL.  Though I hope we'll be at level 2 by October.  Another reason to do it, is I should finish Cragside by then so will be looking at another shawl to cast on.  

He starts releasing clues next week.  I'm hoping that even though I am in Level 4, if I order yarn from someone in Level 3 it can be delivered.  Not sure what the rules are around that.  I'll be keeping an eye out for NZ dyers that are doing kits.

Finishes, hos and new starts

 It's been a while since my last post and I've got quite a different rotation on my needles.

Off the needles is the Pirta cardigan

I shoud have made a size bigger.  However it is perfectly wearable. However I am disappointed in the Passioknits yarn as it is pilling terribly after just a few wears.  I am wearing it as an around the house cardi so it doesn't matter too much.

Also off the needles is a long term scrappy project, the Modular Inlay Wrap by Stephen West.

The colours are a bit crazy as it was made from leftovers, but this is for around the house. It is a large wrap so I can wrap up very warmly in this.

So with a few finishes, I could cast on some more

My main project is the Misurina top by Boyland knitworks aka Caitlin Hunter.

The golden yarn for this is Mitch in Legacy from Skeinz, the purply/red is Sangria by Ashford.

I did my first tubular cast on in this.  I'm loving that it has lace, cables and colourwork.  But done in fingering, I feel like this yoke is taking forever.  This is progress after 2 weeks.

Another sweater cast on is the ever popular Ranunculus.  I've seen so many beautiful makes of this and there seem to be so many knitalongs going on, I thought I really needed to try it.  It can be made short sleeve, long sleeve, in summer weight or winter weight, or fingering and mohair.  So many options.

I am again using Ashford 4 ply in Sangria for this.  This is progress after 2 weeks.

I cast on another shawl from 52 Weeks of Shawls.  This is Cragside.

Cragside is named after a country estate in Northumberland.  I lived in Newcastle until I was 18 and visited Cragside.  After emigrating my mother returned to the UK for a holiday and visited Cragside and bought me back a metal engraving from Cragside.  It still hangs in my home.  So other than the fact that I loved the shawl, I had a sentimental reason for wanting to knit it.  

This is knit in yarn from YeahYeah yarn.

I have a HO from 52 Weeks of Socks.  This is Dear Bjorn and second sock is started.

And another vanilla sock is started.

This is in the colourway Penzance by Kiwiyarna.  Something about her yarns that I love.