knitting neels

So, that book I was telling you about finally arrived. I immediately fell down that dark rabbit hole of hexagons, triangles and circles.

This is the best crochet motif book I have found yet. It has colour photos throughout. It is divided into sections – circles, hexagons, squares, triangles and ‘unusual shapes’ such as rectangles, pentagons and hearts (Pentagons are a lot of fun to work but anybody who is a fan of Norah Gaughan will know that when you start putting pentagons together, they won’t lay flat). Each motif has its own page with both written instructions (American terms) and charted instructions. The charts are very clear and easy to follow. There is also a lot of really good advice at the beginning, including different methods to work corners and to join motifs together. My favourite aspect of the book is this: it is spiral bound!

The only drawback to it is that I have been working from this book as well. The squares from this book yield a uniform 4″x4″ square, whereas the squares and hexagons from Beyond the Square are more 3″x3″. I think I will need to do sit down and plan it all out. Well, it’s something I probably should do but I sort of like the idea of making lots and lots of different motifs, whatever takes my fancy, and seeing how they all fit together later.

There are a few things I need to do today that I will be glad to get done. One is a sock. Another is a funding application for some concerts I am trying to organise for August. Yet another involves sewing on two measly buttons and finding an envelope. But my to-do list isn’t nearly as interesting as this: a sale! It starts at 6pm tonight, in both shops. I will be in one of them this evening so… can somebody please come and buy the Rowan 4ply soft in that delicious brown so that I can remain a pure and untempted knitter?!