#needleworkmonday | What's inspiring me right now

Source WiPs for the Bluff Cuff Knit-A-Long with Tribe Yarns. I love all the variations!

This all started with Hive account@gillianpearce and #the100dayproject. At first, I just liked the idea of having a target of creating something every day and then posting about it. It didn't have to be big or ambitious, just something. It looked like fun and I wanted to follow along. I had no idea of participating myself because, well, life, and several many other things going on right now.

I was intrigued and torn. I love texture and embellishment and I was mildly jealous of Hive account@gillianpearce going into her attic every day and creating with scraps and bits of pieces. (When I was volunteering in primary school one time, I was asked what activities I liked. That was easy: cutting and sticking). At the same time, although I love ornamentation, I can't have it around me: the minimalist, shake-off-every-encumbrance aspect of me starts to rear its head.

Is this a consequence of being Pisces? Two fishes tied to each other, swimming in opposite directions?

Anyway, it wasn't a big deal, I was just swimming alongside, being supportive, engaging every now and then (because I love seeing these kinds of initiatives on Hive whether I can take part or not). Until the Day there was a trip north, a lovely landscape, a conversation about travelling with materials, and I was sucked into starting to have ideas myself. Although I was in the midst of packing ready to move, I started pulling out yarns for an idea I'd had. Fortunately, they're all in one small box that I was able to easily add to the luggage.

But ignited and inspired, I started to see it all around me.

The lovely Bluff Cuff Knit-Along above and all the variations. The Stitches pattern below. It's not so much that I would make those things, those patterns, but all the ideas that flowed from them.

Source The Stitches Sweater pattern by Kutovakika. I like the trend for text in knitting.

Tribe Yarns are also having another Knit-A-Long for the CocoKnits (seamless) method of creating a top-down jumper or cardigan. They're using a pattern called Jesse with a shawl collar and cables - it would be fascinating to knit this and learn how to incorporate the cables into the Cocoknits method.

I was taken with a different pattern though, Ruth, which appealed to the retro style I seem to have at the moment - wide-legged, high-waisted trousers and sweaters that skim your contours:

Source Ruth by Cocoknits. I'm not sure whether the edging is garter stitch or rolled stocking stitch. I did try the Cocoknits method before - it's got potential. Like the Bluff Cuff, there's plenty of room for adding your own pattern and colourwork.

I've also enjoyed watching High Fiber Knits over the past few months where Emily, the blogger, is reviewing her experience of knitting - how it's enhancing and whether it is inhibiting her style. She does a lot of research, with mood boards and yarn ideas and how what she is knitting is going to work with other things that she owns. Good for reflecting on my knitting practice.

_{Part of Needlework Monday, the community for everything needles, fibre and fabric (FAQs).}
^{Founded by Hive account@crosheille supported by Hive account@marblely, Hive account@kattycrochet, Hive account@lauramica, Hive account@neumannsalva and Hive account@romeskie.}