At Last a Return to Knitting Content!

I've finished the panel for the front of the Celtic Tote.

Its an interesting knit. I've done more cabling than any other technique but I've never done cables like these! They are asymmetrical and random, its like knitting someones' sketch or some doodles.

See how many colours there are in some rows on the chart (each colour representing a different cable move)!

You have to watch every right side row and even within rows, every cable twist. Sometimes she splits the cables sometimes one moves over two while its immediate neighbour moves only one. Sometimes pairs of cables move towards each other but then another time they both move in the same direction or one moves while its opposite stays in place. Its brought into sharp focus how much the cabling I've done has been all about symmetry and predictability.

On Ravelry I've read how some knitters have opted to knit the cables symetrically. I now realize the "wonkiness" of the pattern on this bag is what really appeals to me. Following blindly and just seeing how the thing turns out rather than anticipating is also fun.

Its forced me to exercise my knitting brain after a couple of weeks off the needles.

I'm enjoying the Ella Rae yarn's "woolliness" while also its pleasant hand once knitted up.

I think its a very handsome, wintery colour of grey. So different from the pure, lighter grey of the Sheldridge Farm Soft Touch I knit with in the summer.

The Ella Rae Classic has a pleasing, woolly colour variation like undyed natural sheep coloured yarns. I'm pretty sure I have too much so I'm already dreaming about what I'll do with the remainder.

I've also been exercising my rather halting Continental technique on the wrong side rows. True to form my tension tightens up when I'm not fully capable - even though continental should loosen things. I can feel it getting more comfortable as I go so I'm willing to put up with the slightly slower pace for the moment.