Changing Seasons - Time for more knitting

Madainn mhath!

We returned from a long visit to Iowa at the end of September.  We met up with my friend JoAnne and then the two of us took off for Shetland Wool Week. That's another email. I've been home now for a week, getting settled back into our routine only to leave Thursday for Nova Scotia. Mornings when we leave the house it is definitely chilly.  I pull out my wool coat and am very happy for my wooly mittens, a shawl and a wool hat.  This morning, Sunday, was another brisk one with snow visible on Ben Wyvis. Yesterday we were in Strathpeffer for a guild gathering - spinning and chatting and the afternoon weather was brilliant just like this afternoon.  The seasons are definitely changing, the trees are turning, the hay is being harvested and the golden autumn sunshine shines on our walks.  Today we walked along the canal and found a good number of tasty blackberries still on the brambles, rosehips on the canes and a tree with some lovely crab apples. Down towards the end of the canal where it joins the Beauly Firth we enjoyed watching the birds (herons, curlews, waders) and a surprise viewing of a pair of otters!

Ben Wyvis looked beautiful this morning with the snow as we crossed the Victorian footbridge walking into church. It will not get as cold here as in Iowa, but I will still be clad in wool.

This summer I was part of Kate Davies' Summer of Mystery Knit Club.  We read several Margery Allingham mystery novels featuring Albert Campion. How did I never hear of her before, growing up on British mysteries? I still prefer Agatha Christie, but I have enjoyed reading her books and I enjoyed many of the knitting patterns which are now available on Ravelry. I am currently wearing a pair of Slippers Bellew and my Sunset Article is a favorite new shawl knit from a collection of left-overs and a skein of blue found at the charity shop where I volunteer. I have just finished my Goff Place mystery shawl, appropriately for a mystery series, this was a MKAL knit with Milarrochy Tweed, Kate's flagship yarn. I have not used it before but since it comes from the same country and she tempted us with a discount I went for it and have enjoyed working with it.

Now I am back from Shetland Wool Week and have my new Annual Shetland Wool Week Annual 2024 I am deciding which pattern to work up.  I also picked up a couple lace stole patterns from Elizabeth Williamson after attending an evening talk with her and her mother Betsy. Well, that decision will wait till we have returned from Nova Scotia and I wonder what I will find there?

Knitting for Canada is a gansey for my husband with yarn from Caithness and spindle spinning with fiber from Shetland

Enjoy your Autumn crafting and keep yourself warm

Rebecca ann an Alba

(Rebecca in Scotland)