Hello, yes i am still here.. despite the best-laid plans I hardly posted last year. Somehow as I get older my voice is quieter, I don’t have much to say sometimes!
We are beginning to see slightly longer days, thank goodness. I don’t think unless you live on an equal or more northern latitude than us here in Shetland that you can truly appreciate the doom of the darkness. It makes it so hard to get up in the morning and likewise tricky to get the enthusiasm to do anything once you get home from work.
A couple of weeks ago was Lerwick Up Helly Aa, the biggest of Shetland’s annual winter fire festivals – we haven’t had it since 2020 so the flames were appreciated. Of course, most of Lerwick including me got covid after it…
BUT I have survived and now every day gets longer and brighter!
One thing I have done that I can tell you about is a Hat pattern using the motifs from my Roosty Tank Top, it’s funny – once you design a pattern (by that I mean a motif and colour scheme) you think oh this would look good on a hat or socks or mitts etc but me personally I rarely, if ever, knit the same thing twice. Even less likely is for me to do the same colours, but I still think those thoughts and once enough time has passed sometimes I can go back – especially if I develop a new colourway! so that’s what I did and the Roosty Beanie is the result:
Of course, I still used 2ply Jumper Weight from J&S. One version uses my original colourway from the tank top, featuring blues and rusts but I wanted to do another and kept one colour (1281) the same, just changing the others. It was successful I think, my knitting and designing have fallen to the back burner a bit over the past couple of years but I still feel the urge sometimes! You can find the pattern on Ravelry, payhip or lovecrafts if you are so inclined.
As an aside if you were interested in my use of colour, I recently wrote a post for Kate Davies Allover club series, you can find it here.
So I will try to not keep it too long before you hear from me again, speak soon xx
ella gordon 
SO SORRY you got Covid. You’d think the Fire would have burned it all OFF. I LOVE the browns in your hat. Thank you for the different colorway.
Hello,
Your work is so beautiful. Do you ever sell your work or make custom sweaters or vest?
Thank you,
Shase Hockey
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Ella, You are one of the quiet people who always have valuable, interesting, creative things to say that I love to hear. I live in northern climes too where the shortest day of the year has great meaning and the dark is something we all dread too. So grateful we are on the opposite side again for a time. So grateful to hear from you and see your wonderful work! Thank you for sharing it with us. It is well worth the wait. Terrie
I LOVE the new color way!! It is absolutely gorgeous! I’m also sorry you got Covid, hope you are fully recovered.
I know the dark of Winter from when I lived in Ireland, and you are way farther north than that! I’m also glad the days are getting longer now, and I live in New Mexico, USA!
Beautiful colours and pattern. I love the natural and rust colourway. Can’t wait to make it! Thank you. Better to not rush because your talent gets better every year. Just have to wait for it.
Interesting that I checked for a blog entry tonight after having seen your beautiful design on Ravelry in the SWW group. Hope you’re feeling much better and will enjoy the longer days. I especially enjoyed your post for Kate’s Allover Club.
I hope to have my Roosty tank top finished in time for my holiday to Shetland in May! I may even do a matching beanie, but it will have to go on the to-do list….. x
Hello Ella..love your new hats…I always feel like an animal coming out of hibrination when early spring starts to show itself
It’s been an exceptionally dark winter here in Toronto , Ontario , Canada with very few days of sunshine, and I struggle to find my creativeness
Am glad you are starting to find yours…hats for us all to enjoy
Cheers and happy knitting ..Patricia J
Really glad to hear from you, Ella! You are such a sweet person and even if you don’t feel like you’re ‘producing’ a lot, you are so valued. Hope to come visit someday xx lots of hugs to you
Wow, love that crown! Never worry about your ‘productivity’ Ella…..it’s quality that counts, all the way❤️