First snow fall!

It is getting colder,  the air is fresh and crisp, today is -2c and I absolutely love it.  As a child I always preferred winter over summer, I think in a previous life I must have lived in a cold climate.  Of course, inside the houses are warm and cosy and I have not felt cold at all.

Yesterday I woke up to the ground lightly dusted in snow, my first snow fall since I arrived. My daily walk around the town was as pretty as a picture.

 

Iceland is pretty much the knitting capital of the world, traditionally, men, women and children all knitted and today tourist knitters can find out more by joining a knitting tour around the country.  So I thought I had better try and hone my skills so I don't feel too out of place.  Knitting is probably the one craft/handwork that I have done very little of,  I have been more of a crotcheter (is that a word) having learned that craft in grade 5 primary school.  So...as I needed a hat to keep my ears warm on my walks outside I decided to knit a beany...on circular needles...with the final few rows being knitted with no less than 5 double pointed needles.  Needless (pun intended) to say it has been a struggle...the picture below is of the first attempt, it is a bit small for my big head (the pattern said for medium head, which I thought I was but obviously not!) and also ended up with an unattractive nipple shape at the top.

 So I have begun another one which has already been pulled out and restarted 3 times.  Kristin (Olga's grandmother) eyes my knitting and wonders (I am sure) why on earth it doesn't grow (she would have knitted several jumpers in the time that I have struggled with this one tiny hat).  Knitting needles are rarely out of Kristin's hands as she knits continually children's jumpers and socks for the Red Cross.

However I will persevere, I am determined to master the art and one day be good enough to knit a jumper...stay tuned, however it might take a while!

In the meantime enjoy this 1987 Minneapolis news show on knitting in Iceland. Also have a laugh at the very 80's hairdo of the announcer.