As I said...

...it wouldn't be long until the Eyelet Cardigan is done, and it is!


Eyelet Cardigan by Allison Williams (Blue Sky Alpaca Pattern)
Blue Sky Alpaca Dyed Cotton - Tomato, about 3 1/2 skeins
US 7 Needles
Buttons - plain light wood from AC Moore
No pattern modifications!

Happy! It was fun to knit and well written overall. It was a fairly quick knit - there were 5 pieces (the back, 2 arms, front panels) and, maybe not the back, but all of the other pieces could each be knit in an evening (uninterrupted). And it fits, buttoned and unbuttoned, nicely! I like cropped tops, but I am always a bit weary - you know how they hang off of the curve of your back, making you look much more osteoporotic than you really are? Not this one, the ribbing keeps it snug (not too snug though!). The buttons are a bit plain, but I think that they work. This was my first button project, and is it really hard to find nice buttons? I ended up getting these at a big box store, not excting, they had a pretty meager selection. I looked at 2 yarn stores, and they had a lot of kiddie-swirly-colorful glass buttons - not my style and not for this project, I just wanted a plain, nice, wooden button. Any suggestions for the future?

Now, onto the Central Park Hoodie, thats coming along quickly too!

Drumroll....

... I've purchased the extra yarn and it won't be long now before the eyelet cardigan is done!

(Blue Sky Alpaca Dyed Cotton - Tomato)
And, this weather? I think its going to cooperate for this sweater: I saw this as a perfect cool summer evening sweater, well ... technically, its fall but I am at the shore now and its been in the 80s (upper 80s) all week! I went to the beach yesterday! (Don't be too angry - I had my boards books with me, no leisurely flipping through magazines)

Of course, I didn't work on my WIPs during this yarn procurement time, but it has been premier week on TV so I had to be working on
something...

...the Foilage hat from the current Knitty (in Malabrigo worsted weight, US 7 needles). I love this hat, and the yarn - it is a bit fuzzy, but its so soft and I love the blues - see the white stripes at the bottom of hat/ribbing? I love that too! There is a bit of pooling at the top, but who will see that? The pattern isn't great for mindless knitting, it requires some concentration at the beginning until you get to the body and repeat sections (I had to rip back a few times, premier week=new TV shows and too much paying attention to the TV).

This = weakness - I had seen this pattern when the new knitty came out, but I became compelled after seeing examples of it on ravelry. Thats one of my favorite things about ravelry: you can see examples of everything, and so quickly after its published. I used to google image all the patterns, but that was a bit of a pain (how many pictures of leaves would this have elicited?).

OK, now I am going to focus on CPH while working on the Clap-o-tee during periods requiring concentration, alternating with the Jaywalkers and Soltice slip socks, and of course getting Roza #2 done in the meantime! How does that sound?

I did knit from the stash though!

No one will ever see....

I love fall! Its my favorite season, pumpkin spice latte, the leaves changing colors, the cool weather (I am NOT a heat person). Its the time of year to get the sweaters back out for those cool (not cold enough for a coat yet) evenings, and look what has come out of summer hibernation (who wants to knit with tweedy wool when its 90 out?)

Central Park Hoodie (Back) from KnitScene
Cascade 220 Heathers
US 8 needles
In addition to the lovely weather change, I was inspired by this - and its a first sweater too! Just one thing, see what the needle is pointing at? I think that the hood will cover it up, right? No one will ever see....

Wahhhhhhhh!

Exactly 3 skeins of yarn (the recommended amount - yes, I got gauge first) and....

...THIS! Out of Yarn. Wah! I am decreasing for the shoulder of the second arm of the eyelet cardigan, and then just have the finishing/trim to do. If only I had knit on 6s instead of 7s, or not made the ribbing at the bottom of the sweater 4 1 /2" as recommended (3 or even 4 inches would have been fine, really).
And my car needed all sorts of repairs out of the blue when all that I took it in for was an oil change and its still not done 24 hours later, and its still 90 degrees out, and... WAAAHHHHHH!

Oh well, I guess I will have to go online and order up some more, and I might as well get yarn for the blue version of the Tartan Scarf from Rowan 42, and then I can get buttons, and .... (what else!)

OK. Back on task. Reality - I have too many projects that I am working on now. Here's whats cooking:

Stiches are being dropped on the Clapotis - very exciting!


Salina has been cast on (Chief approves) - its just too hot to knit with felted tweed now


The Jaywalker heel has been turned (Sock #1)

and the Central Park Hoodie has gone past the swatch, finally - I have about 2 inches of ribbing.

and I have a still lonely Roza's Sock #1 (its knit on 0s, so it takes a lot of motivation for me) and a start on the Soltice Slips from last month's Rockin Sock Club.

I guess I'll have to work on one of these in the meantime...I was just so close to being done!

bad blogger

Maybe I can redeem myself with a pretty picture from what was keeping me from blogging?

This is the NJ shore, it was beautiful weather last week and I had a nice time there. Oh, and I'm done with residency! I probably would have had a nice time anywhere knowing that, but it was nice to be at the shore relaxing, watching the US Open ...

...and knitting! Sun and sand (the beach) aren't conducive to knitting with wool, but I'm not much for sitting in the sun, roasting (I burn and get headaches anyway - wah!), so I had some good porch time enjoying the breezes (aren't ocean breezes the best?). I'll post again soon, there will be knitting pics (all sorts of exciting things have happened: I am almost done with the cardigan, I started dropping Clapotis stiches, and I turned heel #1 on my first Jaywalkers).