Sweater!

Here is my finished alpaca sweater:

Yarn: Henry's Attic Prime Alpaca , 665 yd/227 g, 2 skeins, colorway Charcoal. It was a bit of a pain to work with--splitty and with no give in that alpaca way--but the resulting fabric is divine and the sweater is soft, warm, and lightweight.


Pattern: Of my own devising, based on measurements from the The Knitter's Handy Book of Sweater Patterns. (It's a set-in sleeve, adapted V-neck cardigan. If that helps.) I added some details like the slight bell sleeve and the cross-over front. I'm particularly fond of the absolutely luscious buttons:


They're a modern rework of a 1930s vintage design. *loves*

And here it is on:


The fit is better than that pattern would have you believe. The shoulders are perfect, which is a big improvement from the Boyfriend Sweater debacle.

Here is me being silly, but you can really see how the buttons extend around the side:


And this one is pure silliness.

All in all, I'm really happy with how this turned out. I barely took it off for a week after I'd finished it. (I'd still be wearing it if it weren't, like, 60 degrees here. Stupid Maryland.)

Zig Zag Socks

Finally, I got a picture of the Irishman wearing his Zig Zag socks. Yarn is the wonderful Sweet Georgia Tough Love Sock, which I'm confident will hold up to his prolonged abuses.


I completed a total of six pairs of socks in 2011--not as many as the 11 I'd hoped for, but half a loaf is better than none, eh? And maybe this year I'll set my goal at 12 . . .

Flotsam and Jetsam

I have been knitting much, contrary to the evidence of the blog. I started a Maplewing in my beautiful Silk Shimmer Lace. (Which she doesn't seem to be dying anymore? A pity. She HAS, however, greatly improved the photography on her website. Kudos!)


And as always, there are Mindless Socks in the works. Here is number one:



And I finished the Irishman's big zig-zag socks, but need to sew elastic in the tops and get some modeled shots before I hand them over:


And of course I have not yet blocked the big purple thing. There will still be entertainment to come.

Finally, a Finished Object

These have been done for MONTHS . . . I just now got around to taking pictures:


Pattern: Bougainvillea, by Anne Hanson.


Yarn: Malabrigo Sock, colorway "Velvet Grapes."



Needles: US 00/1.75mm. (Malabrigo is so soft and I knit so loosely that I usually use a very small needle to prevent wear.)


I am very pleased with these--the pattern is harder to see on camera than in real life, and I love how the little vines twine around everything.



P.S. This makes number five for Year of the Sock. I may not make it to twelve, but I'll definitely get to seven. That's not so bad, right?

Things on my Rav page

Things on my Rav page listed as WIPs despite being complete and just needing washing/blocking/photography: 2

Things on my Rav page listed as WIPs that, despite being active projects that I've worked on within the past week, have no photograph: 2

Things on my Rav page with pictures that reflect the status of the project approximately one year ago: 2

Things on my Rav page that are actually 100% complete except for a wash and yet have never had a photograph taken of them: 1

Conclusion: I would look like a much more productive knitter if I ever took a freakin' picture.

(Incidentally, I chose the sweater for TV knitting, and have finished a sleeve, the back, and one front. The other front is nearly done, which means that I have only to knit a sleeve and then I can start putting it together. Yay.)

What to knit in front of the telly?

So I finished the big purple thing, which had been my TV knitting for the summer, and now I find myself at loose ends. On the needles I have a pair of mindless socks and a pair of quite complicated socks. In hibernation I have a few lace shawls and the back to a sweater.

So what do I take downstairs to work on while watching? Nothing is really singing to me at the moment.

Mmmmm, Pi

It is not yet blocked, but I have finished the Birthday Pi. Here is a terrible photo:


In my defense, I finished it at about 10PM. Here is another bad photo with a close up of the center pattern:

Catchin' Up

It has been so long, my lovelies! I have been knitting mostly in dribs and drabs, but lately have been seized by startitis.

While the Birthday Pi is on hiatus (awaiting more yarn), I've also started another Mawelucky shawl, Dorothy:


Because I'm a madwoman, I'm knitting it in Jojoland Harmony, otherwise known as the world's thinnest laceweight. I am so envious of Aspen's beautiful Gail, however, that I'm willing to give it a go.

I also restarted the Irishman's Sweet Georgia socks, this time toe-up in a little lace pattern of my own devising. Quite fetching, eh?


And I also cast on a pair of Anne Hanson's Bougainvillea socks, but a picture for those will have to wait until next time.

I am trying very hard to be faithful to these projects, but I have so much else I want to knit. My alpaca sweater! My Maplewing! A Rose of England!

Less blogging, more knitting.

Kreuzstichstickerein!

I finished my dad's socks!

Pattern: Graphic from Toe-Up 2-at-a-Time Socks

Yarn: ZAUBERBALL (75/25 wool/nylon).



And here he models them for all of us! I made a lot of mods to the pattern, because I am never ever satisfied with things as written. But that's not the fault of said pattern, which is very nice indeed. Since the Zauberball's a singles, it is prone to misbehavior, but it gives a nice sturdy sock. Overall, I'm very pleased.

For those playing along at home, this leaves me at four pairs of socks for the year. But I persevere! That means I only have seven more to go!

Green Is Happening

Pattern: Mystery KAL from my LYS


Yarn: Knit Picks Shimmer (70/30 baby alpaca/silk), 440 yds/50g skein, colorway "Shallows."


Needles: US 5/3.75mm.


Modifications: Two extra repeats of clues 4 and 5, shortened the smocked mesh section and went directly to the picot bind-off instead of working the ruffled hem.

Model: one of my obliging housemates. They're very used to my oddities by now.