How long until fall comes again?

The weather around here has been a little schizo lately (as I read it has been pretty much everywhere). One day will be cool and sunny, and the next will be insufferably hot and humid. We do not have A/C hooked up in our apartment, but have been keeping the draperies pulled closed and windows kept open for breeze, and have done okay. Yesterday was the first day I had issues knitting because of the weather. I was determined to finish the right leg of the lamb all-in-one, and the left foot. The yarn stuck to the needles, making every stitch a challenge, but I persevered!

I don't know if bamboo needles would work better in the humidity or not. You'd think metal would be best. This little outfit is going to be so darn cute! I can't wait to finish it!



I find that when the weather gets really steamy, socks can't be beat for small, portable projects! They don't lay in your lap like a fat cat, making the sticky weather seem even stickier. It is conceivable that you'll be able to wear them during the summer, on a cool summer night, perhaps. And, they are a quick project, which enables your poor, heat addled brain to stay on task and not throw temper tantrums at having to think so hard.



I think I've finally gotten the hang of picking up wraps corectly. I mean, my other short row heels have looked good enough, but the one on this sock is terrific! I adore this yarn!



Finally, here is a picture of the completed Little Sister Sweater, by Amy King. I highly recommend this sweater as a quick baby project (perfect for a last minute baby shower). The only change I made to the pattern was to put the buttons along the raglan seam, rather than on the front of the sweater. I think it's cute as hell.


Just a Palm photo, since the batteries in my camera had died that morning and I finished sewing on the buttons mere moments before I had to leave for the shower. I believe I have enough of the yarn left over from the hank of Laurel I used to make another sweater. You can't beat getting two baby sweaters out of one hank of yarn!


My plan is to complete my sock and the lamb all-in-one before casting on for anything else, however, I have been fondling some Cotton Ease in the Pineapple colorway and thinking wistfully of a cotton Ribby Cardi. Will I have the willpower to resist another project? Tune in!

Keyboard Confessional

I really tried so hard to be good about not buying yarn until after my birthday. I really did! I avoided yarn stores to the point where when it came time to get some buttons for the little seaside sweater I made, I went to Joann's instead of a LYS for them to reduce temptation. How was I to know that the Joann's near my house had suddenly decided to carry Cotton Ease, and they'd have the bubble gum pink and cherry red I've been searching for? It wasn't my fault that I had to get seven balls of each. What if I find a sweater pattern they would be perfect for and I'd cheaped out on quantity? I even resisted buying more when I got to the register and saw that they were not $3.00 each, as stickered, but were only $1.50 each. I guess I do have some self-control. I now have a nice little stash of Cotton Ease and can go back to my yarn diet, already in progress.

Pictures soon. I finished up the cotton sweater in time for the shower, but barely. I was sewing on buttons about an hour before I left for it. As a result, I only have a Palm photo of it. No further progress on other projects. Very busy weekend.

Long Time, No Post

Wow. I really thought I had posted last weekend! Oh well, I probably didn't because there wasn't much knitting going on, and I didn't have much to show. I had the Zippy cardigan knitted and seamed, but didn't want to show it without a blocking. Here it is, in all its unzippered glory:

I'm planning to go out this week and get the zipper. There's a baby shower this weekend, and I'd like to have this wrapped up by then. Stats:
Pattern: Berroco Zippy cardigan
Yarn: Berroco Lullaby, in quince colorway. I made the smallest size and used about 3.5 balls


I liked using the Lullaby, even though it snagged on every little thing imaginable. The finished sweater feels so cuddley, yet light. Like a fleece jacket. I know the baby won't be able to wear it for awhile, but I'm hoping he'll be able to wear it in the winter or next spring.

Next up, I casted on for the lamb all-in-one sometime in the last week or so. I've got the foot and part of one leg done. I think I'm up to where I need to begin shaping for the (for lack of a better word) crotch. It's a good thing this baby is small, because the whole thing is in garter stitch, my most dreaded stitch. I've never been a fan of garter stitch, and actually have never made a garter stitch scarf, but I think it works in this project. It gives the idea of a lamb's coat.



I like the yarn I'm using for this project, but I won't get too attached to it, because it seems hard to find. I googled for it and came up with lots of links of people using it, but none for where to buy it. The yarn store I bought it from is hardly local, so I will simply put it out of my mind. It costs about the same for the same yardage as Debbie Bliss' Merino DK, which is also superwash.

Since I'm having such a grand time with baby projects lately, I decided I should do just one more sweater for this baby. I have five balls of Mission Falls 1824 Cotton which I bought for the express purpose of making a sweater for this baby, but it just wouldn't work in any of the projects I wanted it for. Pawing through my stash, I came across this beautiful cotton yarn that I bought on sale at least a year ago. They only had one hank in the entire store, but it was 400 yards, so I figured I'd pick it up and find something to do with it. Well, the project for this yarn has arrived!



The yarn is Shaefer Yarns Laurel. I don't know which colorway, since I lost the tag, but it doesn't look like it's still available. This yarn has reminded me of the beach from the second I first picked it up. My friend Amy is making a seaside themed nursery for her child. It's a match made in heaven! I'm using Amy King's Little Sister Sweater pattern. She created the pattern in her frustration to find a simple raglan sweater without seams for babies. I have to say, I'm glad she had the problem, because her pattern neatly filled my requirements for this yarn. I hate when I'm using variegated yarns and have to worry about matching colors at seams. The sweater would probably be done already (I started it the day before yesterday), but I had to spend six hours working out the most heinous knot I have ever seen. T had to help me at the very end, when I had what looked like a lump of macrame left. I'm glad I saved all that yarn though, because I might have enough yardage left over to make another sweater later.