Anouk underway

Anouk is underway! I am using Cotton Fleece yarn - green for the "grass" trim, pink for the main bodice, and blue pockets with intarsia tulips. The pattern called for poppies but I liked pink tulips better. I managed my first two-color knitting for the pockets, and I'm up to the neck shaping for the back. So far it's a relatively easy pattern - I like the seed stitch edging.

Because I like to have take along projects too, I also just started a Baby Tart hat this morning during a staff meeting. I figure I pay more attention to the meeting while knitting than do the people who bring laptops and surf the net. The yarn for the hat was discovered at Michael's for $0.75 a skein as it was being discontinued - so my daughter will get a cherry pie hat that cost $1.50 (plus labor).

Hooded sweater finished

I finished my son's brick red hooded sweater, made out of Lion Homespun. My first finished sweater, woohoo! It fit perfectly except that my son complained that the neck opening was too tight, so I had to fix that. I didn't do such a great job at picking up stitches around the hood, but oh well. Luckily the Homespun is pretty forgiving. Now I can move on to Anouk! I'll have a camera this weekend and can finally take and post some photos.

Knitting teaches perseverance

I was halfway done with the front of my ribbon t-shirt when I noticed a weird stitch about six rows back. It wasn't a dropped stitch, but it just didn't look right. I tried to fix it with a crochet hook, but that didn't work. Then I tried ripping back to that point, but the ribbon was so slippery that I couldn't get it back on the needles in pattern. I tried ripping a little further to a line of garter stitch, but it just kept unravelling. I gave up and went to bed, and took it to the LYS the next morning. Laura couldn't figure out the problem either and suggested just "unknitting" back to the error. I began doing that but in the process started dropping stitches, so in frustration I ripped out down to where I had begun the second ball of Must. I'm trying to maintain a sense of calm about it, pretending I am a monk destroying a sand mandala as a symbol of life's impermanence. Or something. Am going to rethink whether to make this pattern anyway - the Must is kinda heavy when knit tightly.

As a reprieve I started on a scarf for the school fundraiser. I'm using a ball of Austermann Samoa, which looks like pussy willow buds (or soft Kix cereal) on thin string. It is very fun to work with and extremely touchable. Next I will start on Anouk before my daughter becomes too old to fit into the 18 month size!

Cabled hat a success!

DH was presented with his warm two-cable hat for his birthday yesterday. He likes it! Or is sparing my feelings. It kind of makes him look like Badly Drawn Boy. Perhaps if he forgoes shaving for a few days he can go as BDB for Halloween. I have most of a skein of Lamb's Pride Bulky to use on another project now, seeing as I used less than a tenth of the second skein to finish the hat. I'll try to track down the Yankee Knitter #30 pattern for kids' sweaters.

About a third of the way done with the back of my ribbon shirt. Hoping to finish it by Labor Day; if the kids keep going to bed on time perhaps I will. Have to keep the baby away from it, though - she unwound most of a ball this morning while I was getting things ready to go.

Another Yarn Sale

Saturday I stopped by The Knitting Room to pick up a cable needle and check out their summer sale. It was a tax holiday, so needles and books were tax-free. Not that this was of much help as my needle was under $2. I bought some non-taxable yarn too, though. I vacillated between some white Berroco Zen and some plum Filati Must for a summer-weight top. I have a few patterns for Zen, but I wasn't thrilled with the color or the cost - even on sale - , so I went with the Must. Now I just have to try to adjust the pattern or gauge as it knits up at 4.5 stitches rather than 4. I did some gauge-swatching last night after the kids went to sleep - I think it'll work best if I increase the number of cast on stitches, as increasing the needle size just made the fabric too lacy. Never worked with ribbon before, should be interesting.

At knitting group on Sunday I finished my first cable project - a nice warm winter hat for DH, whose birthday is tomorrow. Just what he needs in August - well, it is kinda chilly today. I also started on the second sleeve for DS's sweater.

International Distress Orange

This past week has not allowed me too much time for knitting, what with DS's 5th birthday party and all. I went to the Somerville SnB Sunday and finished another baby hat for the fundraiser (made from TLC in Polo - it self-stripes) and, since I had forgotten my Denise kit with the right needles for my hooded sweater, instead worked on the Bright Orange Keyhole Scarf. It's coming along nicely, though the keyhole looks a little ragged. Yes, yes, I will take photos soon.

I'm trying to decide what sweater pattern to use for my own sweater, to be undertaken after Anouk. I bought the Sirdar Denim Chunky figuring I would use it for 3XChic, but the Banff pattern is growing on me. The yarn (mix of wool, cotton and acrylic) might not be sturdy enough for that, though. I also like the Big Sack sweater from SnB, but don't think I have enough yarn. So it might be 3XChic after all, which would be fine. I want the first sweater that I knit for me to be do-able. But hey, my knitting confidence grows daily. I can do it.

Stash Enrichment

I went to the Woolcott 25% off everything sale today. Saw Jeff and Julia from the Somerville SnB there too. I picked up a skein of Schaefer Anne in a lovely grey-green-gold colorway. I'm thinking of joining the pooling colors knitalong that some of the Knitsmiths are doing. I also bought six skeins of Sirdar Denim Chunky to make the 3XChic sweater from Knitty. All in all, a nice trip - didn't even mind waiting in line 30 minutes to pay.

Life's Little Knitting Victories

I went to the new Somerville knitting group on Sunday. Nice group of people! Maybe too nice - I got carried away in conversation and accidentally purled about 10 stitches on a knit row. Erin suggested I rip out to where the error was (about 3 rows down), but I hate ripping out with this fuzzy yarn (Homespun) - I have a hard time figuring out where the rows are to place a stopper needle, and the yarn itself has twists so I can never get it back onto the needle in the right direction. But, a tip from the Stitch 'n' Bitch book worked - I individually dropped the stitch above each of the ten, fixed each with a crochet hook, and it was like brand new stockinette. Yay!

My other little victory - I bought the Denise interchangeable needle set. So far, I love it! It's a bit weird not to have needles of matching lengths, but they are so nice to work with. Highly recommended. I might get a set for my mom too.

Knitting WIP

I almost forgot to mention that I also crocheted 2 sweaters for my DD. I think she's already grown out of them, alas.

I also have several knitting works in progress, and a to-do list as well!
The hooded sweater for my son has front and back finished (and nice lady at the Knitting Room went over 3-needle-bindoffs with me so it looks great) and one sleeve almost done. I tried the sleeve on him and it looks like it could use another inch or two. Then onto the other sleeve and the hood, and my very first knitted garment will be complete. Photos soon.

Hats! I've made three hats so far - one for J's baby Ben, one for H's baby who is due any second and we think will be named Morgan, and one for a charity fundraiser. I have one more for the fundraiser that's nearly finished - I'm about to switch to the dpns after decreasing as much as possible on the circulars.

Also in progress - a keyhole scarf in international distress orange (Shepherd's Colour4Me) for DS. That should make him easy to spot on the playground, huh?

Next up will be the Anouk pattern from Knitty for DD. My local shop didn't carry Cascade Pima Tencel so I'll be trying Cotton Fleece instead. I should get to start on the swatch for that next week - maybe I can start on pockets and use those as swatches? Hmm. I also bought some Lamb's Pride Bulky for a hat for DH, and some Cotton Classic for cell phone/iPod cosies for my nieces and sisters. I just think the idea of a technocosy is lame/fun enough that I had to try it. Plus I had a coupon for the yarn store so figured I'd stock up on yarn for holiday present projects.

OK! Watch this space to see how all of these develop!