As usual, the needles have not stopped around here. The same way that I cast on for a BUNCH of socks not too long ago, I’ve now been 100% into knitting sweaters. Right now I have FIVE sweaters OTN: four fully active and one that has been asleep for quite some time in the WIP basket.

Let’s start with the Somewhat Cowl (Yarn: Marshmallow from Decadent Fibers). I am progressing rapidly on this one as it’s mostly stockinette and am now halfway down the body. I don’t plan to make this as long as what the pattern calls for (24″ finished length in my size). With my gut I can’t make sweaters that extend too far below my waist or they get a crease line. HA! Here’s an upside-down shot of it:

Next up is the Central Park Hoodie (Yarn: Araucania Nature Wool). I’m knitting this sweater seamlessly except for the sleeves so it went way faster than usual. I also don’t like how the cable is stopped abruptly at the start of the hood in the pattern so I’ve continued the cable. I’ll make notes of my changes in case anyone is interested. I’m more than halfway through the hood and then on to the sleeves.

Number 3 is the Fairly Easy Fair Isle (Yarn: Knit Picks Wool of the Andes Bulky). There’s not much going on here. Stockinette until I get to the top part.

The fourth has been on the needles for quite some time and hasn’t been touched in ages. So not much to talk about there. It’s the Bog Jacket by Elizabeth Zimmerman (Yarn: Makalu Yarns Lambgora).

Lastly, but DEFINITELY not least is my current train knitting: Cable-Down Raglan (Yarn: Shelridge Farm W4). Jeanine mentioned NaKniSweMo so I joined up – as IF I needed an excuse to cast on yet another project. HA! Cast on right on the 1st of Nov. I’m loving the knitting. I DID have to rip yesterday tho because I was NOT liking the raglan increases as instructed in the pattern (kf&b on either side of raglan marker). So after I ripped back I decided to use my new favorite increases: LaLinc and LaRinc, as described by Cat Bordhi in her New Pathways for Sock Knitters book (that link brings you to a video of it. I love these new increases so much that it’s the same ones I’m using for the Somewhat Cowl above.

Here are pictures of the old raglan increases.  See how different they are on either side?

Now check out these MUCH NEATER increases.  These match up way better.

I’m not COMPLETELY happy with these either but it’s because half the increases are done on reverse stockinette so they’re forming tiny little holes. Do you see them in that last picture? Anyone got any suggestions for me on that?

Well, that’s all for now folks. I also knit on all those second socks sometimes and sooner or later will have a few finished pairs.

TTFN!

I cast on 17 sts only and used 2 on each side for border and then followed the pattern as written. It worked out beautifully. The yarn is Valley Yarns Cotton something or other in the Opal colorway that I got from Webs some time ago (the cone had eleventybilliontrillion yards for like $3!!!). I dunno how much yardage I used. I know that I did 25 pattern repeats and called it a day! It was fast, easy ad cute.

For Esmie’s teacher, a while back I made the Branching Out scarf, heavily modified! HA! I used some Italian lace merino I got from School Products. I couldn’t seem to get into that Branching Out pattern AT ALL!!! So, I did it part of the way and then gartered myself over to the other side and then did Branching Out again to match the first end! VI-OLA! A scarf! HEH!

Waddya guys think? Think they’ll like them?

I put them each in a little box with a note and 2 bars of soap chosen by the girls and the girls drew and wrote all over the boxes. I hope the teachers enjoy their gift.

I also finished my Sangria skirt. MAAAN is this thing KAH-YUTE!!! Wait til ya’ll see it! I won’t take pictures of it until I wear it for it’s intended use and venue so it will have a special unveiling hopefully next week.  (I just have to knit 8 feet of I-cord for the drawstring and it’s ALL SET!) 

I finished a sock yesterday as I waited all day in EFFIN Family Court again – literally, 9 am to 5:45 pm all for NOTHING as we didn’t see the Judge cuz of my stupid a$$ attorney and we have been adjourned to October 23rd. I’m so pissed. I eventually cried myself a river later that evening when I felt I was gonna burst and then Tano came in and almost cried too cuz he finally saw me and we are just all so sick of this shit and just want it to be over. We composed ourselves and continued to present a brave, strong front to the kids. Poor kids. I feel so bad that they are in the middle of all this bullshit. We do try to not mention TWFKAM or the whole case in front of them or to them and it’s been working somewhat. But behind closed doors….

Enough of that.

This Friday is the release of Clue #1 in the Mystery Stole KAL and I can’t WAIT!! It seems that I’ll have enough of the Pale Khaki Malabrigo to do the entire stole in that one yarn. I still haven’t chosen the beads for it, tho.

What color beads do you guys recommend for that color yarn?