TaDa! Too

Well, Once I saw the wrap coming to an end I wanted another project. I was in love with the Katarina Cardigan http://www.cocoknits.com/knit/garments/sweaters/katarina.html I wanted to knit one for myself -who knows why, I certainly don't need it, but you know how that goes. We knit because we can, right? I went to Twist, my LYS and began hunting for yarn. I found that the pattern calls for a dk weight yarn, but at 4 stitches per inch. I didn't think that would happen, so I used Silk Garden Bulky in color B. It gave me the gague and I think looks great. Here is the finished sweater/jacket: The actual colors are more jewel tone and actually brighter than the picture. It was a fun sweater to knit and now I'm looking for another yarn so I can knit it again! I like the way the sleeves knit, cast on with provisional cast-on then knit down after finishing the sweater! This way the sleeves are the right length! Neat idea, huh?

Next project is the Sampler Afghan from Melissa Leapman's book, Cables Untangled. Here is a picture of it from a fellow Ravelry knitter. It will be a long undertaking, but knits in strips and blocks so that it will travel easily. I'm only on my second strip at present and hope to finish it by next year! I'm using Berroco Comfort in light blue.

Ta Da!

Finished! I didn't work on the Borris Wrap for about 3 weeks due to travel for work. When I picked it up this morning, I was surprised to find that so little remained to be done, so I finished it while watching morning TV. Here is how it looks:

I can't wait to wear it and think it will look great with a black suit for work! The circle is actually a shawl pin that I got at Stitches Midwest from Gita Maria, web site http://www.gitamaria.com/ She had an awesome booth at Stitches and everything was beautiful - enameled silver work! I chose this one to go with the wrap.

I'm now knitting on the Katarina Cardigan - pattern found via Ravelry - using Noro Silk Garden chunky - it's going fast and hopefully will be finished by the weekend. I'll post if I'm finished. Next project for me will be the Sampler Afghan in Melissa Leapman's book, Cables Untangled. Can't wait to start is as it is done in squares and panels so it should make a good project to take with me out of town next week.

Irish knit

When I was at Stitches Midwest in August, I saw the Borris Wrap by Maggiknits - who has wonderful Irish knits designs. I bought the kit, but hadn't done very much with it til this week. I finally started it, the pattern is a bit challenging, but the pictures in the book (which came with the kit) make it easier to follow the written pattern.

I think it is a work of art! The pics are in the blue colors, but I chose the black and red!
Anyway, here is my progress!

Why didn't I think of it?

The more I knit the more I say, why didn't I think of that? My latest knitting project is definitely one in that category! When we visited your LYS in Macon, I bought the Plymouth Yarns Baby Alpaca Grande Vest pattern and enough yarn to knit it. It was truely an impulse buy but one of my best purchases. It is a bulky yarn which is knits fast and is very soft.

Just look at the finished vest!

It doesn't look too much like a vest in this picture, right? It really is a long piece with K2P2 on each end and K1P1 on 1/2 the stitches in the middle. Then it's folded over, like the picture and seamed just on the K2P2 part.

Clever! - Why didn't I think of that?

But here is the way it looks when you wear it! Looks different!

I wore it yesterday to Knittin' on the Prairie KAL (look for a blog by that name later) and everyone loved it. Part of the beauty of this is probably the softness of the alpaca which allows it to stretch. I decided to knit another using wool - actually Cascade Yarns Eco+ in 8448 Crushed Berry color. I'm hoping that the yarn will work and create another great vest.