my knitting gets a new home

how has it been two weeks since my last post? i have no idea! i'm sorry to say i still don't have much to report on, but yesterday, i did get some exciting mail. a month or so ago, karen made a fabulous knitting bag, and i fell in love with it. she suggested we do a little swap, and then she proceeded to make ME! a fabulous knitting bag too! after the postal service sent the bag on a little adventure from new mexico to washington to georgia and then back to washington, it finally arrived on my doorstep. and it was worth the wait!



i love the nautical theme karen went for, and i love the combination of mint green and red. so cute! she's really thought through her construction of these bags as well, and has included little nooks for needles, notions and projects. plus, i think it's the perfect size for carting around town. i think i'll be getting a lot of use out of it. she also kindly sent along some cute fabric-covered buttons, some candy, some vintage bright red knitting needles (!) and an adorable pin cushion that i am obsessing over. of course, i don't have pictures of any of that, but rest assured, it's all good, and i'll try to take pictures over the weekend when i have some daylight hours for picture taking. thanks again karen! i'll swap with you any day.

in actual knitting news, the drops jacket is getting very close to being done. i just have to finish up the right front and do one other sleeve (the first one only took a couple of hours), so i'm anticipating finishing this up maybe this week? don't hold me to that though!

what are your thoughts on blocking before vs. blocking after seaming? this sweater is going to be heavy...i'm scared that if i block it after seaming, it will never ever dry. but blocking all the pieces separately seems like a pain. i don't know. you tell me!

sweater love

it's gotten chilly here in seattle these past few weeks...maybe it's always like this this time of year, but to me it feels colder much earlier this year. not that i'm complaining! i live for this time of year, when i'm perfectly justified in making a little nest of blankets/cat/knitting on the couch and settling in to watch lots of movies (i pulled out our american splendor dvd the other day...i love that movie so much!). it's also when my mind turns to sweaters--the cozier the better.



with that in mind, here's one i've been working on for a while actually, but haven't had time to blog about. it's the back-to-school u-neck sweater from fitted knits, done up in some pretty cascade 220 heathers. i'm just past the boob darts, which didn't go so well, but i think they'll do. just an inch or so more of the waffle stitch, then i can split for the arms. i'm really liking this sweater! the cascade 220 is squishy and lovely as always, and the color, paired with the waffle stitch, reminds me of honeycomb. i'm a little scared that all that ribbing will be unflattering, but i plan to wear it over another top, so hopefully that will reduce the clingyness.

then this weekend...i accidentally cast on for a new sweater, that drops 3/4-sleeve jacket that is so popular in blog land right now. i knew i was going to make this, i just didn't expect to make it right now. and yet, here i am! this is knitting up very fast - i finished a sleeve in a day, and am now well into the back (too bad it's an unphotogenic sweater...i could not get a non-blurry shot of it!). i've heard of people knitting this up in four days, and i don't think i'll finish that fast, but i think i should be wearing this one pretty soon. and i have the most perfect turquoise vintage buttons that match the blue, tweedy flecks in this yarn. i'm going to be so sad if they turn out to be too small!



which one will i finish first? i'm feeling more excited about the drops cardigan right now, but the u-neck vest is further along, so i guess only time will tell which sweater i'll be wearing first.

happiness is...

...a quick, cute knitting project





making new throw pillows for the couch



10 balls of beautiful yarn to make this