Red Sweater Day

I didn't intend for this set of photos to be so ambient. The truth is I feel incredibly bloated today AND I'm breaking out AND I was running out of natural light. Today is my last day in North Carolina. I'm off to even warmer pastures tomorrow and I've still got plenty to occupy my hooks and needles. I think I've accomplished more knitting in the past 8 weeks than I have in the past 2 years, and I'm not joking when I say "Boy, are my arms TIRED!".

That little number up there is the Blue Sky Alpacas Cropped Cardigan in Knit Picks Andean Treasure. The color is Embers and I used 8 skeins, double stranded. It has benefitted from a great deal of blocking, and could use a bit more. I probably could have made the next size up, but after a few days of being pinned and steamed and steamed pinned, I think it's fitting much better.

And hell, for being one of my first completed sweaters, I really can't complain. I love a little cardigan to throw on with a jeans and t-shirt, so much nicer than a hoodie.

I've been on a HUGE red kick lately. Three of the four sweaters I knit this summer are some shade of red. Now, you may say, "Hey! There's only 2 sweaters in this post! Where are the others!?!" First, I will tell you to stop being so demanding. Then, I will tell you that I need to find proper buttons before I can adequately share these items with you. I will say that I am quite excited about both of them, and both were fantastic learning experiences.

The tube top? Well, let's say that never in my life have I owned one. I did admire this pattern when I saw it in Fitted Knits, but I never thought I would knit it. That is, until I realized my own stupidity. I ordered 4 balls of Elegance from Knit Picks in Barn Red to make Zephyr Style's Ms. Marigold. Don't ask me why. It was not one of my more lucid moments. The point is, three days ago I realized that I didn't have nearly enough yarn for Ms. M, but I sure did have enough for the tube top. So, I went down a needle size, didn't swatch, and dove in. I have to say, the pattern was pretty fun, and very quick. I only did 5 repeats of the lace, instead of 6. I know my gauge was a bit off, and I could've gone down a size, but overall, I'm really pleased with it.

I plan on adding some straps, and wearing it under a black crew neck cardigan. One with a really fine, light gauge so that the lace panel really stands out. The color is just fantastic, and it really deserves a proper framing.

I'd love to make another one for next summer. Black in the Cascade Pima Tencel that the pattern calls for, except the lace panel will be longer, 7 or 8 repeats, so it reaches more of a tunic length. Yes, yes, how exciting.

Oh Baby

So after several months of taking an extended holiday, winter has decided to grace the east coast with it's frigid but welcome presence. Lemme tell you, it's a little chilly out there. Not like "Oh Gosh, how did we get transported to the artic?" chilly, but enough to finally wear all those hats and scarfs that I seem to make year round just to occupy the time and all those odds and ends leftover from other FOs. Anyways, I bought this yarn at Loop months ago with the intention of making a cowl out of it. So I cast on and made a really small one that was a pain to get over my head and a pain to knit because I thought it was a good idea to use size 11 dpns. This was not a good idea. Then...it got warm, and I abandoned the poor thing until Friday when I picked up a size 11 circ. Now I have my cold weather, my cowl, and heck even a nice brown coat to wear with it. Now if only we'd get a little snow...

The yarn is Blue Sky Alpaca's Brushed Suri. I used two strands in brown and orange (I'm sure they have more exotic names) together with the aforementioned circ. I cast on about 64 and worked in 1x1 rib until I felt that it was long and cozy enough. I've still got some yarn leftover, who knows what kind of concoction that will end up on.