Knitting like a maniac!

As you can see, I've made some changes to the blog. It's a new year, and I decided that things needed to be freshened up a little bit. The contents will not vary much though :)

I've been knitting like crazy since the new year began! I think it was probably good for me to finish off all of my old projects before the end of December, as I now want to do nothing but knit, all the time! Thomas has been away for three days this week too, which has meant three evenings of uninterrupted knitting time for me.

I'll start by showing you the Gray Havens sweater, that I'm making out of Medelinetosh Pashmina yarn, in the colourway Dried Rose:

I've made all of the decreases for the waist, and actually I had made all of the increases for the bust too, when I noticed that it was a bit short. I tried it on, and it barely reached my belly-button... So I ripped it back to the decreases, and now I'm elongating the straight part a bit. I think my row-gauge is probably off, but that doesn't really matter. I think I'll need to make six repeats of the chart instead of the intended four, and I'll be all right. I LOVE this sweater though! The pattern is great, and the yarn is awesome! I really want to finish it so I can wear it. I'm focusing mostly on this one right now, as I'm hoping to have it done by the end of the month. 

I started the Julissa scoop-necked sweater with the Wollmeise DK yarn in Sabrina a couple of days ago too, and that one is flying off the needles! It's knitted top-down, and I've already set the sleeves aside.

It is a really fun and easy knit, despite it looking pretty complicated with both cables and lace, but I haven't touched it since last weekend I think. I love it though, and that one will get a lot more attention once the Gray Havens sweater is done.

On Wednesday night I actually turned the heel on two different socks! First, the Ill Met by Moonlight socks:

I've made most of the leg part at work, during my breaks, but now I only have a couple of centimeters left until I'll start the cable on the foot. And that is a bit too complicated to make at work. The socks fit me perfectly, and that is actually something that I love about Claire Ellen's designs. All of them that I've made have a perfect fit on me.

The other sock that I turned the heel on was the Aquaphobia socks:

I'm very happy with these, even though I apparently haven't followed the pattern at all! I didn't look too closely on the pattern photos, but somehow made the assumption that the stitch pattern was the same weave pattern that I used on the Bobbie gloves (where you slip every other stitch with the yarn in front). When I had a closer look at the descriptions on how to turn the heel, it told me to slip with the yarn in back, and that's when I got suspicious. I went back in the pattern and checked, and sure enough it told me to do that all the time. I'm calling mine a design feature! I like the way mine look, so I definitely won't frog it!

I also noticed that about half-way down the leg I had somehow stopped making the cables mirrored, so after that they are just the same. Luckily the cables can't really be seen with the very busy yarn, so I decided to ignore that as well. I think I'll just make the cables identical on the second sock. I also had to decrease some stitches when I neared the ankle part, as it was turning out way too big otherwise. But with the decreases it fits me perfectly, so I'll just repeat that on the second sock too.

I have gotten a lot of stuff in the mail recently too, I think almost all of the stuff I told you about last time arrived. I now have four new project bags, and possibly there might be two more coming that I ordered from JessaLu... And I might order one from JavaJennie on Etsy soon too, as I really love the snap closure on hers...

In the photo, from the left is the one I got from A Needle Runs through It, and it's currently holding the Julissa sweater. Next to it is the cone from CackleBerry Creations, which is now holding the Gray Heavens sweater. The third one is from Miss FiberFox, and that's holding the Aquaphobia socks, and out on the right is the one I got from Elizabeth Quintan Design, and it's holding the Ill Met By Moonlight socks. 

I also got some yarn in the mail this week. The first was five skeins of Cascade 220 in the Liechen 9338 colourway:

These skeins were totally not my fault. As I'm right now making four different projects with cables on them, I really needed some new cable needles as I hate having to move the ones I have between the bags all the time. So I went to Garnkorgen and ordered a set of KnitPicks wooden cable needles. But you can't order from a yarn shop without getting some actual yarn right? So I got the Cascade. I think this might be the yarn I'll use for the Dark and Stormy cardigan, but don't hold me to that.

I also got a great deal on some Garnstudio Drops Lima yarn (65 % wool/35 % alpaca) in the Ruby Red colourway:

This is a DK yarn, and I don't really know what to make with it. I got 12 skeins, which is about a sweater's worth, so it will probably become some kind of garment for me.

Oh, and my mom asked me if I could make her a slouchy hat in blue, so I'm thinking of using some of my KnitPicks Stroll yarn for that, in the Saphire Heather colourway:

She picked the Sofie's Slouch pattern, so I'll probably cast this one on fairly soon. The pattern calls for a DK, but I think I might achieve that with the fingering held double. That way it will be warmer too.

I'm also itching to start a new lace project, and I already have yarn wound for one! I want to start the Mandala II round shawl, and I have two skeins of Madelinetosh Tosh lace in the Rose colourway all geared up. I might hold off on starting these two projects until the JessaLu project bags arrive though, so I have something to put them in :)

I also got all of my buttons in the mail, and I love them all! I sewed two of the ones I got from Orit Dotan onto the For Good Hat, and it turned out super cute!

And still no new podcast episode! Today I'm in my PJ's, and I haven't showered, so you won't get to see me. I'm thinking possibly tomorrow, if I can just figure out how to set up the camera! Thomas got a new one for Christmas, which I think will get me a lot better quality. I just need to learn how to use it...

I'll be back once my next bags arrive. And possibly some club yarn as well :)

/ Jenny