Tweedy

I finally got around to taking some pictures of the Drops jacket that I've had finished for...oh I don't know...a couple of months now.

Click here for the deets.

I wore this to work today and got lots of compliments! When I first finished this jacket, I wasn't so sure about it for some reason. Now I love it though. While it's not my favorite yarn, the Rowan Summer Tweed is pretty nice to wear - after you pick out all the vegetable matter, that is. I usually pick as I knit, but I was still finding bits of hay and twigs poking me throughout the day. The nerve!

I worked an afterthought buttonhole on this (courtesy of Elizabeth Zimmerman) because I simply forgot about knitting a buttonhole until I was well beyond that point. It really worked out for the best though because I think button placement on this sweater is crucial. This way, I was able to try it on and decide that I only wanted one button rather than three, and I could put it exactly where I thought it should go. I might start doing afterthought buttonholes all the time on sweaters. It was really pretty easy - plus, we all know how ill-placed buttonholes can really curse a sweater to a life in the closet.

So that's it. The infamous Drops Jacket with A-line Shape and 3/4 Sleeves. Too bad I don't have more pictures to share, but as a result of low light, a random hail storm during the photography session, and a reluctant photographer, this is what most of the pictures look like:

What can I say? You get what you pay for.

Rainy day

It's a bit of a dreary rainy day in these parts today. It's nice and cozy in our house though - at least until I have to leave and go to work this afternoon! We're gearing up with Thanksgiving preparations. The big meal isn't going to be held at our house, but we have some assigned dishes that we're bringing. This morning I mixed up some dough for a couple loaves of bread.

The smell of rising bread is one of the best smells in the world, in my opinion.

I'm also working on a cute little dress for the daughter of some good friends who is turning 1 soon!

I'm using the Little Sister's Dress by Tora Frøseth Design - a pattern I found on Ravelry, of course. It's coming out a bit larger than I had anticipated, but when it comes to baby knitting, too large is always better than too small.

Too keep you busy over the Thanksgiving holiday, here's a sampling of what I've been looking at online:

• A pattern for a reusable grocery bag on Burdastyle.com
• NYPL digital gallery (HOURS can be spent here while digesting all that turkey.)
• Pie Crust 102 from Smitten Kitchen

Review

Do you ever wonder what happens to all the handknit sweaters gracing the pages of blogland? They all look so beautiful in their FO photo shoots, but are they actually worn on a regular basis? I was inspired by Amelie today to go back through my archives and review what I've finished, and I'm sad to say, the tally isn't so good. (On the other hand, I think my photography skills have ever so slightly improved!)

1) Twisty Top from Vogue Knitting

Despite claiming that I liked this at the time, I've never really worn this. I don't really like the KnitPicks Shine - it's too heavy and the color is kind of blah. Also, this is really not flattering at all. I think I was mostly just happy that I made something - it was the first "garment" that I knit.


2) Hex Coat from Knitting Nature

This one, despite what this horrible photo might lead you to believe, probably wasn't as bad as I thought it was. It doesn't really matter though because it's currently in pieces on the bottom of a yarn pile somewhere. Wearing a giant shapeless sweater bag just does nothing for a girl's self esteem. Lesson learned.

3) Lacy Hug-Me-Tight from Knit2Together

I actually do wear this from time to time. The yarn (Alpaca & Silk from Blue Sky Alpacas) is so soft and beautiful. I haven't totally warmed up to the idea of wearing a shrug - and let's face it, this is just a shrug in a hug-me-tight's clothing - so I feel a bit silly when I wear it. That doesn't stop me from wearing it out and then asking Ben if I look cute all night though!


4) Demi from Vintage Knits

I've worn Demi a bit, but it's definitely not in heavy rotation for two reasons: it's too short and it's very very warm. It's the too short part that really makes me not want to wear it. I may unravel the bottom a bit and knit some more ribbing. For now, I choose not to deal with it.



So there you have it. My gallery of shame. Despite the fact that I don't seem to wear my handknit sweaters all that much, I'm gearing up to start another sweater soon, though I haven't decided which one yet. With each sweater I've completed, I feel like I've been just a little more successful in knitting something wearable, so maybe this next one will be my new favorite go-to sweater! I've had my eye on the Central Park Hoodie for awhile - I really like the style and it seems that a lot of people have knit really nice versions for themselves. Any suggestions for a slam-dunk sweater project?

Bayerische

I had the day off from work yesterday and I finally managed to finish something! It's a little too late for Socktoberfest, but that's okay, because I now have some nice 'n' toasty Bayerische socks to keep me warm this winter.

Here's the lowdown:

Pattern: Toe up Bayerische socks by Tanja Murray (adapted from Eunny Jang's Bayerische socks)
Yarn: Schoeller + Stahl Fortissima Socka, 2 balls
Needles: US1 Addi Turbos, magic looped
Ravelry: here.


I love, love, love how these socks turned out. They're so warm and comfy and the fit couldn't be better. I decided to knit them toe up because I wanted them to be as tall as I could make them with the yarn I had (which had been in the stash for quite awhile). Such a heavily patterned knit can be a real yarn hog, so I really had no idea how far I would get. Luckily, these socks are plenty high for me. I have been thinking about some knee socks though... but I digress.


Now I can go back to finishing my Socktoberfest mystery socks. And I'm thinking about starting a lace project. And I want to start a new sweater. I just realized when I typed that last sentence that I never showed you the last sweater I finished. I'll get right on that. If only I had another day off...