The important question...

Which buttons shall I choose?






Plastic from Mexico....








Vintage plastic...








Another vintage plastic possibility....








... Or more plastic! These are just from Jo-Ann's, but I really like them. They look like lemon candies.

AZ

I'm in AZ visiting Kurt's parents at their snow-bird abode.  Of course, I brought plenty of knitting!

My big project was the Luna All-Over Lace Cardigan. 







I made many modifications to the pattern.  All right... I hardly referred to the pattern at all.  I'm lucky this sweater turned out so well!  Really, it turned out exactly the way I'd envisioned.

I started out casting on 154 stitches for the medium size, thinking I'd decrease after my hips to the small size.  I didn't count carefully and ended up with 158, but I just went with it for a hand's height of 2x2 ribbing.  I knit across the 22-stitch pocket openings with waste yarn and started the lace pattern.

In the front I had 2.5 repeats of lace plus almost a complete 3rd on each side.  On the back I fit in 7 full repeats and a half at either edge using some sneaky increases here and there.  I left two stitches in stockinette at each front edge and each side "seam".




Once I started the lace pattern, I promptly began decreasing at the side "seams" to the waist.  In the front I just took out a few odd stitches to get to a nice half-repeat.  I did almost all the shaping on the back, loosing three full repeats per side to the waist and then increasing one repeat each side after the waist.

The fronts continued straight up except for short rows at the bust to squeeze an extra vertical repeat on the fronts.  I did this by working to the side "seam", turning to purl back to the front edge, then working the lace (adjusting which row of the pattern as I crossed the "seams") all the way across to the other front edge, purling to the "seam", turning there for another short row of lace on the far front panel, and then finally purling all the way back to the beginning.  Repeat.

It's my first time using this idea for shaping, and I'm really happy with how it worked.  This way of working the short row bust shaping is a winner for lacy designs. 



I lowered the neck by putting a chunk of each front on a holder one vertical repeat after I'd joined the sleeves.

The sleeves!  This was a really successful experiment, too!  I used the pattern as a guideline for setting in the sleeves contiguously.  I joined everything at the armpit, then worked some decreases as per the pattern on both sides of the join -- actually just like a raglan construction for a few decreases.  Then I worked it straight fr a little while, more or less as directed in the pattern.  Then I decreased a bit only on the sleeves, still working in full rounds up the sweater.  Finally I decreased the last few sleeve stitches using short rows.  I closed the shoulder seams with a three needle bind off.

Finishing touches -- I picked up and knit the neck and then the button bands in 2x2 rib.  I finished the pockets with an i-cord bind off on the outside, and I knit down the lining, joining as I went until I grafted the live stitches to the bottom hem.

Done!  I love it!


Here are a few random pictures...
This is an FO, the Katie Bolero by Robyn Chachula.  I used Elsbeth Lavoid Silky Wool that I'd bought at Webs when I went back east to see Holly graduate.  I added long sleeves and knit ribbing to make a full length cardigan. 



Random photo shoot in Kurt's parents' yard in AZ....



This is the Rose Trellis sweater I've been working on since AZ in Ella Rae lace merino.  I love it so far!





This is a partially knit Laminaria that I'd started years ago in a yarn I've forgotten but which I know I bought at Acorn Street.  Maybe I'll finish it one day...

Buttons, buttons!

Since I *still* have not technically finished this past year's holiday gift knitting, I decided to get an early start for next year. It's just a pattern I made up, a cardigan version of my Hippy Festival Hoodie. It will have sleeves eventually, but first I want to finish the button bands.
So... Which buttons? :)







Plastic...









Another plastic option...









Shell....









Another option in shell...









These ones are wood...









And this last option is plastic again, a souvenir from New Zealand.

Which should I choose?

Orcas

Here is an old post I found and decided to post:












Kurt and I are on the ferry heading out for a romantic weekend in the San Juan islands.
I started my holiday knitting, and he's modeling the hat I made for his dad. It's made from grey and natural wool I bought in NZ and some Lion Brand Fisherman's wool from my stash, just my usual formula made up as I go.

I'm working on a hat for his uncle. I really like it so far!

Knitfitti in Redmond

Of all places... I saw knitfitti decorating a building in the bland 'burbs of Redmond.






I think it's machine-knit strips, clearly sewn around the column. Funky :)

Look! It must be related to this.

Happy Bree Day!

Bree's birthday present: a Blue Leaf Headband and set of Lacefield Mitts knit in Alpaca With a Twist Highlander. I used 15 repeats of the lace pattern for the headband and 8 for each mitt. I also cast on 30 stitches per mitt, 9 for the garter stitch cuff and added ribbed borders like the headband to made the mitts longer.

I love the result! I've already made a second pair of mitts in the same yarn and a third pair in different yarn for my other sister's birthday.

What blog?

I'm a neglectful blogger! And I'm a bit of a slacker as a girlfriend... Kurt's holiday gift as of this moment, over a month late...


Maybe a Valentine's gift?