Big to small

Sometimes a project gets so large that it works against itself. Oldest Daughter's blue sweater is now complete except for one sleeve and that makes it just too large to carry around. Perfect for lounge knitting on the couch, watching "MI5: Spooks" from the BBC. Hmm, that Tom Quinn looks so earnest. Too bad he's a SPY! But the blue sweater is not able to come in the car (gets in the coffee), be knitted at the piano lesson (his pugs try to sleep on it), go to track meets (grass stains) - not even to church. Yes, I'm a church knitter. Too Big!

So, I've picked up a couple of other space filling patterns so I have something to carry around. I actually have three knitting bags. The blue sweater overflows from one very large bag. My blue felted bag has a lovely scarf pattern called "Dainty Bess" from Kristmen's Design Studio and cream colored yarn from Blackwater Abbey Yarns. I like that pattern a lot but I'm not crazy about the stiffness of the yarn. I bought the pattern last summer at the Blackwater Abbey Yarn booth at Stitches Midwest and then returned and bought the yarn after, joy of joys, I won a gift certificate as a door prize. Unfortunately, I had just bought $100 worth of yarn and Beth Brown Reisel patterns but the $20 was a good thing too!

In the mesh bag, I've started a pair of Cable Rib Socks from Interweave Knits magazine, spring 2005. I've never knit socks on size 1 and 0 needles before so it's slow going but - fun.

On the outside world, it's lovely and springy here in Minnesota. I'm still running, swimming and (slowly) mastering biking. In fact, I've bought a new road bike. A Jamis Satellite. A great value for the money and a good introduction to road biking. So far, that's all I'm looking for. Aside from falling off my bike today - IN FRONT OF MY HOUSE, GETTING ON! - I've been enjoying riding the bike. Mostly because I don't think anyone saw me fall off. At least knitting isn't a spectator sport.

An Easter celebration starts early

Just a few moments of hilarity in my kitchen - the still not done but looking much better kitchen - in preparation for Easter. Not all are here right now - Oldest Daughter is actually at the Minnesota Opera's production of 'Orazi & Curiazi' - but we are enjoying last minute re-adoption of old Easter habits. Now that my girls are older, we don't actually have any Easter baskets or Easter basket grass. Youngest Child, however, is all ready for the whole Easter experience.

My celebration extends to my new shawl - all finished and ready to wear in the morning. I really enjoyed this pattern and commend Polly at All Tangled Up for her work. The leaf pattern is especially nice!

Two down, one to go!

Okay, I finished the green Kiri Shawl! I didn't get it done quite on my schedule - this is Lazy Knitting, after all, and the weather was great this weekend! However, I did get a little surprise - I don't know what I was thinking but the edging that I thought I was knitting was actually the top of the shawl. I kept wondering - how did they get that great pointed design? - and now I know!

Unfortunately, with sunny skies and 70 degrees F. outside, I don't think that Oldest Daughter will be wearing her blue sweater any time soon.

Onward and Upward!

Endings . . . and beginnings!

Last night I finally bound off on the last baby sweater I was working on (Cottage Creations' Babies and Bears Sweater)
and I realized that, after I sew the buttons on, it will be done. And I am down to the edging on my green shawl. And I am finishing the arms on Oldest Daughter's sweater.

I may actually be done with all my current knitting projects this week. I have a heady sense of approaching freedom! The sun is shining, the birds are singing and I have a serious case of spring fever - knitting fever! What will I do next? How about socks? (I already have yarn for a dark pair for my husband.) A sweater? (Middle daughter picked out a pattern and yarn back in November.) Slippers? The Puggy Shruggy? Already have the yarn. Should I actually finish the aran sweater I started last fall for my husband? How about the cardigan kit I got last summer at Stitches Midwest? And what about my friend Melissa's new baby? He is seriously under-knitted for!

Ah, the deliciously heady feeling of starting anew!

I realized that I haven't posted a picture of the two most recent baby sweaters I've completed. The red one is for my own son and the pink Cashsoft DK is for a friend's baby girl. Both are Cottage Creation sweaters. I probably would do the hoody one all in stockinette stitch next time. The hood is in garter stitch and it's just too floppy.