Old FO pic

I've kind of been on an old UFO tear, and it's really just beginning. With the weather cooling down, I've opened up my "trunk" of unfinished projects and started working on them again. I'm going to have another FO photo for tomorrow. Yesterday, I did a little shopping in Encinitas (I even bought a little yarn) and I wore my Hourglass Sweater from Last Minute Knitted Gifts. I finished this in February and wore it to Stitches West, but I never took a modeled photo. I am remedying that oversight now:



I used Lorna's Laces Shepherd Worstedthat I had intended to use for the Twisted Float Shrug from the Fall '05 VK. I thought that project would drive me insane, so I re-purposed the yarn for this sweater. Overall, I'm happy with it, although the neckline is a little crazy. I will probably make this, or something very similar, again, and I plan on continuing with the raglan decreases for a few more rounds. I actually pinned my bra strap to the neckline and it stayed in place all day, though, so that's good news. I only wore it once because it kept falling off my shoulders.

I've also had a case of cast-on-itis. As a reward for finishing a couple of languishing projects, I cast on the Cobblestone Pullover in All Seasons Cotton for Joe's upcoming trip to Chicago. I also cast on for Juliet using stash Cotton-Ease (Jess, I'm going to be a good girl and not order any yarn from WEBS). Both projects hurt my hands, so I'll have to switch to my Wicked when things get tough.

Hourglass is finished!

My goal was to complete the finishing on Hourglass and have it blocked by the time I left for Stitches. I finally did that last night and it's drying right now.





I was in such a rush to wash it last night that I didn't even try it on first although I did try it on throughout the finishing process. The neckline is very wide, much wider than it was when I tried it on when it will still on the needles. Also, the hem on the neckline doesn't have elasticity, so it's prone to stretching out. I'm considering threading some elastic thread through the hem so it stays on better. I'll have modeled photos for you, hopefully from Stitches!

I'm also making very slow progress on Remembering Honey. This will make a good travel project for my trip.



I leave for Stitches tomorrow afternoon and I'm getting excited! Will any of you be there?

Starsky Revival

The knitting gods were most benevolent this time. I managed to finish the knitting, including the hem, on Hourglass without running out of yarn! Yay! I ended up with probably 10 yards to spare. Not so close to call it a nailbiter, but close enough all the same. All that's left to do now is sew down the hem facings and graft the underarms together. I tried to get a photo, but the lighting was bad, so I'll get a better photo when it's all done.

Disentangled's successful completion of Starsky inspired me to resurrect mine. Last April, four of us decided to cast on for Starsky at the same time. I decided to change out the cables and attempt to do my own design. My design skills at the time were rudimentary, so I made a few mistakes, but I think the cables are pretty all the same. I had decided not to finish it because the yarn I used, Rowan Polar, is just too heavy and scratchy to be worn by me, particularly in Southern California. However, when I took it out to look at it, I decided that it was too pretty not to finish. Here's a photo of one of the fronts:



Right now, I'm at the sleeve shaping on the other front. The sleeves and back are done already, so once I finish the other front and it's blocked, I can sew it together and add a collar to it. I've decided to swap this out for Rogue as my March UFO Resurrection project.

I'm also not sure what I want to cast on for next. I had planned on making Wicked and I have the yarn and everything. However, I'm not feeling inspired by it right at this moment. Now, I'm thinking maybe the Central Park Hoodie with some of the fabulous tweed yarn I have in my stash. Hmmm....

Purple Passion Thursday

Hi everybody! I hope you all had a nice Valentine's Day whatever you decided to do. We ended up having a nice meal at Old Venice, a quaint Italian restaurant in Point Loma. We don't often venture out that way since it seems like the end of the world (in a way, it is, I guess) but I'm always glad when we do. Since Phil's Bar-B-Q is going to be moving over there, I guess we'll be over there a lot more!

Anyway, on Tuesday, in the midst of lots of half-done projects and self-imposed Stitches deadlines, I decided to start a new project that I didn't have yarn for. Smart, right? I had this itch to start Matador from the Fall 2006 Knitscene. It's a little bolero knit up on size 13 needles, so I new it would be a quick, instant gratification-type project. I'm using Freedom Wool in a plum color:



I ran out of yarn right at the end, so I'll need to get some tonight at Knit Salon and finish it up, but I think it will be a cute something to throw on over a T-shirt with jeans or a sleeveless dress. The yarn is really, really soft and lovely and I love the finished product so far.

Last week, I also ordered some GGH Java on closeout over at Little Knits. They had it for about 65% off, and I couldn't resist. For years, I have wanted to make the Apricot Jacket from Rebecca 27. Looks like it's going to happen this spring, and I'm thrilled. Here's the color I chose:



Now, I can't wait for spring knitting! But first, I have to finish my hourglass. Horror of horrors, though, I think I'm going to run out of yarn. Yikes! It's handpainted yarn, too. I'll be devastated if I do. I think that's why I haven't worked on it. I must soldier on, though.