Beginnings and Endings

I realized it has been a while since I've done a knitting post and it's high time I share what's been going on!  For those only here to see the kid, I'll throw you a bone later.

First up in the finishing department-my Lyric Tree Hoodie!  I bought this pattern back in 2008, lost it in the move, refound it a month ago whilst cleaning upstairs to paint Maegwin's room, and decided to knit it up.  I used Berocco Sundae in a nice silvery/black color.  This one is knit with about 2" of negative ease and please note the photos are pre-blocking.  I expect it will grow a wee bit after a nice soak.  If not, it fits fine.

This pattern is not for the faint of heart. Not so much because it is difficult in any way but because it isn't that easy to follow. The designer even admits in her Ravelry page on it that she didn't know a lot about writing patterns back then and while she promised a re-write, it hasn't been forthcoming. I wrote up what notes I could on my project page here in case any of you out there has a hankering to knit your own. I sort of love it though and it has restored my faith in my ability to knit sweaters for myself. I have to say after my last sweater, I wasn't feeling too great. My poor little Pioneer sweater barely got one wearing before being felted in the washer. It was too short anyway and now sits in a felted heap in our basement. Prior to that I knit a Tangled Yoke Cardigan which just never fit right and should have had some negative ease not to mention be knit out of wool instead of alpaca and tencel that draped like nobody's business. This segues nicely into one of my endings. I ripped out the aforementioned cardigan and went from this: To this: with nary a tear shed. Honestly I'm glad to have it back in yarn form where it can become something I truly love instead of something that lays wadded up in the depths of my closet thinking about what it's done. I also wove in all the ends on my Swedish Fish Socks and I love them as well! These are my first color work socks and I'm super proud of how they turned out. They fit great, yarn is great, and my floats are all reasonably tensioned. I'm still finishing up Maegwin's Twist and Shout Dress so maybe pics of that to follow later this weekend. I now just have to knit straight until I get to the length I want for her. Then I have my eye on casting on a pair of True Love socks in some very pretty pinky peach yarn. I also in true me style busted out a ball of this: to maybe make a Gemini sweater. I love that it can be worn two ways and I think it would be pretty in this yarn that has yet to find a pattern to love. I have a skein of Tosh Sock in Tart staring me down from my printer tray also. So much to knit, so little actual knitting time. Not to mention that Christmas isn't getting any further away... 

We had a play date last weekend with my friend Mary, her husband, and daughter, Emma. First we went to the story time at the big main library and then to a kids' jazz concert in the park. It kept looking like rain but managed to hold off until we got home. They ran in circles for a while.
 Then they played under the tarp that was under the picnic blanket. She had so much fun that she sacked out once we were home and slept until the next day. Crazy!