Tuesday, May 4, 2010

Works in progress, May 2010

So, okay. I've been working on this sock, which I am now thinking of as "the Spring Sock," now and again, mostly when I'm out of the house, because I keep it in my purse.
Spring Sock
I love it. I love the colors, I love how it feels (100% Merino from Cherry Tree Hill Yarns, purrrrr), and I love working on a plain ol' plain ol' sock just to keep the fingers busy when the mind is elsewhere.
Spring Sock close-up

I finally got over my Arwen dilemma and decided to just go with the seamless yoke construction like I did for Rose's hoodie. I knit the cuff first, grafted it into a ring, then picked up stitches along one side to continue the sleeve. This is also my swatch, but I think it really will become the sleeve for real.
Arwen cabled cuff

It's on an Options cable/stitch holder because then I was distracted by the gorgeous weather we've been having, and realized that if I was going to knit Hey Teach, I'd better do it now, so I maybe could wear it this year. And I needed the #7 needles I was using for Arwen.
Hey Teach - getting started
This is the front left (or maybe the front right, I'll decide later), but it is also a swatch. It's the second front I've knit. I ripped back the first because I was getting too many stitches per inch. I do think I'm going to stick with the needles that I'm currently using. I'm getting the right measurements, and I like the fabric better, too.

I've never been a big fan of spring/summer knits, but this is a pattern I've wanted to knit (and wear) since I saw it two years ago. The yarn, Cotton Fleece, is a 80% cotton, 20% wool blend that feels lovely on the skin. I used this exact yarn for another sweater that was really too big on me, but I loved the feel of it so much that I frogged the entire sweater and am re-using the yarn for this one. It feels cool and soft on the skin, but the wool content makes it springy and easy to knit with.

Speaking of spring/summer knits, I am also drooling over Marigold. Cute, cute, cute, cute vintage-looking summery sweater that just came out in Interweave Knits. In fact, if I hadn't already started Hey Teach, I would have cast on for this one immediately. Love it!