WIP'ing Friday!

There's a long weekend coming up, and it's time to make a serious dent in some languishing WIPs!
My weekend will be split between epic all-day gaming sessions playing Ni No Kuni with Mr. Penguin and the cosy cat (well, he'll play, I'll knit, she'll lounge, it's the perfect trifecta of cosiness) and visiting family.
I expect to make some serious knitting progres.

Apart from taking hexipuffs on public transport with me, I also hope to get to the arm shaping on my Geodesic cardigan. I'd love to have it finished before next weekend, but we'll see how that goes.

I've also finally made it to the heels of my languishing Flaming Monkey socks (Monkey socks out of Another Crafty Girl's Strong Sock in Chimchar). I don't know why I neglected these. I love the yarn and I love the pattern. I blame lack of sock weather.

And then there's the Bayret. A twisted-stitch ebret out of Wollmeise in Himbeere. Every time I knit in Wollmeise, I want to drop everything else I'm working on and just knit that.
I love everything about Wollmeise yarn (as I've mentioned before), and I'm hoping this hat will be epic.

And I reeeeeaaaally want to cast on Pelotonner out of Tails DK in Poison Apple, but I'm holding off so I can  potentially count it for Nerd Wars.

My travel project-to-be, Pogona out of Wispy in Whedonistas is waiting for April for the same reason.

What's on your needles this week?

WIPs of the week

This week has been a week of slow progress.
I've been making rows and rows on the Geodesic cardigan over the weekend, and it's starting to look like, well, something.
I love the delicate fabric, and the colour is stunningly subtle.
I'm also making good progress on my swap partner's socks. I turned the heel!
While turning the heel may be my favourite part of the sock (Look! New direction!), the first few rounds of gusset are my least fave. I suck at picking up the stitches and always get unsightly holes, and the first two rounds are just awkward as the fabric pulls in funny ways and there isn't enough space on the needle.
Then it gets better and things are flying along.
I'm not there yet though.

I've also started a test knit for a friend. It's in my Tails DK base, so the pattern is positively flying off the needles! The gauge is a little denser than I prefer, but it makes for a warm, delightful fabric.
I came up with a new colourway especially for this project. In honour of the weather we currently have outside, I'm calling it Looks Like Rain. The colour reminds me of the bottoms of storm clouds rolling in.

And speaking of new colours, I've treated myself to a sweater's quantity of Tails in a new-to-me red, Poison Apple. It's going to be a pullover, possibly the Pelotonner. Something squishy to cosy up in when I need a woolly hug...

What's on your needles this week?

What's on the needles this week? Hoaloha!

This week hasn't been much for knitting.
I've been making teeeeeeeny progress on the Geodesic, and then Clue 2 of the Hoaloha came out!
So of course, I had to start that.
It's going great, but as things progress, I am thinking a lot about flattering knits.
As knitters and general makers of garments, we're in the fortunate position to make ourselves clothes that truly fit and flatter us, in whichever way we choose.

I am built rather differently from the Hoaloha designer, in that I am short and stocky, with a high, short waist.

ballet neck

The pullover design features a texture pattern that essentially hits the middle of the torso. Cutting my already short torso in half is really not a good look for me.
So I'm modifying to suit my taste and starting the texture sooner and possibly for longer.
I'm thinking of it more of an underbust corset feature, and that suits me much better.

scoop neck

I've also been trying the pullover on repeatedly, and I discovered that the neckline, such as it is now, has a lot of play in it. I actually enjoy pulling it out, kind of ballet style.
I don't know if we're adding more to the collar, but I actually enjoy the rolled finish, so I might keep it as is, regardless.

That's the power of knitting your own garments. You're in control, you make your own choices. And if the finished product doesn't please you, you can do it again!

If you're not in the mystery KAL, you are really missing out ona  treat. There are secret blog posts, special videos just for us KALers and a great community guessing and knitting along.
If Mel ever does this again, RUN to sign up!

WIPs of the Week

Geodesic swatch

I'm trying to get back into blogging, since I do miss getting updates out and talk knitting, of course!

What's been on my needles this week?
First of all, I swatched for the Geodesic cardigan in MadTosh lace in one of my favourite colours ever, Mourning Dove.

Kvosin crown & body

I've never knit with lace yarn before, and it feels wispy and ethereal and fun. I definitely need more!

Then there's the Kvosin hat, part of the Westy's Besties KAL. Colourwork up the side of the hat, how clever is that? It's knit in a variety of Wollmeise colours.

Hoaloha neck

And last, but certainly not least, I started my Hoaloha, a SinglehandedKnits mystery KAL. I'm using my own Chubby base in a new colourway I've named Coastal, because it reminds me of this picture of my mum and me at Bondi Beach in Sydney a few years back.

mum & me @ Bondi beach

I haven't knit a worsted weight garment before, and it's thick and squishy. Just what you want as the last heat waves of summer are rolling through...
I'm not sure it ever really gets cold enough for worsted-weight wool here in Melbourne, but hey, it just means I need to travel more, right?




What's on your needles this week?