Progress: Castle Pullover

I have been working my needles like a mad woman lately.  With the long holiday weekend over, I have finished all of my Christmas knitting---yes, it's true, and we still have something like 30+ days, huh?  I shouldn't brag too much.  I have been wanting to make the patterns of my gifts for a long while so it was easy to muster the courage to work on them.  They also awarded me another 500-ish yards to my year total, so I'd say the last week or so has been a tremendous success! 

I also started my Castle Pullover two days ago.  I decided to use some Elann Highland Wool my mother in law gifted me last year.  It was the only amount of stash yarn I had that somehow equaled a sweater and I just had to, especially when Cecily had a special on her patterns.  I am almost done with the body and toying with the idea of 3/4 sleeves.  Still haven't made the choice but I am somewhere near approaching my seventh skein and still have two left. Somewhere in the back of my head I am picturing wearing it with a long sleeve mustard top, so we'll see.  I think the lace will actually look quite nice once I am finishing blocking the piece. I am dreading the return to work, if only because I will have to put down the sweater. 

While I was on the topic of the holidays, I have begun the sweating that begins when cyber Monday starts approaching.  Will I buy anything?  Can I really afford any more yarn or more importantly, do I have a place to house it anyway?  Single luxury skeins or work horse sweater quantities...? The feeling of dread that comes over me is epic.. Webs has free shipping on orders over $75, but really?  Maybe I can find something better?  The questions are never ending.... I still haven't made the big decisions, but you can believe I will be red eyed with my calculator in tow at my laptop around midnight.  

Finished: Annabel Cardigan

Earlier this week, I bound off my Annabel Cardigan.  I don't remember when I cast this on, per my Ravelry page, I have been working on it for almost 10 months.... It certainly didn't take me ten months, but at some point I realized my markers were playing tricks on me, and I had to frog the whole thing and restart it.  I'd say from the time I actually rebegan the project, it took me about 10 days of real knitting.  The project took 1.5 skeins of Cascade Eco. I had some trouble selecting buttons, I couldn't decide if I wanted buttons all the way down or just for the top, I still haven't figured it out but I did select two white buttons for the time being. 

 

 

Last weekend, while on a shopping excursion for Christmas yarn, I did pick something up for myself--surprise! A beautiful skein of Malabrigo Sock in Persia. I'm not too sure what it will become at the moment but I couldn't resist. I have been in a blue mood and this seemed to fit me perfectly. I am considering, once done with my gifts, recasting on a Damson shawl, but I haven't solidified any plans just yet.

 

I have also begun swatching my Castle Pullover in a lot of Elann Highland Wool that my mother in law picked up at an estate sale.  Looking forward to this cute design by Cecily, who just kills me with her designs.

 

I am working on quite a few projects at the moment, but most I can't discuss since they are Christmas gifts... I can't believe the year is almost over.  With the progress of my gifts, I imagine I should be ahead of the game, completing most everything before mid December.

 

 

Finished: Shimmer in Blue + Princess

Any time the weather changes, I find myself moving forward with my knitting.  I just can't help but want to be bundled up with a large (or small) piece of knitting keeping my hands warm... this winter is no different. 

In the last few weeks, I have been hitting the needles dutifully and have finished some new projects, bringing my yardage for the year to almost 8,000! 

I  finished another Dovetail Cowl for a dear friend in Oregon.  It worked up in about two days in Cascade 220 and I really hope she gets wear out of it this chilly winter.

Recently a coworkers 4 year old daughter caught a glimpse of me wearing my Pogona shawl... the next day she asked if I had made it to which I replied---"of course!"  Without blinking an eye lash I asked what her daughters favorite color was.  Within a week my mini/lazy version of the Princess shawl was born.  This took just about one ball of Rowan Felted Tweed and I ended it with a tiny little butterfly button.  From what I've heard it is a big hit and I couldn't be happier! 

And finally, yesterday, I bound off my Shimmer in Blue in a muted shade (Stone Blue) of Malabrigo Worsted.  This worked up in about 4 days and was about as mindless as it gets.  Garter stitch and a cable repeat which includes only one cable row.  Perfect work knitting! I had a little trouble with the set up row and needed to add two rows of stockinette to work the math out, but overall, it is snuggly and the perfect shade for the upcoming change of weather. 

I have also finished one half of my new pair of some cloudy days in an unknown superwash wool.  I am feeling a little underwhelmed with the pattern the second time around.  Nothing wrong with it--but with my lack of exposed legs these have hit the back burner fast. 

Before the year ends I would like to:.  

• begin and finish a Noro Striped Scarf for a work friend.
• work on a pair of Herringbone mittens in shades of gray (surprise!)
• finally begin Phillip's Star Trek hat if I can ever figure out the scale of the chart and sizing.... (we'll see!)
• select yarn for a Pontos Cardigan. 

I feel as though I may be skating on thin ice with only about 60 days left in the year but with my work ethic it just may be possible... Happy Knitting!