Erica’s Blog

It grows - slowly b/c of the small yarn and size US 2 1/2 needles, but it grows.

I knit this cowl a few months ago as a swatch when I was choosing stitches to use in my Pi Shawl. I like the combination of that stitch w/the yarn (Grignasco Top Print; don’t remember where I got it), but I should have made it taller and not quite so big around. Oh, well. I guess that makes this more of a decorative cowl than a cowl for warmth.

I did a flurry of knitting with some bulky yarn over the last few days because, well, sometimes ya just need a little instant gratification.

Somebody in this house learned how to shave her pits last week. With her having P.E. every day at school now, those around her are grateful. Just sayin’…

DESIGNER PROJECT: Remember that designer project I was working on? Well, SOMEONE must have decided I needed some humbling b/c two days ago, I had to declare defeat. For some reason, though I’ve successfully knit that style of sweater for this same designer before, I just couldn’t get the sleeves right. The elastic yarn probably played a part in it, but I’m sure it was mostly my fault. Anyhow, it was really humiliating to have to tell her - a week after it had been due to her, when she had been EVER so patient and gracious - that I just couldn’t beat my head against the brick wall any longer. When the actual pattern is released next spring, I will look forward to seeing how it turns out. I am SO GLAD to have that monkey off my back. My confidence in my knitting skills is pretty much shot at this point, though. This sweater shall henceforward be known as The Sweater That Defeated Me….

THING ONE’S BIRTHDAY SWEATER: Well, because I had to work a week longer than planned on the aforementioned designer project, I didn’t get to go back to Thing One’s promised Tang for her birthday. She was VERY understanding about it, though. I picked it back up Monday evening and am making good progress. Pictures soon, but for those of you who haven’t seen the book or aren’t on Ravelry to see the picture there, here’s a picture of someone else’s completed Tang. Remember, however, that I’m doing it in a solid purple yarn, not a variegated like in her picture. Very simple, top-down construction with afterthought sleeves, so it should help me get my confidence back. I hope.

LIESL FOR ME: I did make some progress on this while I was knitting The Sweater That Defeated Me b/c Liesl was my take-along project for when I had 10 minutes sitting outside the school or in the car on the way to church (uh, not when Hubby was gone and I was driving, though, lol), etc. I started the picot bind-off on the hem yesterday. Once that’s done, I’ll get to knit the sleeves and be done with it, having only my second sweater for MOI. (The first, you may remember, was the Alisa test knit for Chris. This, luckily, has long since stopped fitting me. I should probably knit myself a new one next year for the spring/summer.)

ADDED LATER: OK, here’s how the bottom section of Liesl with the picot bind-off looks:

PI SHAWL & PURPLE SOCKS: Haven’t touched ‘em since I started on The Sweater That Defeated Me. Time to pick them back up.

CHRISTMAS KNITTING: Yikes! Time to get started!

SEAN’S SCARF: It’s also time for me to return to Uncle Sean’s scarf, which is at the top of the “guilt list”.

Pictures coming soon where appropriate….

This batch of pictures is from Auntie’s camera: