Two more FOs and a new UFO

I think posting about my projects tends to give me a kick in the heinie. I finished the long, skinny scarf and also Odessa. Not my best work, but it is pretty. The beads keep wanting to disappear to the inside. Clearly, I never figured out the trick to that.















I also started a felted hat for my mom; she had bought the yarn for it 2 trips ago, and I located the pattern at my then-LYS. Of course, since its destiny is to be felted, it is on huge needles (10.5US) and is already going fast. The main yarn is black Cascade 220, and the contrast is Brown Sheep Handpaint Originals in Sara's Dress (color 20; curiously left off the list), a lovely conglomerate of black and jewel tones. This can be my mindless project for now, as I knit 31 rows even.

Update on projects: One FO

Here's the FO: finished my sister's tam! Photograph by my son, 6.5 yrs.







Then, she asked for a long, skinny scarf, that would go around her neck a few times. I tried Mistake Rib, K1P1 rib, stockinette with garter-stitch edges, and each time, it looked like I'd end up with a short scarf. Then someone on the glbt-knit list suggested a diagonal scarf on oversized needles. That was the ticket!




Here's an update on Odessa, too. I am loving this wool; so springy, and the color is so intense. Don't know if my recent ex will still want it, but I'll offer it to her when I'm done, and if not, maybe my sister will want it.





Finally, here's the latest on the Lang Yarns Viva sweater. I tried it on (at about 8"), and it did fit! Lucky, since it would have killed me to rip all that out. I've decided that the little V in front is going to look like crap on me (just accentuate my belly), so I'm going to sew it up when I'm done. The cabling looks nice, though, no?

I have clearly lost my mind

Just got my order in of more Skacel Contrasto for a birthday gift for a friend. And because I can't simply order ONE yarn, like ever, I added in some yarn for a sweater for the little dude. This yarn. In black and orange. As I said, I have completely lost my mind.

Yes, I keep knitting absolutely garish things for my son. Because that is what he asks for and I'm a softie for the little guy. The latest thing he asked for was a head-to-foot T!gger costume, knit or otherwise made by moi. I figure a pullover with kangaroo pocket in this yarn is the closest I'm willing to come, and that's a lot farther than most.

In other news, I finished the tam for my sister, and it is mostly OK. The top is a little, eh, peaky, so I'm going to rip back just a few rows and do k2togs all the way around and see if that makes it flatter. It is really very nice, I think. I still think the cast-on edge is a bit tight. The wool is so soft and warm. And now I have one full ball and part of another left over. Enough for another ribbed hat for me? For someone else? I adore this yarn. Why doesn't everyone stock it?

Oh, and I finished the 3.5" part of the Viva top. Came across a challenge: the pattern has you knit the back & front separately. Now that I'm done with the two "separate" parts of the front, the yarn is at the middle. But in "real life," the yarn would be at the edge. So I think I have to cut it and rejoin it at the right side (not the left, right? Doesn't knitting go from right to left?). Weird, huh? I do still like it, even though the yarn does sometimes catch on the tip of the needles (which are plenty dull, being Clovers).

I've put aside Odessa for the time being. I kept making mistakes.

In which our hero hangs her head a bit

In celebration of having finished Branching Out, I enthusiastically cast on the Viva top. Well, I was enthusiastic at the beginning. OK, just before beginning. Because this blasted thing has swaths of stockinette intermixed with reverse stockinette, edge stitches, side stitches, you name it. I have used every stitch marker in the house and was even getting out washers from my junk drawer before I realized that some new stitch markers I just recently picked up were actually two bonded together (one large inside one small; they split apart with a little pressure). I feel like I'm knitting Birch after all!

The knitting itself wasn't too bad; the needles are long enough (I think they're 29") and the yarn very rarely catches on the point (it's not exactly splitty, but its weird tapeyness has an edge that sometimes catches), but it isn't quite fascinating yet. 3.5" to go before some excitement.

Given that, and that I wanted a smaller, quick project, and that the beads and springy Cool Wool 2000 (color merlot) were calling to me... I cast on for Odessa. Screwed the pooch right out of the gate by miscounting my knitted cast-on; when I started pattern rows, after 1" of k3p2 ribbing, the last pattern didn't have enough stitches. I'd counted 110 twice and 105 once. Turns out 105 was the actual number of cast-on stitches. Riiip. Redid the ribbing, and did 5 rows of pattern before I realized I'd neglected to change needle sizes. Riip. I've now done maybe 1.5" of pattern. The only current challenge (it's a very easy pattern) is keeping the beads on the outside. There must be a trick to this. Some stay; others hide. I poke them through and try to twist the bead slightly. It is lovely. Although, not being a process knitter, I wanted to be done Sunday. (shrug)