Upcoming Knitting ~ To Keep Myself Inspired and Organized

October 1st will soon be upon us and this time of the year always makes me a little anxious.  For knitters, this begins the final stretch for any and all projects we want to get done before the end of the year.  For me, this is a self-imposed deadline.  I'm not knitting any holiday gifts this year (well, maybe - see Christmas stockings below), but I still have knitting projects I'd like to finish by the end of the year.

So, I'm posting my knitting list here to keep myself engaged, inspired, and on schedule :)

1.  First up - My Sport Weight Lace Scarf:  I blogged about my search for a lace scarf pattern months ago.  In the end, I didn't choose any that I mentioned and instead I'm knitting the Three Sisters Scarves #2 by Monica Steinbauer.  I love the mix of chevron with lace, particularly in this teal yarn (see above - not finished and unblocked).  This should look great with my fall jacket, thus creating project #2 on my list:

2.  I'm going to try to create some matching fingerless mitts to go with this scarf.  Stay tuned for the pattern in the coming months (but probably not before December).

3.  I need/want to make a doily to go under my ceramic Christmas tree that I put out during the holidays.  I'm going to use Madeline Nelson's Pi Washcloth pattern as a starting point for my knit doily.  This should be a quick knit (I hope).  I don't need anything fancy for my doily and I'm just going to use some leftover white acrylic yarn to knit it.  I might add some beads or buttons around the edge when I'm done.

Standing Stones Cowl by Andee Fagan

4. I have 2 1/2 skeins of Berroco Vintage leftover from knitting my Vale cardigan.  As I mentioned before, I'm considering making the Standing Stones Cowl by Andee Fagan to wear as more of a poncho.  But honestly, I'm not sure how much use I'd get out of a poncho, so I like the flexibility to wear this as a cowl too.  I really love the lace pattern in this design.

Tis The Season Stocking by Katie Weston

5.  Last year when we were at my parents for Christmas, my mother mentioned wanting some knit stockings to display during the holidays.  I'm hoping she's forgotten about this, or changed her mind, but I've also searched out some free stocking patterns on Ravelry.  I love the Tis The Season Stocking by Katie Weston and I can use some stash dk to knit it.  I'd make two stockings for my parents (each different) and I think Katie Weston's pattern will look great matched with this Drops Design stocking.

6.  Lastly, I never finished this striped short-sleeve top I started last spring (ugh).  I still don't love it, so I either need to to finish it in a way I like, or take it apart and knit something else.  Right now, I'm waiting for some inspiration and direction to hit.

I plan to post about some of these projects, so you can watch my progress!

When Not to Knit a Sweater

If you read this blog at all, you know I love knitting sweaters as much as the next knitter.  But sometimes you can find a fabulous sweater all pre-made and perfect just waiting for you at the store!  This lightweight cardigan illustrates one of the points I made in my blog post about picking sweater patterns:  If you can buy it in a store, and you love it, why bother knitting it yourself?

I found this beige cardigan at Ross last week for $17.  It's a lightweight cotton that I find perfect for in between seasons.  It has this beautiful lace back that is right on trend right now, and is a perfect fit for me (though I could take a better photo of the back).  I love it!

So let's be honest:  I probably couldn't buy the yarn to knit this sweater for $17.  And it would certainly take more than $17 worth of my time to knit.  So the purchase of this cute cardigan was a great buy for me.  Check out more hints on choosing the perfect sweater pattern here.

Oh, and if you like my new Matryoshka doll necklace, check out my tutorial to make your own on my Hubpages!

Vale Cardigan Sweater Update 4: Final Reveal & Last Thoughts

I finished my Vale Cardigan for the Very Shannon Summer Sweater Knit-a-long (#sskal15) with a few weeks to spare (hurrah!)  Though it's taken me a bit of time to get used to how this sweater looks on me, I do like it very much.

 

The cabling on this sweater is what I first fell in love with, and it is truly beautiful.  I particularly love how the cable design falls on the sleeves.  And the moss stitch creates a sturdy fabric that should be quite warm this winter.

I've posted my notes on my mods, knitting the back and front pieces, and the sleeves already, so I only have a few more comments:

1.  It took me a while to get used to the draping front pieces on this cardigan.  I think it might be a bit too much on me and makes my hips and chest wider.  I wonder if deleting 10 to 15 stitches from each of the front pieces would make the front not hang as much.  I know this would also make the lapels narrower.  It's an interesting idea for modification, but I have no plans to re-knit this sweater.

2.  I do love my choice to knit this cardigan in Berroco Vintage.  I've knit with Vintage before and it seemed a slight bit scratchy.  However, this batch/color is rather snuggly and doesn't seem to have that itch quotient.  And I really love this Dungaree color.  It's the perfect medium blue to go with so many things in my closet.

And it's a good thing I like the color - I have about 550 yards left after knitting my Vale Cardigan.  I'm thinking about knitting the Standing Stones Cowl by Andee Fagan with the remainder.

I been thinking about knitting a poncho and I love how this design can be worn as a cowl or poncho.

Looking forward to cooler temperatures and wearing my new Vale Cardigan :)