busy.

Thank you so much for all the comments about the Tilted Duster! I’m really happy with it although the wool might be a bit too warm for my current climate.

I’m keeping my fingers busy for the next few weeks with some gift knitting. Earlier this fall, I decided the only holiday knitting I would do would be for the babies in my life, namely my nieces and nephew. The projects I’ve decided on are the Santa Cruz Hoodie (from Knit 2 Together) for Jamie (age 1), the Molly bolero (from Junior Knits by Debbie Bliss) for Jessica (age 3), and the Seed Stitch Jacket (from Exercise Before Knitting) for Tomma (who will be 6 months old at Christmas).

Raw materials (& other random supplies) are pictured above. The tan coloured yarn on the needles is the beginnings of Branching Out but that has since been put on the back burner. I’ve set the rather ambitious goal of finishing all three gift projects by December 23rd. I’ve got 3/4s of the Molly bolero done. Now if you’ll excuse me, I have some knitting to do.

a labour of love.

My first sweater is complete! I finished the last touches on the Tilted Duster last night, repositioning the buttons three times and weaving in all the ends. Hurrah!

It’s not perfect, but it’s handmade and appeared right before my fingertips, so I can let go of my perfectionist leanings and look past the minor flaws (namely, the shotty job I did on seaming the arms).

It was made with Berroco Peruvia, the recommended yarn, and it is from the fall issue of Interweave Knits. I’m writing about it like the people reading this blog aren’t knitters, but let’s be serious. You all know this sweater and you know the pattern was written by the lovely Norah Gaughan.

I had debated using Misson Falls as a substitute yarn, but none of their colours jumped out at me. When Beehive got their shipment of Berroco Peruvia and I saw this greyish brown with tiny flecks of blue, I knew this was the yarn that would make my first sweater.

I found the buttons at Button & Needlework Boutique. The only modifications were adding the third button and making the collar a bit longer than the pattern called for. The third button was intentional, and the longer collar just sort of happened because ribbing is hard to measure. I like the way it turned out.

Overall, I am quite happy with it. It was such a quick knit too; I cast on early to mid-October. A few notes of wisdom for folks who plan to knit this: it is a snug knit, so don’t expect to wear anything but a thin shirt underneath and the collar just appears out of nowhere, so be sure to measure regularly when you’re knitting it. Luckily, I like a big collar but I can see how it would annoy me if I didn’t. Even though I’ve been knitting for five years, I had never attempted a sweater until now. I don’t know what it was because I’ve managed to knit mammoth, never-ending projects comprised of a gagillion stitches before, so it wasn’t the fear of commitment or endurance. Whatever it was, I’m over it and now I’m already seeking out the next sweater I’d like to knit.

(Please excuse the leftover decorations from a surprise party we threw.)

Now I’m off to document this on Ravelry! Happy Tuesday.