Slacker

I’m a slacker on posting this week, although not on crocheting or knitting.

My comfi cardi grows steadily – you see how the piece is constructed here?  It’s really an interesting way to construct a crocheted sweater.  I can’t wait until it all comes together.  Yesterday I crocheted on this for hours and hours, and I finally feel like it’s getting closer to the end!

This is somewhere over 1/2 of the Lush cardigan completed.  I won’t attempt the math, but it is closer!  I’m still nervous about my yarn, because I think it is going to be close – I hope I make it!  I’m not happy with the seams on that shoulder – I found one of the directions for the sleeve to be confusing, and then I couldn’t figure out where a measurement was pointing on the schematic, so I don’t know if I did it right, resulting in major easing in of the sleeve.  It looks fine on, so I’ll probably leave it, but I wish I could figure out whether it’s me or the pattern!  I also haven’t sewn in the pockets yet, because I’m nervous about the sewing, but I will be ok.

The first of the Knitting Daily galleries are up for Spring, and I’m happy that one of the models has similar measurements to me.  It makes deciding on sizes much easier – I’m thinking I won’t have to invent a smaller size for either the flutter sleeve cardigan or the printed silk cardigan.   The entire reason why I almost always need negative ease is because my waist is much smaller than my bust, and I swim in larger sizes, but the empire silhouette negates this problem.  My only question about the flutter sleeve cardigan is the extra fabric at the armpit, but I think that’s caused by knitting the sleeves with the body, and seems to be there with most of the models.  I don’t love the Mirabella cardigan, thank goodness, because I have enough to knit – I don’t look great in sweaters that button all the way down, I find.

Speaking of the Printed silk cardigan, I decided on a yarn sub (and I am so excited about this sweater!)  I ordered DK weight silk from Colourmart in a pretty purple.  I really wanted a silk sweater, and honestly it was cheap.  I’ve never ordered from them before, but I have heard good things, so I hope it works out (if not, I’m pretty sure I can find a use for pretty silk yarn!)

We went to Actor’s Theatre tonight to see The Clean House.  It was excellent – both funny and touching, with some very nice performances.   I wore my Karaoke Clapotis and was nice and warm, even though it was cold in the theatre, and even though we are currently experiencing some icy weather (let us not talk about how long it took to scrape off my car today.)  I love my shawls and wraps, but I don’t often make them for the simple reason that I find giant rectangles to be pretty boring to knit.  I went looking for non boring shawls, and rediscovered the designs of Ilga Leja.  You may recall that I bought her Lake of the woods kit (last photo below), which I have yet to make, but I swear to you that it will be mine for spring!  Her new collection has pieces named after opera heroines, which I love because I am an opera fan.  In particular I am in love with Manon.

 

I love the uneven edges and the ruching.  It’s so unusual, and it doesn’t look like it would bore me to death.  I have several other of her designs in my queue, including the Open Waters shawl and her Antique lace blouse (there are some pretty ones on Ravelry!)   I’m willing to admit that I’m not really a lace shawl person – oh, don’t get me wrong, I would wear them, but I don’t want to knit them… but I want shawls, pretty shawls that aren’t made of laceweight yarn and don’t take ages of careful concentration to knit (I tend to knit while deeply involved in Dr Who or some such program, so anything that needs a silent room is not for me…. which is my problem.  I want interesting but not too interesting, you know?  Clapotis was great for me, if a bit boring at the end, but I think 2 of them are my limit.

So I swear… sometime this spring some of these shawls are going to happen for me, in some lovely silk/wool blends.  And then I will have lots of pretty things to wear to the theater, which I keep swearing we need to do more often, as we both love going!