Here's Progress

I've gotten a massive amount of work done on my cactus blossom sweater this past week. I'm not sure, but I think it has something to do with miles of stockinette in the round and size 9 needles. Regardless, I have the body done up to the point where I have to join the sleeves, one sleeve done, and the second sleeve just past the color work.

This is what it looks like as of yesterday:

Click on the image to make it bigger.

As you can see, Its not too bad for my first real attempt at two- color knitting.I used the same yarn called for in the pattern (usually I don't, but this was within budget) with the exception of the Boku, of which I chose a different color.

I also added an inch to the tops of the sleeves, I'm long limbed, and I like to have my sleeves over my hands. It looks like the sweater has long sleeves already, I'm just covering my bases.

If you recall I started out with a swatch in a completely unrelated pattern just to practice with.

I used left over yarn from my cinchy hats and a free pattern from the net to try out different techniques to see what works best for me. It turns out that all of them were really awkward for me so I've ended up just dropping the yarn I'm not working with to the back and picking up the next one. It's undeniably slower than other techniques but it feels more comfortable, and I can keep the best tension that way.

Please notice the lovely Bella Lugosi to your left.

Also notice the mirror image phenomena of my left handed knitting.

See how it got reversed??? That was entirely unintentional. Kinda cool, but not if you want your sweater to come out a certain way. Fortunately, the pattern on the cactus sweater is symmetrical, so I don't have to worry about trying to follow the charts backwards or anything.

Since I had to go up a needle size, and I think my gauge is still a little tight I'm worried that I may have to order an extra skein of yarn. Given the unseasonably warm weather, I won't order any unless I'm absolutely sure I need it. Not that I mind having an extra skein or two lying around but its not emergency sweater weather yet, and I can work on another couple projects in the interim.

I have to finish my pumpkin, its now felted, but it needs to be stuffed, and I have no stuffing. Also in need of stuffing is my secret project voodoo doll, which I've designed myself, and intend to submit to the Interweave Piecework Pincushion Contest. They seem like a bunch of straight laced people, so perhaps they won't appreciate it as much as I do, but if it doesn't make the cut, I'm thinking about submitting it to Knitty. At any rate, it's going to be pretty awesome.

I also have to make before the end of October, a pumpkin hat for myself ( I made 3 in January for my mom and her two friends, after we attended Punkin Chunkin in DE the previous Nov.) And of course, my mom the Libra wants a pumpkin scarf to match. Lucky me. I'll probably be designing that one as well.

And finally, the piece de resistance: I bought a really awesome bag to tote around my knitting in for only a dollar at a church yard sale.

I'm not a pink person, but a Dollar!!!! It's lightweight, and lined, and it has two different shades of grey to balance out the pink. I'm quite pleased.