I just can't help it

I said that I was going to make some more progress on my 2 existing knitting projects before starting another one. I said that. Well, I don't know what it is, but I just can't help it. I kept picking up the pattern for Ms. Marigold and reading it. I liked that it was divided into sections. None of my other WIPs were written like that. I kept looking at the neat, wound up balls of Sonata in bright red that were begging to be knit. So, I did it. I cast on for Ms. Marigold and completely neglected everything else all week. But, I've made lovely progress.

Done up to the armholes, almost ready to join in the round.

In other news, I found some Jaeger MM 4 ply in a yummy shade of pink (my favorite) to make Arisaig. I am going to at least keep my promise not to cast on anything new for fall until my summer projects are complete. I must stick to it!!! Otherwise, I know I will have unfinished summer items that will sit all winter and then be old news when new spring patterns come out. Discipline!

I swear this will stay wound up....for now....

Finished: Lelah-Penny Top!

I've finished my version of the Lelah Top. I wanted little sleeves on it, so I followed glampyre's instructions for Bad Penny up until I knit over the bust and then worked Lelah backwards. This was pretty easy, since all I had to do was interchange rows 1 and 6 of the lace pattern. It was fun to knit and my first top-down raglan knit. I am definitely doing something like this again. I love that there's no seaming!! I've worn it twice so far and it needs a washing. The yarn is from elann and was super affordable ($1.98 per ball, used 6 balls), but I am nervous about how it will hold up. I know I will wear this A LOT because I wore it to work on Friday and it was the first thing I wore that co-workers (some of whom are fellow knitters) did not know/ask if I had knit it. That's the best - it looked store-bought and not handmade. Whoo hoo!

Love the waist-defining i-cord.

A view from the back.

Close up of the lace detail and waist shape.

Now, I am making progress on Orangina and the Lion brand t-strap top. I'd like to get those in the home stretch before starting something new. Difficult, I know!

Nephew #4 has arrived

Bill's (my husband, the lawyer) brother and his wife are now the proud parents of 2 girls and 2 boys with the addition of Jack on Tuesday. He arrived a little early, but past the critical 37 week mark, weighing in at 6lbs 14 oz.

I gave them the Pea Pod Set and everyone loved it. Hope he enjoys wearing it when he gets much bigger (and it gets cold). Though I am not quite ready yet to think about having kids, I can tell I am getting older, and hence, getting closer to that point. Scary!

Eyelet V-Neck Pattern

I've written up the Eyelet V-Neck with Ribbon trim into a
pdf file.

Please let me know if you spot errors or have questions. This is the first pattern I have ever 'formally' written up!

False Alarm

Over the weekend, my sister-in-law started to feel labor pains (she's due August 6 but is expected to deliver any day), so I scrambled to get the Pea Pod Baby Set complete.

Success!

It is SO adorable and the detailing on the lace-leaf came out better than I expected. The color looks dark in the picture - it is more of an olivey-piney green. I cheated on the hat (didn't do the lace-leaf), but I added a pom-pom to make up for it. Turns out, the labor was a false alarm. But, it's wrapped and waiting for baby's arrival.
I also wanted to add a personal touch by creating a label for the sweater. I read on crafster.org about how you can buy iron-on printer paper and make labels by ironing the paper cut outs to ribbon. I went to Joann fabrics and found something even better - inkjet printer fabric paper. I made my label and pasted a bunch onto a page in Word. Then, I printed to the fabric paper, ironed it, washed it, re-ironed it and voila!! The label can be sewn right onto the garment:

Fabric paper, after printing the labels out.

A label cut out and sewn to the Pea Pod sweater. So cute!

A Quick Note

The Prosperous Plum Tank now has multiple sizes! Check out knitpicking to get the pattern.

Creating a stash

I was not happy with how Orangina was knitting up with the Shine Sport. It was looking "fuzzy", so I frogged it and ordered some Sonata from Elann. I loved the way this was knitting up with my Lelah-Penny top, so I ordered 3 colors. I am SO not a pack rat and have trouble keeping things I am not using, so this was a big step for me. I plan to keep all this yarn and hopefully knit up some surprises with it, since I am sure I ordered way more than I need for Orangina. Ms Marigold is planned next with the red, and perhaps a Ms Marigold for a friend (or two).

Here are the 21 balls I ordered.

Orangina was started and 4" completed using the dark purple (Victorian Grape).

In other knitting news, I made great progress on the Pea Pod Baby Set over the weekend. Only 1 sleeve left to go! Which is good, since the baby is coming very soon. We drove to Ohio for Katie (who taught me how to purl)'s wedding, so the drive gave me good knitting time. We stopped at the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio.