FO: Orangina

Pattern: Orangina, by Stefanie Japel.
Yarn: Elann Lara in black, 5 skeins.
Modifications: None. I knit this exactly as written for the XS size. I added maybe an inch or so to the overall length.

Strange occurrences: My gauge really changed while knitting this. For the first piece, I was worried that it was going to be too small. I blocked it out while it was on a holder and it seemed OK. Then as I was knitting the second piece, it was turning out 2" wider than the first! What?? It was either a) the yarn, b) my gauge relaxed as I progressed, or c) both. In the end, it turned out OK because I blocked the second piece to match the first. Now they are only 1/2" different and it's not noticeable.

Verdict: I'm really enjoying wearing this sweater. It's much dressier than anything else I've knit and it goes with a lot. I had to buy a stick of that clear gel deodorant though, because the regular stuff really does show - yuck!

Silly face!

I've washed this in the machine and it held up really well and actually cleaned it up a bit. The yarn was leaving black fuzzies on my camisole underneath, but the washing helped with that.
In other knitting news, I am one sleeve away from finishing the Clover Lace cardi, and I started a pair of Christmas stockings. Yup, that's right. Christmas stockings. Last year, the holiday arrived so fast I didn't have time to think about knitting Christmas things. This year I'd like to have our stockings finished and hanging by the fireplace by December. I'll show you all that stuff next time.