Nom, nom, nom…

So, of course I had to finish the sleeves.  And then came blocking, and seaming…

Isn’t it cozy looking?  I’m wearing it as I type this…  I can’t wait to finish off the collar and wear it outside!

Yup, I’ve already CO the collar, so it shouldn’t be long until this is an FO!

Henry is coming along nicely.  It doesn’t look like much, but it’s getting there.  The rows are SO LONG but…

…look at that texture!  It’s so pretty!

And the striped scarf is getting some attention.  Not a whole lot, but enough.  It’s a bit of a boring knit.

This is my new take-along project.  Simple stripes and 1×1 ribbing make for a very peaceful project.

I’ve already started using my Gloss, Kenai, for the Henry scarf, because it’s on a deadline.  I wish I could take it around, but the slipped stitches require a bit more concentration than I can spare when I’m out and about, so I have to make time for it when I’m home.  I’ve calculated that if I knit 6 (very long) rows per day, I can finish it in 28 days.  But seriously, look at that lovely pattern!

I wouldn’t reknit it, but I like the pattern it’s making!

I recently got an order from Knitpicks, but haven’t gotten around to photographing it until now.  In it, I got:

Birthday yarn!  Yes, my birthday was way back in October, but several of my awesome friends decided to get me a gift certificate to Knitpicks and this is what I got from it, 7 skeins of Gloss Fingering in Seafoam.  (It was pretty awesome that the sum came out to be almost exactly the amount they gave me!  Only 3 cents off the mark.)  Someday, it’ll turn into an Apres Surf Hoodie, one of the sweaters of the year.

4 skeins of Gloss Fingering in Kenai.  (Can you tell I really like this yarn?)  This will turn into Henry, which is a gift for someone, but if he doesn’t want/like it, I’m totally okay with stealing it for myself, because I love scarves…

And finally, 2 skeins of Stroll Glimmer in Carnation.  I’m planning on revamping my Chou-gok (Little Mums) pattern and I want to try the shawl out in a different colorway.

I really need to knit more.  I keep wanting more yarn, and so now there’s plenty of yarn, but not enough FOs…  Plus, I like FOs in lighter weight, which takes more time.  No more yarn for a couple of months.

Maybe.

Yes, it’s been a long day.  So pardon the non-pretty pictures; there’s no more sun.

I started spinning again.  I really want buy some pretty fiber, but I also want to use up some of my fiber.  Maybe after I finish this spinning project, I’ll buy a braid.

I probably couldn’t have gotten a good picture of this anyway, but this is what a Rill Scarf looks like after 50g of lace.  Almost there…!

It’s hard to work on the sleeves when you’re not home, so the Livingstone Cardigan hasn’t been getting a lot of love.  Not to mention the fact it’s not really cold anymore.  Boo.  I’m planning on finishing it soon, but I probably won’t get to wear it out until later in the year.

My Rill scarf has been getting a lot of attention, but it’s slow because it’s laceweight yarn.  I am loving the fabric and I can’t wait to wear it after blocking and everything.  It’s going to be an amazing accessory!

I’ll probably start on a new project when I get to the 4th short-row section of the Rill scarf, and then another new project when I actually finish.  I need more than one “outside” projects to hold my attention, but I also don’t want to start anything before I’m almost done with the Rill scarf, otherwise I might never finish it!

I know.  I literally disappeared the last few weeks.  I didn’t even have much time to knit.  But it’s a new year, so, this year, I’d love to be able to:

-knit at least 6 sweaters
-design at least one sweater, sizing and all
-release at least 6 patterns
-buy less yarn, knit more from stash
-knit at least 2 pairs of socks for myself
-stick to my WIP Wednesday (this is hard because sometimes I’m busy on Wednesday and I can’t photograph my WIPs, so you might be seeing a post without a picture…)

I know, it doesn’t sound like much, but I want to keep it simple and not overwhelm myself, you know?

How did I do last year?

-Knit up all the cotton in my stash – NOPE
-Spin + knit one project – YES!
-Use up all acrylic (except the coned ones) in my stash – NOPE
-Write up at least 6 patterns, one of them a sweater or vest (I would say design too, but I’ve already done most of that already) – Sort of?  I designed (a lot) more than 6 patterns, but no sweater or vest.  I got half-way, then lost steam on that sweater.
-Revamp old patterns (ask a friend to help me photograph?) – Sort of?  I revamped half of them, but at least one is waiting for a new sample.
-Keep track of every yarn purchase – NOPE
-Spin more – NOPE
-Blog more consistently, even if that means pre-writing a lot of posts.  (This.  I suck at this.) – NOPE.  But it was better than last year.
-Document my stash with weights and everything (Already started) – NOPE.  But at least I put up all my new yarn now.

So I have one yes, 2 sort ofs and some improvement, but overall, I didn’t follow my goals.  Oh well!  It’s another year, new goals, more fun.

My Livingstone Cardigan (Rav link) is coming along swimmingly.  I’m actually on the sleeves already.

And my Rill scarf (Rav link) is moving along nicely too.  I’m on the 9th short row of section 3 and I can’t wait to block it.  It’s so soft and pretty…

I started this to use up my last skein from Bǎoshí, and because I loved my Glittering Stars cowl too much.

In taking these pictures, I realized how versatile this size is.

Post blocking, the cowl was even better:

It’s so awesome that I was tempted to give it away, but I’m not going to anymore!  I love it too much.  It’s warm, but not suffocatingly so, plus it was a stash-buster, and the beads add a subtle sparkle that doesn’t detract from the warmth (just move the beads so they don’t touch your neck).  Verdict?  I need another one.

Pattern: Jeweled Cowl (Rav link)

It’s pretty skinny because I didn’t have enough yarn to make it wider, but it works.

I love love love the end result.  It’s not as wide as I’d like, especially because it rolls up a lot, but it’s lovely, warm, and fun to wear.

The pattern is Jeweled Cowl (Rav link) and you know you want to make one (or more)!