Tukats

Katie in Autumn

On the first day of autumn, I finally finished sewing together Katie, after lingering in it's knitting bag through the summer.  It's just in time to enjoy for fall and winter.  Once completed, I like this sweater more than I thought I would.  It seemed a little, well, boring while knitting, but it fits perfectly.  I did lengthen the sleeves about 3 inches, and I think I lengthened the body about an inch, just cuz I'm tall.  The fabric takes on a felted look and the tweedy bits really stand out.  Just a good all-around cardi for me.

Here's a shot of the back.

Then I also finished the Noro Striped Scarf.  I just loved knitting this scarf and found with the color changes, it was very addictive to knit.  At first, I wasn't so thrilled with Noro Silk Garden because it seemed a wee bit scratchy, but it's really beautiful, almost like homespun, and my friend Nora assures me it will soften if I use a clothes softener with it.  And I do think I'm a bit sensitive when it comes to how my knits feel, anyway.

I've started my first pair of Monkey socks, which there's really not much to show at this point.  I'm using Lorna's Laces in the Camoflouge colorway.  I've also been swatching for the Tangled Yoke cardi, but the Rowan Rowanspun DK I planned on using only got gauge on US 3 needles.  I can't see myself doing that, so I may have to order some Rowan Felted Tweed.  There's a beautiful color called Rage, which is a soft red, and I've really been wanting a red sweater, but I'll see if I'm brave enough to do it, or just go with a safe neutral.

Curiously Similar

Has anyone noticed the similarity between these two patterns in Fall IK and Fall Vogue?  I know the fashion world usually puts their collective heads together and decides on "the look" for the upcoming season, but it strikes me as remarkable that two designers would have this same idea. Sorry for such a bad second photo of the blue sweater, but the VK website has been out of order for just about a week now, so I had to take a photo with my ever-aging camera, but you get the idea.

I'm still pluggina away, finishing up Kate (almost there), working on the Noro striped scarf (1/2 done), and still need to finish the neckline of the boring chic white cotton pullover.

Just got back from a marvelous motorcycle ride up past Ojai on Highway 33.  Weather and road conditions couldn't be better.

The Manos Vintage Velvet scarf is done for my Red Scarf Project 2007 donation.  I'm thinking I can probably find some more stash yarn and crank out a couple more scarves by the first of the year.  The two skeins of Manos were as different as night and day.  The first skein was spun to perfection, had a nice sheen and luster and was beautiful.  This being my first experience with Manos, I absolutely loved it.  The second skein was totally different, barely spun, rough, much more rustic.  Not so in love with that one.  I see why, if you're making a sweater, you need to switch skeins every two rows.  I think as a scarf, it is very passable, but you are now forewarned!

I also blocked Kate and will begin assembly hopefully this week.  The white cotton top-down pullover is so near completion, I just have to get to it.

I did start the Noro striped scarf.  I'm using Noro Silk Garden in two colors, #270 and #84.  Although Silk Garden isn't the softest yarn I've ever knit with, I very much like its texture, color change, and earthiness of it.  The beauty and interest  in the scarf is in seeing how the colors change as you knit along.  It's a very simple 1 x 1 rib with change of colors every other row.   A sweater would be beautiful in this color change system.  No pooling I don't think.  I'm blaming this scarf for not completing the white cotton  pullover.

I'm really eager to begin some fall knitting.  Planned are Monkey Socks, Tangled Yoke Cardi, and maybe a trendy long cardi.  Problem is, I'm just so fickle.  My queue in Ravelry is constantly changing as I see something that I have to put near the top, pushing other favorites back.  A perfect example is I just received Phildar Tendances #460, which is full, I mean full, people, of patterns I love.  Sheesh, what's a girl to do?

My Mind Said "Go," But My Body...Not So Fast There

Ah, just when I'm feeling on top of the world, my body has different ideas.  Having suffered occasionally, but yearly, chronic lumbar back strains and sprains and muscle spasms for the last 10 years, once again this week I was down for the count.  And it all happened by simply getting up out of a chair.  "Boing!"  "Uh-oh."  Good news is that my M.D. has me scheduled for an MRI and an appointment with a specialist to take a look-see.  Hopefully they can help me to not have this problem anymore.  Nuff of that.

On the knitting front, Charlotte's Web is fini, and I think it's beautiful.  I went down to the courthouse and took all these lovely photos before it heats up too much today.  Yesterday was a sweltering 95F.  It's hard to get motivated to have a big pile of even cotton on your lap when it's like that.

Anyway, I really enjoyed knitting it.  The knitting took on a rhythm of its own, with me mumbling the pattern like a mantra for each line over and over.

I did learn that if and when I knit another CW, I will bind off ever so loosely.  I thought I was, but it needed a bit more slack in the blocking stage to stretch to the guideline measurements, but it's acceptable.

I also started my scarf for the Red Scarf Project.  Now, I know what you're thinking, it's not red, but it doesn't have to be according to the Red Scarf Project website.  I'm using Manos del Uruguay in the Stellar colorway, and I'm using the Vintage Velvet pattern out of Scarf Style.  I love how the cables show on each side.

I started on the sleeves of the top-down cotton pullover, and if I put my mind to it, I could have it done this weekend.  Not much to do, really, so I'll try and finish it up between ice water breaks and cold showers.  Stay cool until next time...