How is a girl to knit. . . .

. . . . when she has so much 'yummy' stuff to read! Last week I treated myself to a couple of new knitting mags and a new knitting book :-) I mentioned these on my 'daily blog' last Friday when I had a cozy night on my own while hubby and daughter were out. I love the Debbie Bliss book and want to knit all kinds of goodies from it. I've actually cast on for a little boy sweater already, but I'm using Lion Brand Cotton Ease instead of the Debbie Bliss cotton. So far it's looking pretty nice. I'll share pictures soon.

Also last weekend another two magazines arrived in the mail for me. I have a friend in England that I swap mags with. She buys me the Simply Knitting magazine (which is my favorite) and I send her Mary Englebreit's Home Companion magazine which she can't get in the UK. This month her hubby was in town and picked up the knitting magazine he thought she wanted for me... turns out it was Knitting, and not 'Simply' Knitting, but she sent me them both anyway :-) I can get both of these mags in Barnes and Noble but we are usually a month behind and if you don't time it right they may also have sold out as they only get a few copies of each on the stands!

So, with all this lovely reading how am I supposed to get any knitting done? Well lucky me (or lonely me) has had a hubby that was away in Denver this week, so I got to read AND knit a lot.

My 'wips' are getting out of hand! I can't seem to stop casting on for new stuff. So far I have the Chicabean scarf on the needles, a cotton sweater from Debbie Bliss book, Bella Bunny from Lucinda Guy (actually she's already off the needles and is nearly all sewn together!), another Cozy Tank Top is on the needles, AND the Summertime Tunic (which I tried to do last year but it was too big so I've finally started again using up the Classic Elite Classic silk I bought back then too).

So, I will take pictures of some of this stuff and post another day about it. I may not post all projects as some are Christmas gifts and I don't want the recipients to possibly read this. I will try to add them all to Ravelry for those who can see them there.

Ta....Da!

I told you it would be a quick knit. . . . Here is the cute little tank top finished. I must apologize for the terrible photos, I always seem to get my camera out when it's dark out and I need to use the flash. They just aren't as bright and well detailed as I'd like.

This is a size 3-4 years but I think it looks a little small. Although there seems to be quite a lot of stretch in the bodice because of the rib, so I think it will fit the little soon to be 3 1/2 year old it is intended for :-)

I made rather a big boo boo on the front - I was knitting away so fast I forgot to 'place the pocket'. I've mentioned before how I simply HATE pulling anything out, so I just carried on knitting and decided I'd just knit a pocket separately and stitch it on after the fact. I think it turned out ok - don't you?

OK, so I know I should get back to the wildflower sweater. . . . but, Bella Bunny is calling my name!!! More about that next time ;-)

Fast progress. . . . .

When I'm knitting something that seems to be taking a long time, I tend to want to knit something else at the same time that will knit up pretty quick! With that in mind I called in to my LYS on the way home from bible study on Wednesday and picked up 3 skeins of RYC Cashsoft DK to start a tank top from the 'other' Lucinda Guy book I have - 'And So To Bed'.

This is a great quick knit. I cast on, on Wednesday afternoon (as soon as I got home actually!) and finished up the back today. I've just cast on for the front tonight :-) I added the project to my Ravelry account, but will show the pics here too -

This is the cast on for the front. . . .

And this is the back already finished. I should think I will be finished with this by next week :-)

Slow progress. . . . . . .

Just wanted to make a quick post.... I'm slowly plodding on with the front of the Wildflower Sweater. I don't know why I thought I should do a sweater with 'intarcia' as it always takes me so long to knit. Seriously - just doing one row can take me about 5 minutes! I'm telling myself that because this is a Christmas gift there's no hurry, and I shall just do a few rows a day! In the meantime I have cast on for another little knit from the Lucinda Guy book 'And So To Bed'. I will take pictures and post again soon.

I just wanted to let my 'knitting friends' know that I've finally gotten around to adding some stuff to Ravelry! I've been a member since last October but have been so busy surfing all the cool stuff on there I hadn't added any of my own. I've found a few blogging friends on there and have added you to my friends list. I'm 'knittingden' if you want to add me (or find me on Ravelry).

I'm off to the church library today where I said I'd volunteer to do a couple of hours. Not many people show up to use it so I shall take my knitting to pass the time.

Making progress....

I've finished both sleeves for the wildflower sweater but haven't taken a picture yet. I just wanted to give a quick update on that and also answer Jimberlys's questions - whoever you are ;-) (and I say that in a nice way) 'Jim' I'd like to return the visit but your profile doesn't link to a blog, so I 'm not sure if you have one or not. Anyway, I've been knitting since I was 8 years old (and I'm now h'hmm, 44!). My mom taught me to knit and spent many hours unwinding (or frogging as they call it now) my hole-y scarfs. I seriously don't know where she got the patience from but I'm glad she spent that time with me. She's now 82 and hasn't bothered knitting for some years. I didn't knit for many years either during my 20's and 30's but I had my daughter when I was 37 and picked up the needles again when I was pregnant (she's 7 now!).

It depends on what I'm doing during the day as to how much I knit, I usually just get the chance in the evening once Kristen has gone to bed, so I'd say I only knit for about an hour or 2 per day, some days I don't knit at all. If you have a blog let me know your link, I'd love to return the visit. If not, that's ok, just want to say thanks for dropping by and 'reading me' :-)

Have a great weekend everyone, I'll try to get updated pics soon.

Wildflower Sweater....update

I've been knitting every spare minute I get and just got finished the back of the wildflower sweater. I chose not to knit the flower pattern on the back otherwise I'd be on forever trying to get this done. If I spend too long on a project more than likely I will get bored with it and it will turn in to a UFO! I don't want that to happen with this one, so I've kept the back plain but did add the cable detail as it calls for. Here's the finished back.....

And a close up of the cable detail.... (you should be able to click the picture to enlarge).

I haven't gotten very far with the front cos that takes a bit more concentration with the flower pattern and I need to do it when all is quiet. I'll keep doing a little at a time and in the meantime will cast on for the sleeve also.

More updates soon....