October in Vermont

Just back from a quick trip to Vermont to celebrate my friend Robert's birthday. His birthday gift? The "Ribbed for Her Pleasure" scarf from the first Stitch-n-Bitch book, worked up in Debbie Bliss Merino Chunky in a lovely teal blue. It's always a bit anxiety-provoking, surprising someone with a hand-knitted gift. Will he like the color? The pattern? The texture? Happily, Robert loved the scarf. (And it even matched the fabric on his living room chair!) The outdoor shot is from Robert and Chuck's deck. I love their view, and would move to Vermont in heartbeat if my husband and I could find jobs there. A girl can dream...

Tangerine Dream

My first adult sweater -- a top-down pullover in lovely Blue Sky cotton (just 5 skeins for a women's size medium). I made it in a class I took at Downtown Knits here in NYC (a fab LYS, well worth visiting). The class was great, and I learned a lot about sweater construction as well as some good, basic knitting techniques like mattress stitch.

It's not quite finished -- I had planned it as a V-neck but neglected to add stitches along the front edge, so ended up with a U-neck. So, I picked up stitches along the one side and knit in, decreasing along the way, to create the desired V; got one side done and then lost steam. Other than the other half of the V, it just needs hemming. I used a finer, variegated cotton yarn to create an interfacing for the cuffs and hem, and that needs to be turned under and stitched down.

But, alas, I've decided I don't really like it. Love the color, but not on me. Love the feel of the yarn, but not the fuzz-shedding factor. So, it's heading to the frog-pond. I may swap it with someone from the Knitty board.

So, good night, sweet pullover, and flights of angels sing thee to thy rest...

Gift from my Secret Pal

Fun, fun, fun! That's what SP6 has been for me so far. I'm having a blast spoiling my SP, and am feeling quite spoiled already by Mokie. My first gift was a gift certificate from Knit Pixie (now known as kpixie, for legal reasons), which I have put to very good use: this gorgeous yarn from
Tilli Tomas, called Disco Lights, which is "a spun silk twinkling with petite sequins!" Here's the pic:

I'm thinking this will make fab trim on a sweater or scarf, perhaps along with the beautiful handpainted silk yarn that I bought from Hip Knit at Ally Pally in London last week.

On the needles right now: a striped cotton hat to go with the cotton cardigan for my nice Emily. The matching booties are finished, and a photo of the completed set will hopefully be ready by the weekend. Stay tuned!

Ally Pally

Today was the 1st day of the Knitty and Stitching Show at Alexandra Palace (Ally Pally to the Brits), and what a day it was!! Significant stash expansion, as well as some amazing exhibits. My favorite was a room display in which everything -- and I do mean everything -- was covered in a knitted slipcover.

Negligent blogger

Yup, that's me. Frantically busy these past few weeks and no time to update my blog. I'be barely been home since I got back from my holiday in Montana -- tons of work travel. I'm in D.C. at the moment, was in Richmond earlier in the week and Philadelphia this past weekend. AND I'm flying to London tomorrow night for a week. The romance of travel has long since faded for me, and I'm just plain TIRED.

But I have been knitting. I finished the booties for my niece, and have almost finished assembling the matching cardigan. I am proud to say that my seams are beautiful! I'll post a photo over the weekend. Then I just have to make the matching hat, and the whole ensemble will be complete.