I ventured into my first project from Big City Knits on Friday. I cast on for the Chelsea Sweater using 4 strands of Knit Picks Shine Sport and, since I was home visiting my parents, I sat and knit for a satisfying amount of time with my mom (who, I'm pleased to announce, is nearly as addicted as I am now. She is now diving into her first project that incorporates lace). SOoOOO...after a few solid hours of knitting on Friday and a couple yesterday, I have...get this...finished knitting the entire thing! I just need to set in the sleeves (grumble) and do the crocheted edging and...I will have finished an entire sweater in about 3 days. It makes me sweat with glee. That, my friends, is one fast project. I just reeeeally hope I actually like it. About an hour into the project, I realized I don't really like this color that much. I've been very into coral lately but this color combined with a big lace pattern looks quite grandma-esque. And don't get me wrong, I usually totally love the grandma look. We'll just have to see.
Inspired by the literally instant results of the Chelsea Sweater, I swatched for and started the Hideout Coat this morning. I'm using Lion Brand Wool-Ease Thick & Quick in Navy. To all of those yarn snobs out there who scoff at Lion Brand, I thumb my nose at you. This stuff is soft and pretty and inexpensive. Not to mention, it comes in great colors that I foresee being used for more projects from Big City Knits. So what if it's mostly acrylic? It doesn't get that cold around here anyway. And it's washable!
I have a feeling that after all of these burly projects, my fingers are going to be itching for something fine and delicate. So I have my pretty pretty turquoise Lacey Lamb sitting there waiting for Eunny Jang's Print o' the Wave Stole.
I'm pretty comfortable with lace, but this is going to be my first real lace undertaking with lace-weight yarn and all that jazz. I'm a little nervous but mostly excited. This project, however, will have to wait until I have a few Christmas scarves under my belt. I have the projects picked out for most people, but I was still unsure of the pattern for my dad. I was intending to do the Forbes Forest scarf from Scarf Style but after starting with some charcoal gray Frog Tree Alpaca, I just wasn't sure. Then I found Grumperina's comments about it, and she has inspired me once again to do this project. It really is such an attractive scarf. I think that my yarn choice was too dark, so I'm going to exchange it for a lighter gray, teach myself to cable without a cable needle, and get to it.
I'm going to the beach next week for a few days...does anyone have any advice for knitting on the beach without getting sand into it?
