Thursday, August 26, 2010

Knitting Post Condo Move

I have recently bought and moved into a condo. This has really stunted my knitting this year so far. Though I did knit a couple pillows and have lots of planned projects for my condo, i.e. blanket, place mats etc, i haven't really done all that much knitting this year.

Immediately following the Christmas sizing disaster I spent a lot of time redoing sweaters for my brother and nephew. I'm a whole lot happier with the end results now. The Christmas sweater I originally made for Gary is now sitting in a drawer at my place and I replaced it with a raglan sweater in a more flattering grey colour and a style that suits him a whole lot better. For Gabriel, I asked him what colours he'd like used for the replacement sweater. He picked Red and blue. I think it added a bit more specialness to it that he got to pick his own colours and hopefully he will enjoy wearing it more because of that fact. This winter will be the test to see if he has out grown the sweater. That kid just keeps on growing. Thankfully, if that is the case, his little brother Gavin will always grow into it.

When I was looking for the Condo I wanted to buy, I had an image in my head of my bedroom. I'd have bright blue walls, white bedding and I'd have a blue blanket at the foot of my bed. In order to make this happen I immediately started making Bernat's Shaded Shells Afghan. I had bought a pattern book that was on clearance from Mary Maxim a number of years before. It had four different blanket patterns to knit and it also had a variety of pillow patterns as well. This Country Cozy pattern book was on clearance for $1.99 and I thought, why not. It paid off. Though in the end my mother surprised me with a quilt that my late grandmother had made for me, which my mother had been saving all these years that I now use on my bed in my beautiful blue bedroom (the quilt was blue, it's like my Grandmother just knew that that is what I would want), I'm still working on the Shaded Shell blanket and will find it a home in my condo once I finish it. The shell pattern in the blanket is a repeat of 28 rows and I've found now that I've finished four of the six panels, that I'm so bored with the pattern. This boredom inspired me to start another project for myself. I know, another knitted item for me, but hey, I have hardly knit anything for myself. I've always loved giving my crafts as gifts and I think I'm due some self knitting love.

I'm knitting a sweater called The Cozy Cable Hooded Cardigan from Bernet. It was a free pattern you can get off their website. I'm using the Satin solid colours yarn for this in the Aqua colourway. I have recently discovered that I look pretty good in Aqua. Apparently it really brings out my eyes and make my strawberry blonde hair pop. Like most sweaters, the back knit up super fast. Gotta love stocking stitch. Just turn your brain off and knit away. It's the perfect thing for when you want to veg in front of the TV while feeling productive at the same time. The front takes a bit more focus as there is a cable pattern that runs up the entire way. I remember a time when I was scared of the thought of doing a cable pattern. It looked so complicated to do. Awww foolish past self. You had no idea how easy it really is. I should have this sweater done in time for fall, which is really just around the corner now that I think about it. I can't wait to sport this sweater around the office. I have chosen a smaller size than I normally would for myself. In the past, I always seem to choose a larger size than I actually need and then I end up hating the finished product because I don't find it flattering. My hope is that by this time choosing a medium size instead of the large, it will fit me like it should and it won't get banished to the drawer along with Gary's original Christmas sweater and various other sweaters from the past that were to big and baggy on me.

Once the blanket and cardigan sweater are done I think I will get back to the fisherman's sweater I was so excited to start earlier this year, which has now been sitting in a drawer unfinished for the past 6 months. Oh tiny needles, you produce a good looking sweater, but hell it takes forever to see any progress.

More updates to come.