Two Weeks of Knitting

So, while we spent two weeks settling in and relaxing, I've also been knitting... well, of course.

Put your shades on, because here are the completed "Mardis-Gras Jitterbugs" (below) and once they were finished, I needed some more lovely "Jitterbugs" and I'm half way through the second sock of a pair of "Florentinas".





I also completed a vest for the BF's nephew. This is a pattern from "Dale of Norway: Soft Treasures for Little Ones".

This was knitted in the round, until the armholes, where the piece was divided into the front and back to finish. Instead of using circular needles, I used some DPNs which I find much easier than fiddling with a wire between needles. Making this vest was also my first attempt at cables and I think they have worked out quite well.

The only negative in knitting this was the yarn itself. It's very soft but the yarn on the outside of the ball splits badly - it's only when you start knitting wool from inner layers that it starts to behave itself. Frogging wasn't great either.

It is very fine and sometimes, even knitting in lemon, it was difficult at times to see the pattern. I've promised to make a jumper, in the same pattern, in navy for Christmas... I may start sitting in the garden - even in the rain, just to make sure I have enough light.



My new project for myself is "Bonita" (Rowan 41) in "Rowan - Damask (Serpentine)" which is as gorgeous as the "Basalt" I used for "Tulip". (I have an 'orrible feeling I've misplaced a bag of "Damask - Mica" for another "Tulip". I'm sure it will turn up).



This is the first lacy-ish pattern I have attempted and I am really enjoying it. It requires complete concentration for me (stone-cold sobriety on the drinking scale of difficulty) just because I need to keep track of whether I'm on row 3 or 5. The pattern itself isn't that difficult at all.

Here is the first pattern set.



And... I have started this year's stealth project for the BF's Christmas present. This is the start of "Saranac" (Knitty archive) in "Rowan All Seasons Cotton - Mocha Choca".



The yarn is browner than it appears in this photograph.

It's a very simple pattern - a basic rib - with a zipped collar. However, I'm making a couple of ammendments to the pattern. The pattern is to be knit in the round, though I've already said what I think of circulars, and in this case, I couldn't find DPNs long enough. Therefore I'm knitting it as a seperate back and front. I hope this works. :-)

Hiding a project knit on DPNs would have been trickier too!

PS "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows" was fantastic - a really fine ending to the series.