sleeves and pics

As a follow-up from the last post..pics
Project - Larch Cardigan
Yarn: SG Bugga Blue Stink Bug

sleeve 1:





sleeve 2 - in progress - more than 1/2 way now, but a little less in this pic -



Sweet Georgia Yarn exchange/custom dye.
Returned 2 Raspberry Cashluxe Fine (left 2 in below photo):



Color ordered - Coastal - this is on the merino silk fine base (left)  and the merino silk aran base (right):
 
Estimated to complete by end of April; I contacted them in Mid-may only to be told the base had just arrived. Fast forward to the next week -  what arrived was a bleak blah blue gray, and not semi-solid at all, and just one tag. Just this tiny scrap remains:



Luckily, I was able to save the skeins from boredom or destash.

Emma of Everything Old (link to her shop here) was able to overdye them this lovely vibrant blue-green teal. Lovely, just lovely, and so soft. I'm very happy.

 

now to find the right project...

one sleeve down..

one to go..

It took a little over a week to do the first sleeve, and even though people have complained that the designer makes long sleeves, I think it's going to be just fine. I managed to rip back twice on the way to the top - once because I read the wrong line of the pattern for decreases, and a second because I managed to drop a stitch way down about 15 rows, and ended up not having enough yarn to pick it back. so, rip rip. The first sleeve is bound off, and waiting.

I also managed to snag another blue stink bug skein which is well-matched, so I'll be good to complete.

I cast-on sleeve 2 today at lunch. very pretty yarn this blue.

Other news, my Sweet Georgia yarn from Fibres west arrived. I had asked her for Coastal on Cashluxe Fine, and told her no pastel. Apparently that colour is already a pastel, but it was so dark inside at Fibres West that it was impossible to tell. It finally arrived after some prompting and a delay in the base arriving.  It came very blue gray and blah and with only one tag. Luckily, we have another dyer in our group Em who was willing to give it a shot on an overdye - and so it's come out a lovely blue-green colour, and the base has softened up so much - not sure what it'll be yet.  pics to follow.

Oh, and the coral interest was very short-lived. After I bought the coral gables traveller, the lady who sold it to me, sold the 2nd skein to someone else who contacted me to make a larger project. I've let it go. I think I just wanted the warmer weather to come.

Larch continued

Continuing with Larch which I started 2.5 weeks ago - I finished the body last night - did a 3-needle bind-off at the shoulders - ta da!



The colour is knitting up so nicely - I'm really enjoying the knitting-



Now, I've started knitting the sleeves.

Maaaay - it's may!

May is here. I set out and blocked my Hush Cardi, pinned the shoulders and took a pic. It'll do. No way i'm ripping back this one. It turned out so soft. Next > arms.



and the real colour, minus my yellow drapes in the background-



Also, I'm zipping along on my Larch Cardi in Bugga. It's a beautiful mix of blues. I knit the 15" to the arms, split for the front; have now knit the left front and right front, and have started on the back. It's lovely.

here's an earlier pic..prior to the 15".


and my madtosh order finally came - I had ordered this -


it's Madtosh Pashmina in Fathom, AND that was the weekend, they drew 3 names to win a Madtosh bag -and I won!


and signed by the owner.

Also, traded for these, more Skein Fingering Merino cashmere - in Spiced Chai.



yep, still into brown.

April

Wow, April has blown by. Notable events, Easter holidays from work, my birthday, cake (ok, birthday cake) , and a few projects started, and mid-progress.

Mmmmm birthday cake - It was a Raspberry Mousse cake from Murchie's - well, mostly it was a chocolate mousse housed in a chocolate shell, with a raspberry core.

and also this Lemon Cheesecake to celebrate Robin's birthday coinciding in the same time frame.
sooo yummy - one of those whipped cream ones, soft and lemony.

I think it's been awhile since I bought a Murchie's cake - it was quite a treat!

Add to that one of the first sunny days in spring, friends, good conversation and knitting - it was relaxing and fun.  Robin and I had joked about having a six-year old's party where I gave out goody-bags.  Instead, I brought ~60 skeins of yarn, and gave it away - pink and reds, a few blue - indie sock yarn, handspun, wollmeise, silk-wool, and merino, merino blends, and silk. Aftermath shown below, mid-right.

Haappy Birrrthdaaaaay...

 

to YOUUUU!

 Finally took a pic of my Herbivore...unblocked..but off the needles..

I started the lace of the Little Colonnade then, decided I didn't like how the yarn was looking..so I frogged it back and am trying to just finish up with a bit of simple eyelets with the Brass and Steam-

Lovely how the stockinette shows off the blue and  brown...

Yes, I'm still appreciating browns, and I'm somewhat on a coral kick these days..and blue - 

Coral Gables Traveller shown far right, I purchased on a destash, and left and right is Kathmandu, a bright orange which I hope to pair one day with St. Tropez (middle) for Octopus Mittens-

and with this blue - Blue Stink bug, I've stared the Larch Cardi - 

knit straight up from the bottom to the shoulders, and then, split for the arms. The bottom is a twisted rib, which is cast-off and then, re-picked up for a nice finished edge. Seemed like a waste of time when I was reading it, but the finish is really lovely, and it can't be achieved just by fudging.

Work's been pleasantly busy, and a few other adventures....it'll be May in a few days..and I can't wait. I'm planning to layout and block and pin my Hush when I have some peace and quiet and can focus on it properly without distraction. The instructions indicate blocking the body before picking up for the sleeves.

ETA: If I haven't enabled you yet personally - the Madelinetosh group on Rav has a Sales & Promos thread as they're getting ready for Mad May - a big knitting stashdown event for the month of May. Several knit designers are offering discounts on patterns through end of April and some end of May. Happy Knits is offering 20% off all Madtosh yarns through April 30th with the code from the thread.

April Fool's Day

Today was good day sunny and I got a lot done.

I also discovered a huge boo-boo with my hush cardi. somehow the fronts are not the same size..one is definitely smaller than the other. so, i'm debating now to finish the ribbon on the front i'm on and then, try to pin it together to see what it'll look like. I'm pretty sure that the 6 stitches that are missing on the left are in the right. That means, I might be ripping back the entire section of woven stitch which is 2 strands held together. Fun, fun.

Anyway, tomorrow is a new week, and it's a new month.

I did finish off the 12" of my herbivore and bound it off on Saturday, so that is done - yay!

End of March Progress

1. Little Colonnade Shawl in SG Blue Morpho (40%):



Status: Still waiting to start lace;

2. Herbivore Shawl in Cephalopod Yarns Prostetnic Vogon Jeltz (80%):



Status: 9.5" of 12" high; and hoping to bind-off soon.

3. Hush Cardi (60%) -



Status: Finished the back, and left front, working on right front, in the woven stitch section on small needles held doubled.

Recent Reads - Caught up with the Hunger Games series (Friday to Tuesday); hope to see the movie.