Finishes and Starts

I have been finishing things.

Project 1: This little scarf just needs fringe. I made it from Silk Garden Chunky, which is now gone from our store, but any Noro yarn will do--try Iro if you want it fast, or Kureyon or Yuzen or Silk Garden or or or.... whatever you like. Anything you choose will be great. This scarf trend, started by Brooklyn Tweed, is all over the Internet, and I have yet to see a bad one.


Cast on an even number of stitches, and K1P1, changing back and forth between two balls of two different colors every second row. Do not worry about exactly how many stitches to cast on or hyperventilate about how long it should be. It works no matter what. Good luck making just one. I've already started a second.

Project 2: I finished a Magnum Opus, my shadow-knitting sweater:


This is a great pattern. The Harrisville Shetland drapes well. (Note to self: Think about serious Fair Isle. Or maybe Fake Isle with Kureyon sock and this yarn.) The shadows are interesting: shadow knitting is made for movement, and you really can't appreciate it fully until you see someone walk around in it.

It's done on size 2 needles, so you do need persistence and patience--but if you've got those, then go ahead and make one of Vivian Hoxbro's sweaters from her gorgeous book. You won't regret it.

Project 3: I finished a pink vest. It's not so horrible that I'm embarrassed to wear it in public. But I think I'm going to rip it, maybe as soon as tomorrow, because it is so very much not my style. At any rate, here is the evidence that I finished it:


Kim says that in this picture, I look as if I hate this vest.

She knows me pretty well.

I think that it would look great on someone else. As for me, I'm going to turn it into something else. I totally love the yarn, which is Debbie Bliss's Luxury Tweed, and I love the color--so I am actually am looking foward to a new project in it. Ripping is part of knitting. I suspect I'm going to make a cabled vest that is in the same booklet as this vest. Still mulling.

So since all those projects are finished, I need to start new ones.

Before I show you what I'm about to do, let me say that in my World View, finishing the shadow knitting sweater alone is worth about 8-10 new projects, so what you are about to see could realistically be described as moderation. In my World View.

First, I'm making a Fair-Isle Yoke sweater, designed by Elizabeth Zimmerman, using the EPS. I am loving, loving this project so far. I know it doesn't look like much.....


But I'm liking the idea of using percentages to figure out fit. I'm going to teach this to my Zimmermania class next month. My plan is to finish it before they start it so that I can make sure that the percentages get us what I think they should.

I have also made ....


.... a serious commitment:


Rolling a ball of yarn (like this Fisherman wool from Lorna's Laces) means you have to use it. In this case, I'm going to make the Elizabeth Zimmerman Butterfly vest. It is kind of like her Rib Warmer. But I've made two Rib Warmers, so I want to try out the Butterfly Vest, which is similar. I wear my Kureyon Rib Warmer so much that it's embarrassing.

I'm continuing to work on my new wrap this year. I cannot say enough good things about Noro Yuzen. I love working with it, and love the colors:


I'm also about to start on this Fiber Trends shrug, and I think I'm going to make it RED, with Nature Wool Chunky:


And finally, I'm going to make a little neck warmer from Iro, using Kate Lemmer's pattern that we just got in:


So that's me. What about you? What are you just about to finish? What new projects are you starting?