Imagine Peace Tank/Vest Prototype

Here it is --the grand unveiling! Looks like I've got myself a little John Lennon in the making!

(See the posting below for more info about Yoko Ono's Imagine Peace project.)

My goal now is to write this pattern up in 2 or 3 different sizes and publish it on the blog/link it to Ravelry within a few weeks. I'll need people to test the pattern for me once it's up in order to work out any kinks (hint, hint, crafty readers). I used Blue Sky Alpaca's Organic Cotton yarn, but I think it would be nice as a winter vest worked in wool as well (perhaps Peace Fleece would be an appropriate choice?). If you've never done color work before, don't let it intimidate you. It's not hard, just perhaps a bit awkward when first beginning.

Well, readers, have a peaceful Sunday and expect the Imagine Peace pattern to appear on the blog sometime soon...

Imagine Peace Project Preview

Here's a sneak-peak at my current project, which I'm designing as part of Yoko Ono's Imagine Peace project, which asks that a billion people around the world imagine peace. This will be my contribution.

The project, the specifics of which I'll leave to your imagination for now, is just about complete. Hopefully I'll get it photographed and posted in a day or two. Below is the charting (several versions) I was working on.

Mr. Greenjeans KAL --The Finale

Well, as you can see, I ended up having enough yarn to finish. I do like the short sleeves, too, so I'm calling this a success, overall. My only qualm is that the button pulls a bit which makes me think I should have made the bust slightly bigger, but I'm wearing it with a pin right next to the button and that seems to do the trick.

I wasn't going to block this project (laziness), but in the end, I ended up doing so. I'm glad I did as it seems to be lying better and the button-pulling is way less pronounced.

Lovely pattern! I see many more top-down projects in my future.

Mr. Greenjeans KAL --The Middle

Eh, not the best picture I've ever taken, but you get the point. Mr. Greenjeans is progressing. I finished the main part of the cardigan and will begin on the sleeves tonight. Here's the kicker, though. You may remember, Gentle Readers, this post, in which I described a moth infestation in which some lovely alpaca yarn was partially eaten. Well, this is the yarn.

In theory, I have plenty of yarn to complete this project as it is written. But 3 of the 8 skeins of yarn were partially or entirely damaged by the little flying devils. I've used all of the undamaged skeins, which means I'm now in salvage mode. Not all of the yarn will survive, unfortunately, and as a result, I will most likely make this a short-sleeved cardigan. That's really alright with me. I actually envisioned it as short-sleeved when I first saw the pattern, so I'm not crying buckets yet. As long as the sleeves look decent, and I have enough yarn left over for the button band, I will not mourn the yarn lost to the moths. I think I will have enough and will know for sure soon...

Mr. Greenjeans KAL --The Beginning

I'm immersed in my KAL for the Sleeves Off and Buttons On Ravelry Group. The project is Mr. Greenjeans, a top-down cardigan. This is the first time I've done a top-down sweater. I have no idea why I haven't done so before. It's way faster then bottom-up, is knit in one piece instead of several (meaning minimal finishing, which I hate doing), and best of all, I can try it on as I go along to make sure that it fits.

I'm also smitten with the yarn, Araucania Atacama. It's hand-dyed alpaca and knits up so nicely, I'm already dreaming of living in this sweater, even though I'll be finishing it at the hight of summer.

I was at first very doubtful that I'd actually finish this sweater by the end of July, but barring unseen circumstances, I think I'll make it. It's going quite fast so far. Of course, it doesn't hurt that I'm off of work till the 28th. Even with a baby, household work, internet distractions, etc., there's a lot more time to knit without the stinky old job interfering.

Can't wait to be able to post the finished project... Gotta get back to knitting!

Ants in His Pants

Here's another soaker made from Michelle's pattern. I designed the ant motif, which you can probably see best in the picture below. I can't decide if the ants are decipherable or not. Drew says they are. At any rate, I'm happy with how the soaker turned out. I tell you, I cannot get enough of knitting them lately.
And apparently, I can't get enough of taking lots of pictures of the finished project. Here's a bunch more, for your viewing pleasure:





And just a final word about wool in the summer. It seems like an odd thing to put on your child, but I tell you, they are way more breathable than plastic. I haven't conducted a scientific study, but it seems as though they don't trap as much heat in as plastic (either disposable or wraps over cloth). And they are way lower maintenance than you would imagine. We air them out between uses, but they never smell. Wool is amazing!

Schoolmarm Vest

Love it! Love it! Love it! But man, what an ordeal to get this thing finished. I had to rip back twice and it just seemed to take forever to finish (note to self: a large garment crocheted with a size D hook will not be a quick project). I think I'm a slower crocheter than I am a knitter, even though most people report the opposite to be true.

At any rate, it's done, as of today. And the weather was happy to cooperate with me as it was cool enough to wear it comfortably all day. Leave it to the Pacific Northwest to provide us with wool-friendly mid-summer days. It's a mixed blessing here, folks.

If you're reading this entry because you are about to begin this project, please note: I used the smaller hook only for this project. The pattern calls for getting gauge with the bigger hook, but this is inaccurate. The D is the only hook necessary for this project.

These are the leather buttons I found at the Rotary Auction last weekend. They were the perfect touch!
This is a great, close-fitting vest which will be perfect for work. Thankfully, today was the first day of my vacation, so I won't have the occasion to wear it in a work setting till the end of the month. I'm hoping to knit a lot during my time off, beginning with another soaker for the boy. And I'm really hoping to join the kal for the Sleeves On and Buttons Off Ravelry group this month. I am not a knit-along kind of gal as I am given to procrastination, but I'm trying to reform my ways. So I will try my best to finish Mr. Greenjeans by the end of the month. No promises though :)