Updates

Today we looked at a house… well, we looked at a house (which I didn’t love)and then we looked at a condo that was larger than any of the houses we’ve seen so far.  I loved the condo.  We haven’t been looking at them because A. we needed more space and B. we didn’t want to disturb people with my piano.  But this is 2400 square feet, and it’s basically just a giant brick victorian mansion cut into two units, so we share very few walls, and besides… the thing is built to withstand nuclear war.  It’s absolutely nearly soundproof.  And gorgeous.  And across the street from a great inner city park!  Don’t want to get my hopes up, but… it’s the best we’ve seen so far.  We will see – cross your fingers for us!

Chanson en Crochet is nearing completion.  I think even the corrected pattern has a few issues, but I’ll talk about those in my FO post.  It needs blocking very badly, but I think you can see how lovely the flower pattern is (and oh my goodness… what a pain it was!)  Crochet is making me so happy lately!

The Diane cardigan is coming along- the back here is completed.  It isn’t blocked (I usually block my pieces right away) because I don’t want to block it until I attach the edgings.  I still quite like the fabric, but the yarn, due to being mostly nylon and having no stretch, is a little hard on my hands, so I’m proceeding somewhat slowly for me.

Honestly, I’m a little bored with it, but I think that’s because even more spring patterns are coming out, and in spite of the fact that it was 17 degrees when I left this morning I’m hoping for spring.  The new Interweave preview was up, but now it’s down, but no matter – I saved the ones I liked!

Does Interweave have my number or what?  I do love a little fluttery cardigan, I cannot help myself!  The designs are so feminine and so classic.  Lots of small gauge knits… yay, so happy with these!  I think Interweave is improving tremendously under Eunny Jang’s leadership.  While I always loved the magazine, sometimes it would have… dare I say it… a bit of frumpiness?   Sizing is improving too – the only one of these sweaters I might have to resize is the flutter sleeved cardigan (the 4th sweater) but since it’s a simple design that shouldn’t be hard.  I like the models this time – that redhead is gorgeous, and she has inspired me to knit the honeycomb sweater (3rd sweater) in the same colors!  I think the silk cardigan (6th photo) wins the “craziest yarn price” award, as it is knitted from Fiesta La Luz.  1500 yards for the smallest size.  Yeah… not so much.  But it’s so  lovely, and so exactly my style, that I will be on the lookout for a substitute yarn!

And yes, I will be knitting that camisole, no matter that I said no more knitted tanks – it’s so cute!  I’m imagining it in a nice chocolate brown… pretty!  Also breaking my rule, I’ve decided to knit the tuxedo tank from last summer’s IK (late to the party on that one.)   I had skipped it because I don’t care for Euroflax, and I also didn’t like the reverse stockinette – but I saw a version done in stockinette this week and it was so cute!  I’m going to use a linen blend, hopefully to cut down on the harshness of linen.  And as for all the short sleeved (or 3/4) cardis – well, I actually own quite a few, and I wear them for about half the year.  In fact, until I started knitting you would have been hard pressed to find any long sleeves ones in my closet, but that’s more due to my crazy long arms than anything else… although it must be said that I’m not very good at dressing for the weather (layering? what’s that?)

The Knitty Surprises are also up, and I really love Pam Allen’s Modern lace sweater.

I think the collar is very unique.  The whole sweater reminds me of some of the vintage 1940s patterns that I own.  It uses Classic elite 150, a yarn which I actually have in sufficient quantities in my stash, but mine is green – not what I have in mind here.  I have a dark spruce color of Reynolds Whiskey that might look nice.

Yarns I’m interested in trying for spring: all of the Valley Yarns cotton yarns – I had some longmeadow, but I hated the color so I sold it.  Yarns that are cotton/wool blends, like my favorite yarn cotton fleece – there are lots more of those than I realized, such as O-wool balance, Mirasol Cotanani, Classic Elite 4 seasons, and Rowan Wool cotton.  Look for swatches in the coming months!   I’m even thinking of giving Knit Picks Mainline another chance, as I hear rumors that they may actually be getting some new colors.  Maybe now I will like it better?  It could work for the 5th of the interweave sweaters.  I just hope they get more colors of Shine Sport (but why did they discontinue Aquamarine?  I have 10 balls of it, but every time I get ready to use it I realize I need 11!)

Will I get to all of these sweaters?  Of course not!  A new Interweave to me is like a Sears Christmas Wishbook in the hands of me at age 5 – but now, as then, the dreaming is half the fun.

Now I must be off to the grocery to plan dinner.  You may have noticed (or not) but I almost exclusively cook soups and pastas.  I rarely eat meat and I certainly don’t cook it (except sausage… sausage I can handle cooking) so I’m a big fan of the one dish meal.  But I do love to cook, and Thursday and Friday are the only days I’m home in time to make dinner!