Here we go

Ah, at last, things seem to be working.

Well, first, here are a couple of 5-hour baby sweaters I made for a friend who's expecting twins. This is the first time I've made the 5-hour sweater, and it really actually only took me about 5-1/2 or 6 hours. I think it's cute, and you could do a lot of tweaking (like, erm, adding buttonholes (*koff*)), and I love the idea that if I have the yarn and a free Saturday, I've got a nice baby gift! I have enough yarn left over that I think I'm going to make little hats and booties to go with.

This is your basic 3x2 ribbing sock made with Apple Laine Apple Pie, a yarn I happen to adore. It wasn't until I was almost finished with the 2nd sock that I realized I had two different dye lots, but oh well--no one's going to notice, and I'm going to have happy feet. I chose this color to go with olive, brown, and khaki trousers, but to my surprise it looks terrific with jeans as well.

This is my nephew's sweater, less one sleeve. I decided to send it off to his parents for a try-on, and am waiting to get it back. I think it's cute, and it's been a lot of fun to play with, since I wasn't in a hurry and gave myself permission to rip out as much as necessary. It doesn't really show up, but the solid blue at the shoulders is in knit-purl textured patterns, because otherwise the fabric seemed pretty thin compared to the double-stranded color portions. I got so involved doing that that I forgot to decrease until I got the diamond band on the sleeve finished, so I hope that works okay fit-wise. The only bad thing about this is that I'm going to have soooooooo many ends to work in!

And this is the first 8" or so of my Aran sweater. As usual, I'm doing it in the round instead of in pieces, and it takes half an hour to do an entire round, so it's not exactly swift knitting--but it is fun. I love working cables, even when I make mistakes--and I love the yarn. I just wish I could knit faster, so I could wear it! I've got a ways to go, though, so it may not get worn until next winter.

Socks, baby things, aran--I guess now I need to get a lace piece going! And I just happen to have found a beautiful blue mohair-acrylic blend in the stash--imagine that! *lol* I think I'll look through A Gathering of Lace and Victorian Lace Today to see if I can find a little project--I've only got 3 balls--about 200 yards. I'm sure I can make a little scarf or shawlette or something.

Speaking of lace books, Schoolhouse Press has reprinted Susanna Lewis' classic Knitting Lace. I wanted it when it first came out and didn't get it then, so I hope I can manage it this time.