After stashing this pattern for, hmmm, two years now? I have finally started on Kepler. Probably not the most practical sweater for a North Carolinian, since I am using Jamieson's Soft Shetland wool. I figure I can wear it when I go to Oregon in the winter. The colorway is Gingersnap. This is the sleeve band that I completed yesterday:

I also finished Nancy Bush's Anniversary Socks. I used the China Blue colorway of Lorna's Laces Shepherd Sock. I love the color and the pattern was dead easy to memorize so I worked some of it on my trip to Oregon and some while watching the fifth season of 24 on DVD. Now that I have finished them I wish I had continued the pattern all the way around the leg instead of just the front. But I guess it is too late now.

Thanks to my Mom's friend Jin's help, I was able to get the sleeves in on the second try, using a backstitch instead of mattress seam (why didn't I think of that?)

Yesterday was spent knitting the neckline and weaving in the ends, and I sewed on all the buttons (14 of them) this morning. I'm sure it will look better on a tiny, pregnant person than it does on this hanger! I will have to get her to take a picture of herself wearing it. I think it's going to look fabulous on her.

Daniel and I had our "Christmas" on Thursday night. I am pleased to say that much of my "haul" was spinning related! I got new bobbins and a new Lazy Kate, as well as some exotic fiber blends that I have been too chicken to try out.

Yesterday I tried Navajo plying for the first time. Thought it's not perfect, I think this will make some mighty durable sock yarn. The fiber was a gift from a friend who attended a fiber festival. This was just the first bobbin's worth-I divided it in half. I think I'll be using it for a toe-up sock in the not too distant future!

I made this bias-knit scarf for my Mom as a winter holiday gift. Even though the yarn has only two colors, it was fascinating to watch them play out as I dutifully short-rowed back and forth. I can't wait to make more of these!

I knit this with Mom's purple cashmere sweater in mind. The photo below shows her wearing the scarf with her purple cashmere sweater. Guess I guessed right!

(Of course this means I haven't been working on the maternity sweater, but it's a nice break from all that ribbing. After all, she'll be pregnant for quite a while.)

Small helped me make it.

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I have finished the front piece of the Mommy Snug. The picture above shows it unblocked and rather lumpy looking. But FINISHED. I found that whenever I got to a particularly frustrating point in the pattern, I would begin a one-sided dialog inside my head with the sweater's designer, Kate Gilbert.

"Kate!" I would moan when I forgot a buttonhole, "I'm so sorry. I'll rip it out and add the buttonhole in right away."

Or when I had a problem with the instructions for the belly dart, (turns out all I had to do was read them) I begged "Kate! Send me guidance so that I can figure out these damn short rows!" Or in a moment of triumph I asked for her praise: "Kate! Look how I remembered to make the twists on each side of the neckline go in opposite directions! Aren't you proud of me?" (This is a decidedly un-me style of knitting-I have trouble with things that have distinct left and right sides because of the reversals I have to do due to knitting from the right needle to the left.)

Last night, I started on the first sleeve.
"Kate!" I cried. "Thank you for not letting me forget the buttonhole on row 8!"

I wonder if she hears me when I talk to her, and if she knew I was talking to her, what she would say.
All in all I am really enjoying this pattern, and I am really looking forward to giving it to the recipient.

I've finished the front button plackets on the Mommy Snug. I'm planning to use a little bit smaller button so I substituted my old reliable buttonhole on the front plackets. Otherwise everything's moving along according to the pattern--pretty boring 2x2 ribbing. But definitely more interesting than plain old stockinette! Here's a progress pic of the red rectangle!

In other knitting news, I've been working on blocking and seaming up the baby bear onesie. Since it's so little and such a dark color, it's taking a while. I haven't taken any pictures of it beyond the one at my Ravelry site where I used an apple to give shape to the hood.

Bella is finished!

As a reward for working on finishing up Bella, I am swatching for a new project. My friend H. is trying to get pregnant, and with some prodding from me, she has requested the Mommy Snug maternity sweater from IK by Kate Gilbert. When I found the exact yarn requested in the pattern for 50% off at Webs, I took that as a sign. I am not using the specified color, but it is nice and red.

To get gauge and a decent looking 2x2 ribbing I had to go down two whole needle sizes to a size four Addi Turbo. But who cares? It's pretty! The yarn is a little splitty though, and it has a bajillion plies, so I really do have to watch it. It will make for good TV knitting though. Now that I've got gauge I guess all that is left is to cast on! But should I wait to do that until Bella is completely seamed? She has only 1 sleeve and the side seams left to go. Hmmm.

The knitting portion of Bella is finished, and last night I blocked the pieces. Now I've sewn the shoulder seams and the center back neck and pinned the collar in place. Already I am feeling like I need a break from it. I really don't like seaming things because I can't ever get it exactly perfect, and there's always some wonky bit that won't lay down properly. Still in all, though, I'm pleased with how it's working up so far.

I took a progress photo so that I could feel like I had gotten at least something done with it.

A recent visit from my friend Helena renewed my interest in my Bella Blouse project, which I am making for her. During our visit we had a chance to take an accurate set of measurements so that I will have an easier time of making garments to fit her, which I had hesitated to do since she is so far away.

I'm using the yarn called for in the IK Pattern. The edging is Berroco Touché, and the body is Berroco Cotton Twist. I love the colors and how they work together. I enjoy knitting with the Touché more than I do the Cotton Twist. I'm not able to do plain stockinette for very long with the Cotton Twist before it hurts my arm. But that's cotton for you! Luckily it is a short sleeved garment in the small size, so it should not take very long to finish up. After working on lace and socks all summer, carefully watching the charts, I finally understand what people mean when they say that plain stockinette is boring! I have never felt that before now, but I'm enjoying working on this project while I watch TV. I can even follow the subtitles because I don't have to watch what my hands are doing.

Right now I'm working the back, attending to the waist shaping. I hope to finish up the second sleeve and the neck inserts this weekend.