[ click for a larger view. ]
With the temperatures in the 90°F+ range, I usually wimp out and decide that I’ve had enough of knitting until the weather turns cool again. This year, however, I’ve been knitting up a storm! I think perhaps it has partly to do with the trips we’ve taken over the past several months, and I’ve started carrying my knitting with me whenever I go out in case I have a few moments of lull in the action–so there have been plenty of opportunities for knitting. So far I’ve managed to finish putting together I 1940s chunky knit cardigan I knit last year (yes, I know… it has taken me over 6 months to put it together!), which I embellished with some pretty glass buttons that my friend E. sweetly gave me. The pattern is from this reprint booklet from Iva Rose, and the yarn is Plymouth Encore Chunky (wool blend) in a lovely tweedy purple. I think it’ll look smashing with my grey wool skirt I made last winter!
[ even the sleeves have a cable each! ]
[ more pictures here. ]
I also knit up a quick little project last week (I find I like having two projects going: one large one–usually a sweater, and a smaller piece that goes together quickly. I’m impatient and like instant gratification!): a 1940s moss stitch turban. It’s quite out of season right now, but I have plans to wear it if we go visit our families in Virginia this winter. The pattern is from the V&A website, and was super easy to make and put together–I rather like how it turned out too! I used a lovely alpaca and silk blend yarn from KnitPicks for this, so it’s super soft and a bit fuzzy.
[ 40s moss stitch turban; more pictures here. ]
I’ve actually got another sweater that I knit earlier this spring being put together right now, so once I have that tucked away there will be more knitting pictures no doubt! I am also trying my hand at sock knitting; something I’ve been eager to try for years but never got around to. I recently checked out Socks from the Toe Up by Wendy Johnson out of the library, and got excited about the possibilities of sock knitting. So I’ve picked out a pattern and went yarn shopping last weekend with E. (who is an experienced sock knitter), and am all ready to get started! We’ll see how that goes–I know most knitters are either wild about sock knitting or dislike it. It’s worth a try though!
So tell me–what creative activities have been taking up your spare time lately?
