I've been knitting. Quite a lot, actually, although I haven't posted about it because I was waaaaaay behind on the picture-taking. So, here's what I've accomplished recently. . .
I finished the Every Way Wrap from the fall issue of Interweave Knits. This was a Knit-A-Long with the gals at Knit Night. I was a big cheater-cheater-pumpkin-eater and bought my yarn off the internet because I couldn't find anything in the shop that was quite what I wanted. (I know. I suck.) I love how it turned out. I'll never likely wear it vest-style, but I could if I wanted to. It's soft and scrunchable and awesome for wrapping around the neck and shoulders, which is how I'll likely use it. Yarn is Gloss HW from KnitPicks, a squishy wool-silk blend with enough luster to make the cables pop even in a dark color (this is Blackberry, and it is a dark eggplanty color).
The wrap took awhile - it was the biggest project I've done in some time. So the whole time I was working on it, I'd flip past a pattern for a really cute bag, and I promised myself I could make that if I was a Good Girl and finished the wrap, as well as some presents for my ungrateful family. It turned out to be a really quick project - and here it is! This is the LaPorte Avenue Tote, from the same magazine. Yarn is Lion Brand Fisherman's Wool, a yarn I hadn't used before but really like now that I have. The bag (excluding the belt) is partially felted to make it sturdier. It's supposed to have a cool buckle on the belt, but I haven't been able to find one I like. I just tacked it in place, and I'll add a buckle if/when I find a good one.
But wait! There's more!
The chilly weather inspired me to a cowl fixation, which goes well with September's hat fixation. I joined a Cowl group on Ravelry and did a KAL with them for November - the Wavy Feathers Wimple. Because it took only 1 oz. of laceweight, I splurged on a cashmere-silk blend, Jojoland's Consonance. It was a big shift at first, going from those chunky yarns to laceweight - it made my eyes hurt at first, but I persevered. Once I got past the shock of knitting wee again, it went pretty fast. Ta da!
I have mixed emotions about that cowl. I loved the yarn and the pattern, and I loved the cowl dearly - until I tried it on. I like such things to fit snugly up around my neck, and this just doesn't. In fact, it stretches and stretches and hangs like a necklace. I've been assured that it looks lovely, and I suppose it does, but that really isn't my style. And it completely defeats the purpose, which was to have a pretty, fancy, girly scarf-substitute. I'm debating its fate. It's currently re-blocking to see if I can convince it to be long and skinny instead of short and wide. If I decide I'll just never wear it, I'll put it in the LYS for sale. This time of year, I doubt it'll hang around too long, and I can make myself another, narrower one that I will wear.
Did I mention a cowl fixation? I made another one, which is a polar opposite of the gray one. This is the Wham Bam Thank you Lamb! cowl, and it took all of 2 hours to finish in a super-bulky yarn, Wool-Ease Thick & Quick. Yes, it has acrylic. It's machine washable. Fine art it is not, but it makes me smile.
But wait! There's more! I promise, just one more! After I finished the bag, I had lots of brown wool left. Then I got the Interweave Knits Accessories issue, which was chock-full of - you guessed it! Cowls! Wraps! Scarves! Oh my! I was powerless in the face of so much cuteness. Over Thanksgiving weekend I whipped up a Ruffled Capelet, which was great movie knitting, because the whole thing is just knit - knit - knit with decrease rounds thrown in just to keep it interesting. I added ribbing to the turtleneck part because I like them snug, as previously mentioned. Also, I really dislike curling edges. Because of that, I also added some purl columns to the ruffle part, so it doesn't curl right up. I LOVE this piece. Really. Oddly enough, my daughter has requested one for herself. Only not in brown, Mom.
Whew! Now I'm tired, just from talking about all that!