Breaking out of the coccon

Coccon... that spelling doesn't really look correct to me. Dictionary.com says it is, so who am I to argue? :-p

I don't normally post pictures of my WIPs, because I think no one will take much interest in seeing them... although I love to see other bloggers' progress, it's not like I come up with amazing, beautiful, original designs like Eunny Jang, or really have any other reason to think anyone would take interest in my work... but I just have to post a photo of the incomplete back of Butterfly, because I am so in love with the colors! I was going to wait to start on the sweater, since it's not going to be cold here for a loooong time, but I really wanted to see how my Noro knit up. It's beautiful! See for yourself:



The colors are actually pretty accurate, but the actual yarn is richer than in this photo. I took this picture with the photo settings adjusted for flourescent lighting, and left off the flash. The bunchiness of the piece is due to my having to use size 8s that are too short, since my size 8 circulars are still holding the not-forgotten Delphine-inspired sweater. I can't believe how quickly this knit is going. I'd forgotten what a difference using worsted weight instead of fingering weight makes!

I'm making a couple of changes, namely in the sizing. I'm too short for the length of this sweater, so I am going to make it right below my waist (hopefully!). I've read a whole lot about other knitters having problems with the sleeves being waaaay too long, so I will obviously be shortening the sleeves, too. Other than that, I really can't wait to see how this turns out, although I'm not worried about finishing it soon.

Rambling Rose is still coming along... although, not as quickly as I'd like. I really want to finish it soon, maybe within the next couple of weeks (yes, that is soon for me!).

I've had a few design ideas lately, so I am going to work at figuring out this designing stuff as well. If I can get any of them to work out, they will look great!! I even have an idea that, if I can figure it out, I think would make it into Knitty!

Also, I picked up this:





Isn't it lovely? It's going to become a knitting needle case.

Ooo, Noro!

Yes, I got my Noro yarn for the butterfly jacket from the Noro Knits book, and WOW. I now know why people go so crazy for Noro. It doesn't feel any softer to me than WotA, but the COLOR! Mine is colorway #74 and it is amazing. Such vivid fuschias, pinks, purples, blues, greens, ohmygosh! I don't have the book with the pattern yet, but now I am going to have to get it sooner, so I can actually work with this wonderful yarn and see how it knits up!

Some very nice person on www.bookcrossing.com sent me the Folk Bags book. She didn't even ask me to pay shipping! How sweet. I offered to do a trade, or at least pay shipping. I'm really glad I was able to get it through there, because now I can check it out and decide whether I want to actually buy it, or just knit the one pattern I know I want from this book and send it on its way. I haven't been able to look through it yet, because all of my mail goes to mom's, and I won't be going there until tomorrow. Yay, the break starts tomorrow after my Chemistry final!!!

Also, the Brilla. Oh! This yarn really does have such a wonderful sheen to it; it looks like silk. It's really a beautiful yarn, although I already am not fond of working with it, because it has no elasticity. I knit up a swatch to see whether I could get gauge for the Modeknits' corset top. I was able to get a decent gauge, but I found it difficult to get even stitches, which normally is not too much of a problem for me. So I think I need to get used to working with it before I start my top. I'm also worried about running short - I think I'll have enough with the 4 balls in colorway #400 (a nice, bright red), but I'm not sure. I did read that Marnie Maclean knit hers in the 35" size using just over 4 balls of Brilla, which mades me feel a bit better about it, because I'm knitting mine in the 32" size.

I was able to procure a copy of IK Fall '04, and I didn't have to buy it off of ebay or spend even $20 on it! I've seen it go for between $20 and $40, but I made a post in the Livejournal knitting community, asking whether anyone had a copy, and was able to get it for what it would have regularly cost! All of the patterns are in perfect shape, and that's all I cared about, so yay!

Somehow, I also got in the mail a copy of Jan 2006 Crochet magazine. There are some supercute designs in there. It has a jacket, sweater, and a cropped top that are fab! I also love the idea for the little Christmas trees using Bernat Disco. Which reminds me, I never got my free ball of Disco I'd requested from their special offer.

I haven't had much time to knit because of finals; actually, this week, I've done no knitting at all. Last week, I thought I was making progress joining the flowers on the Ella crochet scarf. I got 4 done (which really did not take long), and thought "boy, this really doesn't look quite right." So I looked more closely at the picture again, gave the pattern another read through, and I'd be danged if I wasn't doing it wrong. Crap! So now I have to take them apart and start that much over.

And... we're getting a kitty! I think. Dusty and I "rescued" this pretty orange stray cat with the intentions of keeping him at Dusty's parents' (his mom oked it). We took him to the vet and discovered he is positive for FIV (which is cat AIDS). Dusty's mom has 3 other cats, so they can't keep the cat. So, now I think my mom is going to keep him until Dusty finds his apt, and then the kitty will stay at Dusty's. I know it sounds crazy to keep a cat who has FIV, but he's such a good and sweet cat, and I think we can handle it. Yay for kitty!

Ok, time to go study for my last exam.