We're Making Progress

So I have pretty much recovered from my nasty chest cold. I still have a bit of a cough, but it's nothing compared to where I was one week ago! Much news on the knitting front therefore! I have made some progress on the Tiffany Mittens.

I was getting a little concerned when I tried them on last night, and they were pretty tight! I know that fair isle knitting can be a little less stretchy than regular one color knitting. This is my first fair isle knitting project, so it is definitely a learning process. I have gotten some really great advice about spreading the stitches out when bringing the floating yarn along the back, and how the mittens will fit differently once the afterthought thumb is placed and knitted. I have been trying it on my left hand, but will try it on my right, and which ever one is looser will be the mitten that I knit!

I have also started a new project, which I probably shouldn't have since I still have much Christmas knitting to accomplish. This pattern though is knit with big yarn on big needles, and has been going pretty quickly. I am doing the Bold and Bulky Mini Cardigan from Fitted Knits, by Stephanie Japel. When I first browsed this book at the bookstore, I was a little unimpressed, until I looked at the KAL page and saw all the great interpretations of the patterns. I immediately fell in love with the book! I have borrowed it from the library, looked at it about 52 times, and have picked half a dozen patterns that I want to knit! What a pleasant surprise this was! I will be purchasing this book very, very soon! Here is my progress:

I had a difficult time with the yarn, though. The pattern calls for Lion Brand Wool-Ease Thick and Quick. Now, I am not a huge fan of this yarn, and wanted something that would be lovely to knit with and would be something that I would cherish for years to come. I am making some modifications to the original pattern, like lengthening the body so it is less like a bolero, and because I have a fairly long torso. I am also planning on making the sleeves a little longer, and depending on how much yarn I have, full length. I went to my LYS and spent about an hour and a half with the proprieter, Deb, who helped me pick out a wonderful, beautiful, makes me want to crawl inside and sleep yarn. It is Araucania Yarns, Limari Semi Solids. It is a merino, alpaca, silk blend and is like butter! I walked around the store for about 30 minutes petting the yarn without even realizing it! It is wonderful. It is a little pricey, and when I realized just how much I was spending, I almost went for the Wool-Ease! However, knowing the quality of this yarn, I will definitely cherish this piece of knitting for years! Definitely worth it!! I am super excited for the fall air to come and stay so that I can wear this piece at least weekly! Sorry to my co-workers in advance to see one outfit all fall and winter!! HAHA!

I have also been doing some lurking on other really great knitting blogs. I have joined a couple of online KALs, and love looking at other people's work just about as much as I love knitting my own!

Qutecowgirl, Jill, Crafty Pancakes, The Half-Assed Knit Blog, of course the Harlot, and there are so many more that I can't remember, or find...I really need to start bookmarking them immediately when I come across them!! I will start a running list of blogs I come across so that you too can enjoy the world of the fellow knitter! I have also put my name on the list for Ravelry!! Geez...this could become a real problem. I think I waste time at work now browsing and lurking knitting blogs and sites, but a whole huge community with links and links and links dealing with knitting could be trouble!! Oh well...my co-worker is obsessed with running, so to each their own! On a side note about the Yarn Harlot...she posted yesterday and today about a garter stitch jacket that she loves, and going to the link, I think I agree...they are all enablers, the whole lot of them!!

Well, my link happy post is done for now, I think! Also, if you look to the side...I have finally learned to do the whole button thing!! Go me!! Knitter I am....Computer genius I am not!