progress.

i didn't have to babysit this weekend, so i had a couple free nights! thus, i decided to blow all the money i earned in the last week. brilliant. now how does a knitter, who isn't very fashion forward and despises anything but online shopping, blow her money? she goes to a yarn store! so i trekked down to the fiber factory, dragging a friend with me. during that trip, i came to realize/it was rudely pointed out to me that all the colors i choose are subdued and muted. so, in an attempt to gain more confidence, i bought really bright yarn. the green and the wool are for thrummed mittens. the teal is for the gathered pullover. the purple is for some sort of slouchy hat, maybe foliage or gretel. [if any of you are eagle-eyed ravelers, you will see these bright colors have all been done before. yes, i am being a copycat. no way i can choose these bright colors without help!] well, i started the gathered pullover saturday night. i knit the ten inches of stockinette in the pitch black created by watching tim burton movies with non-knitters. although sweeney todd was really weird, i enjoyed it. but i did not enjoy the yarn as much. usually, i can knit in the dark no problem. but the yarn splits so much, i have a ton of mistakes and even an added stitch! last night, i got through the cable and one short row shoulder. i'm not necessarily regretting the color yet, but i am apprehensive. it's a really pretty, really bright teal that might be too much for me. i think i just might be too tan for it. :| thermal is coming pretty well. i have about eight inches and am not sick of waffle yet. my socks are almost done, but i am reserving those to be knit while i am babysitting or traveling and can't focus on a bigger project. i need to stop buying yarn.

february.

i have decided to knit a sweater a month. i need something to keep me from boredom, and a reason to increase my knitting skills. each sweater i knit, in order for it to count in this little game, must have something new for me to learn or something i have never done before. i have already knitted three, so i'm only a month behind.


so i present the long sleeved fitted knits cardigan, february's sweater.

this was my first top-down seamless sweater. i used lion brand wool because i decided to knit this late at night and micheals was the only craft store open. the yarn is a lot less itchy than i was expecting it to be, but it still bothers me a little. i made the whole sweater smaller by using smaller needles but following the pattern exactly. i also added sleeves and three extra inches to the total body length. i accidentally put the buttons on the boy side. i'm pretending it's a protest against the arbitrary and inane separations placed between the genders, but honestly, i just wasn't paying attention.