Something bright

I want you to know I finished the neon purple toddler sweater. I'm pleased with how it turned out for the most part. I just hope it's as functional as I imagine it to be.

The design is an open cardi, meaning there is not much body in the front paneling. It's mainly just the ribbed stitch edge. Obviously you can modify this if you'd prefer a more covered look. As you knit the increases before separating for sleeves, just add increases by the sleeve markers. I imagine this design will be good for little people who are busy in activities like finger painting or water and sand table splashing or baking cookies. There will be less fabric to swing down in one's little and exploratory way.

Now I just need to get it to the kid. My timing has been kinda poopy lately.

Other bright things in the Ellen universe? Remember I told you May was kinda busy? It's also been really full of bright moments. A great afternoon with my Dad and the boys watching basketball eating Thai food. Mother's Day with my stepmother and my sister and nephew. Family luncheon with my husband's family at their Godfather's house. He sets an amazing table and has the most beautiful roses. A tasting menu dinner with an old family friend we've been trying to see since January -- and The Kid who showed his city living palette is on point. In a blazer no less. :)

Mother and son cinema days are becoming a regular thing and we were lucky enough to go with Mrs. Canada and her son last week.  I finally had drinks with an old co-worker and it was so nice. She seems really happy and serves as a good reminder of the possibility of a good life outside the agency ;)

Lots of good times.

We've also had a bout of stomach sickness in the apartment along with a few other unexpected life issues, but look! Behold all the brightness!

More knit to come...

May is moving along

I was hoping to get another post in last week, but it was not meant to be. May is becoming a rather scheduled month. I am tempted to list out the things that I've done and I'm doing to prove my point but really snoozeville, right? Let's just say all household members have both fun things as well as obligatory health, work and school things on the agenda. Not that unique, but "for reals" stuff that limits both knitting and baking time.

Drat.

However I did manage to get the blocked Traverse cowl off to my friend Mrs. Canada. It was a quick exchange since she was double-parked picking up a kid from the apartment. She was gracious enough to send me a picture. I think she looks great in it. I'm really happy I followed my instincts and doubled up on the pattern.

Because I'm properly obsessed with knitting, I have made sure to put some stitches into something somewhere.

Lately it has been The Littlest L's cardigan. It's a new pattern for me. The Kiddy Vertebrae

I just bound off the body. I didn't go down 2 needle sizes for the ribbing just 1 since I'm having some Uncommon Ground flashbacks and I seem to be a tighter knitter than I realized. Looking at the tension, I really could've gone either way, but it neatly finished off the first skein and that was gratifying.

I haven't really made any sock progress, simply because I'm trying to crank out this sweater so I can move on to the next small person knit.

Eye on the prize people.

How'd that happen?

A good friend of mine in high school used to use that phrase for when stupid actions equaled stupid obvious results. I'd like to say it was only in observing other people in our high school society, but that would be a big fat lie. It was mostly observing others, and occasionally ourselves.

Anyways, back to the knitting ranch...

Well, I dunno if it's obvious how this happened.

But THIS happened. And I was early getting ready for work one morning -- showered, fresh faced and all (not cheery, I'm sorry, I'm not cheery in the morning) and then I picked up my to go knitting.

The Hermione socks. AKA Smart Girl Socks

The night before I had completed turning the heel and picking up half the stitches for the gusset. I was in the middle of knitting the pattern for the top of the foot when I realized I wouldn't have enough stitches to complete the pattern. This meant ... I was "missing" TWO stitches.

I can't figure out where that happened. I mean I can't see a dropped stitch, and I know I ended each needle on the right place for pattern repeats, so I'm thinking maybe I'd just need to rip it out to where I started the heel again. Hmm.

A nice person on Instagram mentioned I might be able to just not decrease 2 in the gusset on one side ... this  still feels lopsided and I don't see how I can get the pattern repeat right.

Ugh, I can't think about it.

So, I picked up this instead :)

Yeah, same pattern, but a different colorway and I'm magic looping instead. The pattern is written specifically for a magic looper. I did cut the cast on down to 60 from 64 since I didn't have a US 1 long enough and am using a US 1.5.

I'm getting a little gun shy as I prepare to make the hell I mean heel. I already had to back out about 12 rows in the pattern due to another mistake I kept perpetuating. I had a weird ribbed pattern on one half of my sock. This time I decided not to question "How'd that happen?" and just fix it.

Lastly I have these scrappy pieces. Leftover Wool-Ease Thick and Quick scraps and stash. I'm attempting a new pieced together blanket/throw. I figure working on pieces is kinda like working on blocks. Perhaps it is not my smartest knitting decision to work with Super Bulky weight yarn in the summer. Ah well, who knows what the weather will bring.