Progress on the Central Park Hoodie...and other news

All the pieces (except the hood) are complete, have been blocked as pieces, and are already dry and ready to be seamed up! WooHoo! I've already unpinned the sleeves and am about to start seeming them. The fronts and back are still on the blocking board.

I think I'll have it at least partially seemed by tonight. Then it's on to the hood.

In other news, I got my first shipment from the Rockin' Socks Club! It was sitting at the front door when I got home on Thursday. I took some pictures of the package. Since this is my first year in the club I wasn't sure what to expect in the package. Check out my booty below:



Of course, if you read my blog you'll notice that I don't do red or pink anywhere. The few things that I have made in those colors have been for other people. It's funny, I opened the package (in the elevator going up to my apartment...I couldn't even wait until I got home) and I thought....yuck...red. I don't like red. I was disappointed.

But, then I took out all the contents of the package and read through the intro letter with the pattern and the yarn. It was about hating the color red and how giving this color another look may possibly broaden your outlook.

OK. So, I read this letter and was feeling better about the yarn. Then, I looked at the pattern that came with it. OMG! I love the pattern and I can totally see the yarn knitting up beautifully in that pattern.

Now I can't wait to start. :)

Holiday Knitting

Yep - you heard right. Holiday knitting at the end of January?

I was trolling through Ravelry yesterday and came across a mention of a Gift-A-Long group that was starting up. Participants set attainable goals for monthly gift knitting. You get stars for finished projects and there are even prizes involved!

The group is called KnitAllYear and it's a year long gift-a-long. They are still accepting sign ups until the end of January. Get ready now for that holiday crafting crunch!

Progress on the Central Park Hoodie

My Central Park Hoodie is coming along nicely. I have the back and the two fronts done. I cast on for the sleeves last night before going to bed. I have about 3 inches done on the ribbing for the sleeve cuffs.

I love how its coming out. Even while working both fronts at once I had no problem working the armhole and neck line shaping while still holding the cabling pattern. I love that the pattern is written with the right and left front pattern instructions written side by side and lined up across the page. I'm assuming they did this on purpose since it's too brilliant to be an accident. (kudos to Knitscene pattern writers!).

I went ahead and ordered an extra skein of yarn to accommodate all the extra length I added. I was getting worried as I did the back that I wasn't going to have enough. I think I'll be OK now...but I'm also keeping my fingers crossed. That hood looks like it could take an awful lot of yarn to finish. If it gets too close I may have to just add a collar instead of the whole hood. That would be a test of my needle knits design skills. I'm sure it's totally doable but something I haven't really tried before. A collar's not that hard..right?

On my needles and in my queue

The Central Park Hoodie from the Fall 2006 issue of Knitscene is what is now on my needles. I finished the back of the sweater yesterday and I've cast on for both of the fronts.

So far the pattern is easy to follow and well written. Not too difficult to follow while watching TV or while I'm chatting it up at my stitch 'n bitch group. But, it's also challenging enough to be interesting - the cable repeats are just enough to keep me engaged.

I am lengthening the body by 3 inches, however. The original pattern was written for only 14 inches long from bottom to arm pit...this number was way too short for me. So, with this lengthening I am getting a bit concerned that I didn't purchase enough yarn. I wrote an email to the yarn shop in Maine where I got the yarn from (Seaport Yarn) and thankfully they had another skein left in the same dye lot. I ordered it right there on the spot. Of course it made me panic a little more when she told me that that color had been discontinued. Ugh...I hope I'll have enough yarn!

I'm also checking my mail every day for a package from the Socks That Rock Club. They aren't even starting to ship things out yet and I'm waiting anxiously. Just the part about getting yarn in the mail all year is thoroughly exciting! Can't wait!

First FO of 2008!

My Clapotis from the Fall '04 issue of Knitty is finished. I started it just before Christmas ( the evening of the 23rd, I think) and I finished knitting on it this past Thursday, January 3rd. I blocked it on Friday and finished weaving in all the ends this morning.

This pattern is super simple to knit. Easy pattern repeats to memorize. Great for knitting while watching TV or movies. I think I'll be knitting this one again at some point. I love the finished wrap/scarf.


Here's the stats:
Yarn: Noro, 'The World of Nature' - 60% Wool, 35% Silk
Colorway: No.3
Needles: No. 8 circulars - Denise Interchangeable
Notes: The yarn I'm not crazy over. I love the color but I think the fiber content wasn't quite right for this pattern. I think it's a bit stiff and scratchy for what I was looking for. As it is I will wear it and love it as a more colder weather wrap over a coat or long sleeve shirt. But for spring or fall wear I think I would need a softer yarn. Whatever yarn I pick for my next one will be similar variegation to this Noro.

And, as always...here are some more picks for your Clapotis loving pleasure: