SKBlah

I love the Simple Knitted Bodice. I love the Berroco Comfort, even with it being an acrylic blend yarn. I love how the SKB was knitting up in this yarn. But... it's on it's way to the frog pond.



The neckline, with the proper number of stitches/inch picked up, creates a hideous flaring mess.



The sleeves, knit to gauge, create massive puffiness above the inset.



And the rest? Well, that last photo has notes and a very long description of the modifications I plan to do to SKB2. Which I will start as soon as I get over having to rip back more than 2/3 of a sweater.

*sob*

Harley's post

I was originally going to title this "Slacker", but then I realized the majority of this post pertains to knits for my older daughter, Harley, so now it is her post instead. But she's not posting it. Because she's asleep. And she'd probably spout off some random nonsensical stuff about climbing big rocks and eating sushi if she were posting it, instead of posting about things I am knitting for her.

I am a major blogging slacker these days. I've been knitting, but pretty much just the same things as always... Harley's socks of many colors, which I never posted a photo of.



That photo is quite outdated - that sock is done and the second one is a bit past the heel. They are toe-up, loosely based on the Knitty Universal Toe-up pattern with a short row heel and a 3x1 rib. The yarn is KnitPicks Bare, superwash version, that I dyed with many flavors of Kool-Aid. I find it interesting how it went from nice and random on the foot to spiraling (and then for a while not spiraling) on the ankle. The foot, to just before the heel, has 60 stitches, then I increased it to 64 at the heel. The increase completely changed the randomness of the colors. Harley loves them though and is waiting very patiently for me to get the second one done.

In other Harley knits, I finished her hat the same day I started it, which was sometime last week.



Same pattern as the one I used for Sage's hat, same yarn, different color. Malabrigo Merino Worsted in Bobby Blue, which she loves even though I think she'd look better in something deep red or olive green or chocolatey brown. She didn't want mittens since she already has superwarm winter gloves, so I need to figure out a use for the remainder of that lovely yarn, of which there's maybe 85 yards to play with. Ooh... I just got an idea based on what her one Christmas present from her aunt is. I will save that for a post-Christmas post though since it hasn't yet arrived.

Simple Knitted Bodice

I feel like I have been neglecting my blog lately. And have. I have been too busy knitting this amazing sweater (Stefanie Japel's Simple Knitted Bodice from Stitch Diva). The above photo, a detail of the chevron lace inset from the main body, hardly shows the progress I have done on this. The body is completely done and the left sleeve is on it's lace inset already.

I am using Berroco Comfort, a blend of superfine acrylic and superfine nylon, in the color Beet Root - it's a lot darker than my photo would lead you to believe, but not quite as dark as their shade card.

I am usually a bit of a fiber snob, tending to find acrylics unsuitable for my tastes, but this yarn is just amazing. I can only hope that it holds up to a lot of wear and washing, because I think this sweater will easily become one of my favorite garments.

Mmmmmmmmmmmalabrigo

Or maybe this should be titled "It was this big!"



I couldn't settle on just one photo from this afternoon's shoot with Sage in her new hat and mittens, so you get four. Trust me, it wasn't easy to narrow it down that much. Really.



I cannot for the life of me think of a good caption for the above photo.



So instead of a caption, Sage will show you how many years old she is... er, or maybe not.

Anyway, this hat and mitten set was my first (but certainly not last) experience working with Malabrigo. I. Love. This. Yarn. Seriously. If I was only allowed to use one brand of yarn again, it would be Malabrigo. This was their worsted weight merino, in Azul Bolita, which is such an amazing gradation of blues. I love those deep rich almost-but-not-quite-black blues, and this has them along with a smattering of lighter shades tossed in for a blend that keeps you entertained through every last stitch.

The patterns from both were found on Ravelry, which is such a positively wonderful resource for all things knitterly (or hoolerly, if you go that way). I forget which they are offhand, but they are linked on my projects page if you are really curious.

And now for the last photo... Sage, who has no inkling who Madonna is, doing her version of Vogue.