The August Knitting Update

First of all, I’d like to state for the record that it’s super hard to take attractive projects of knitting projects that are “in progress.” Please forgive the images below. 🙂

Hello friends.  Just wanted to pop in for my knit and crochet check in for August.  (I’ve actually written these many times but never get around to taking any photos, so they never get posted!)

Hamilton Sweater

My main project at the moment is my Hamilton Sweater.  Technically I started his project ages ago.  Then I set it aside and didn’t work on it for a really long time.  I wasn’t really that far into the project when I set it down and was seriously considering just pulling out what I’d done and starting again.  I didn’t, thankfully.  (Don’t you hate those random urges you have to do stupid things?)

Anyway, since I picked the project back up, it’s gone fairly quickly (for me).  I’ve finished the body completely and all I have left is the sleeves.  And it fits!  I’ve tried it on several times and I think it’s going to be super cozy.

What’s really helped keeping my progress going is that I’ve started a new tradition of knitting every day at lunch.  I fix my food, turn on my youtube and just knit for a half hour or so each work day.  It’s become my favorite time of the work day, LOL, and I love it.

I had to wind the last two balls of yarn to continue with the sweater. I brought them to work and wound them on Tuesday and started picking up sleeve stitches on Wednesday. I do have one dilemma though. It’s why I saved this ball of yarn for last…

This is the same yarn in the same color. It’s a risk you take when using these types of colorways. Most of the yarn looks like the orangish colored one. Throughout the body of the sweater, just in case, I’ve alternated every row from different balls of yarn so there were no obvious color changes with the balls of yarn changing. I really don’t want to have to do that with the sleeves. So my plan is to do as much as I can with the little I have left on my previous ball and the one that is more orange/copper and hopefully I’ll be close to the cuffs by the time I make the switch to the darker ball. *fingers crossed*

The yarn I’m using is Malabrigo RIOS in the colorway 121 Marte.  To me its like copper with a bit of a patna starting.  It really shows the details of the pattern in the sweater well.  It’s such a pleasure to knit with as well.  So soft.  I really just love this yarn.  I’m glad I have more in my stash, though definitely not a sweater’s worth.  So far this project has taken 5 skeins and it’s going to take at least one more and possibly part of the 7th.  

Back back up project(s)

Somewhere in my house I have a nearly finished pair of socks in Koigu.  I’m pretty sure all I have left to do is one afterthought heel.  I have to locate them first…  

When I hit the stopping point on my sweater (needing to wind the yarn for the sleeves) I wanted to keep my daily knitting tradition alive so I grabbed a project bag that has a ball of sock yarn and needle in it and took it with me to work.  It was a ball of Zauberball sock yarn in a gorgeous colorway that I bought years ago specifically to make into a pair of socks.  

But I have to be honest, it’s a single ply and kind of splitty and while it’s perfectly fine to knit with… I’m not loving actually doing it.  I’ve redone the toe twice so far and something about it just doesn’t have me excited.  So today I didn’t even pick it up to bring with me.  I’m going to have to think of what other options I might have for a project that I’ll enjoy knitting more than these socks.  Because the yarn is gorgeous and I definitely don’t want to not use it up.  I’ll let you know what I decide.  

So for now that’s my knitting update.  I’ll check in again soon.

Bye for now.

Shellie