Is That The Sun?

The return of Daylight Savings Time can mean only one thing. There’s enough light when I get home to take blog photos!

Progress toward completing my NaKniSweMoDo goal has been sporadic. When I finished the body of my Honeycomb Vest, I set the project aside. I guess I was getting a little sick of the unending cables.

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I fully intend to finish it because I love the way it’s working up, but a new sweater project is getting all the love lately . . . Slinky Ribs from the book, Custom Knits.

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Yeah, it’s top-down, but it has set-in sleeves that are picked up around the armholes. I’m using Rowan Felted Tweed and I only have 5 balls. So hopefully I won’t have to rip back the sleeve because I run out of yarn. We’ll see.

As for the Felted Tweed, I’m kinda on the fence about it.  I love the colors and it’s nice to knit with but the sweater seems really scratchy. The alpaca fibers look like nasty guard hairs instead of the softer, downier fibers. Am I the only one who thinks this???

Both sweaters temporarily took a back seat to two felted projects. I don’t know why, but I seem to worked felted projects in fits and starts. Both of these are shop samples for my LYS.

Nantasket Basket in Cascade 220

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And a Basic Felted Bag with Homestead Heirloom leather handles in Debbie Bliss Donegal Chunky Tweed.
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In addition to the knitting, there have been gifts and acquisitions.

Handmade, glass buttons from a friend:

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A wonderful fabric project bag given to me by Margene (don’t forget that Margene’s birthday is Saturday!):

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And Cheryl‘s gift of a seed stitcher has already been put to good use, picking up dropped stitches from the Slinky Ribs project:

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I’ve showered myself with gifts, too.

A lovely batt from Yarn Pirate:

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Some perfectly dyed roving from Lauren’s Etsy shop:

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And a kick-ass fountain pen . . .

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. . . that matches my infamous boots . . .

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I know you want those boots, Shelley. ;)

18 Responses to “Is That The Sun?”

  1. paula on 12 Mar 2009 at 6:12 pm

    Ooh, neat boots. All the gifts look great too.

  2. Norma on 12 Mar 2009 at 6:32 pm

    Wait, did I miss YOUR birthday or sumpin’? Why all the lovely gifts? Anyhoo. Nice, all of it. :)

  3. Jessica on 12 Mar 2009 at 11:12 pm

    Great bags! And I love those buttons. I recently saw someone on Ravelry who made a baby sweater and used that pea button to close it. Totally adorable.

  4. Sibylle on 13 Mar 2009 at 3:50 am

    Pretty cool boots :) I used to have such pen for school but mine was simple white ;)

    Enjoy your stuff, hope everybody is well!

    Sibylle

  5. Carolec on 13 Mar 2009 at 4:17 am

    Pretty felted bags. I bought some yarn from Yarn Pirate when she had her sale this week.

  6. margene on 13 Mar 2009 at 4:37 am

    Careful, Shelley might kill you for your boots. Love the glass buttons!

  7. marie in florida on 13 Mar 2009 at 5:27 am

    humm; if you weren’t so talented i might kill you for the glass buttons.

  8. Lauren on 13 Mar 2009 at 6:33 am

    I love the boots!! And thank you for the shout-out ;)

  9. Heather Joins The Round on 13 Mar 2009 at 6:47 am

    I really like how that sweater is shaping up. It’s almost time to buy the blue-gray t-shirt to wear under it.

  10. Melissa A. on 13 Mar 2009 at 7:05 am

    It’s been nice and sunny here lately, but still cold, which is fine by me. Just keep the sidewalks dry thanks!

  11. Mary on 13 Mar 2009 at 8:04 am

    OMG! Those buttons are mini pieces of art. Gorgeous!

  12. Mary on 13 Mar 2009 at 9:58 am

    OMG! Those buttons are mini pieces of art. Gorgeous!
    PS: Wanted to mention great post!

  13. tiennie on 13 Mar 2009 at 5:57 pm

    Those sweaters are looking so good! Can’t wait to see them finished.

  14. Chrissy on 16 Mar 2009 at 1:39 pm

    Hi, first time commenting but have been reading for a long time. I also love the colours of Felted Tweed and made Eloise from a Kim Hargreaves book, I think Vintage Knits, but if I wear it for too long I get a rash on the inside of my arm above my wrist. I thought I must be allergic to alpaca. But love those buttons.

  15. Jeanne on 20 Mar 2009 at 7:45 pm

    I REALLY love your Nantasket basket. I just have to make one of those. And the batt from the Yarn Pirate. I’m checking out that website now. And the boots …. way cool!

  16. Alarming Female on 21 Mar 2009 at 11:31 am

    I love fountain pens! Did you get it locally or online? (I noticed that the online shop didn’t have that shocking green available)

  17. Katherine of it All on 24 Mar 2009 at 12:29 pm

    J’adore the green bag!!!

  18. Marisol on 10 Apr 2009 at 10:31 am

    Love the boots! The felted bags are pretty niffty too:)