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I struggled with the baby sweater I just finished for my cousin; it is from one of the books I've used the most in my library--
OneSkein, by Leigh Radford. The pattern, calling for five different colors of bulky weight yarn, was so adorable and I took care in picking out some great, gender-neutral colors as I don't know the gender of the yet-to-be-born baby.
However--and this is something that I don't think I've ever done--I didn't pay attention to the yardage on the
Debbie Bliss Cashmerino Chunky versus the yarn called for (
Louet Gems Sapphire Chunky, evidently discontinued now according to Ravelry). My yarn arrived and was gorgeous--I just adore the Cashmerino in all of its weights--but when I got near the end of the sweater back, I ran out of the gold that I was using! I figured I'd have enough of most of the other colors, and I didn't want to order another ball of the gold, so I ripped back and got creative, using some of my
Twisted Sisters leftovers to make stripes on the back and each front. I think the finished sweater is ADORABLE and I am really pleased at how I improvised. I can't wait until the baby is born so I can see the reaction of my cousin, the mom.
When I went to a LYS,
Down Cellar in Basking Ridge, NJ, to pick out buttons, I ALMOST made it out of the store without buying yarn--but I didn't. There was a chunky, simple ribbed cowl on display, and it was a cold day, and I wanted to buy yarn since I hadn't been able to go to Rhinebeck ) OR Stitches East...so I bought the
Sirdar Escape Chunky that the shop sample was knit in, and I'm almost done with this warm ribbed cowl after 3 brief knitting sessions over a few nights. We are going to a COLD football game in Michigan this weekend, so my goal is to finish the cowl tonight to have it to wear at the game.
The other project I started is a
beret for one of my daughter's friends. I'm using the V
alley Yarns Northampton that has become one of my workhorse yarns, in "Bright Blue Heather." I'm probably almost halfway done--I'm looking forward to giving it to her and seeing how many of the other 16-year-old girls asks for one!