Oh, Baby!

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 Valley 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!