Smart cardigans

Here's just a few of my recent finds. Enjoy!

Rorschach Sweater. It's amazing what a chic neckscarf, smart pixie haircut, and lush backdrop of ferns can do for a simple cardigan. This is such a classic, originally published in 1981!

Mossy Featherweight Cardigan. This looks very light, easy, and comfortable for lounging or out-and-abouting. I already had the Featherweight Cardigan stashed in my favorites, but DutchesofYarnover's addition of this trim is so lovely. She gives away her edging secret in her notes, if you're interested.She chose a nice color for her project, too, I think. It would also be pretty in a rosy pink or ivory. Oooo, or black. Anyway, whatever color I knit this in, I've gotta go ahead and knit it up already. It's been waiting around

for a while.

Luminens hoodie. While I could live without the high schooler's thumb-holes at the sleeve cuffs, the rest of this hoodie is so interesting to me! The cabled trim wraps from the hood, down either side of the zipper on the front panel, opens up to make pockets along the bottom, and swooshes around the waist to the back. It looks almost elven, like Liv Tyler would have worn it to lounge around her palace in the movie Lord of the Rings.

Myrtle cardigan. Just look at that pretty eyelet scoop neckline! And all those pearly green buttons. And all those climbing vines! Am I accidentally all about some green here tonight, or what?

103-1 Jacket. Fragilistica did a great job with color on this one. And the buttons are a very nice and understated finishing touch. Love the cuffs on this one. The second pose below makes me wonder what the jacket would look like with buttons all the way down, tied around the waist with a same-yarn belt.

Of course, Ysolda always steals my heart! I have another of her sweet, whimsical masterpieces on my shelf of things to knit. I love that this looks like old-timey smocking. Something's telling me this would be pretty in green. Like, a bright grassy green. Or in a soft, buttery yellow. Mmmm, yellow. (I think hippoknits has a little one at home... if I'm seeing the tv in the background correctly, that's Thomas the Tank Engine!)

Annnnnnnd, I'm sleepy. What do you wanna knit, but haven't started yet? Innything purdy?

I think I spoke too soon.

Yes, it's totally frogged. And no, I don't wanna talk about it.

Annnnnnnnnd, redo.

Knitted Lace of Estonia: the book and a project

So, spirit fingers! I made the blog all cute and Springy and bright and cheerful. But what good does that do if I don't actually contribute anything worth looking at and/or reading?

I'm here to say that even though I've been away for a really, really, really long time, I have actually been knitting.  Not as much as I was a couple of months ago.  Mostly because I work at a quilt shop three days a week and it's had a little bit of influence on my crafting and creating endeavors.  But I have been knitting nonetheless. 

Knitted Lace of Estonia is a beautiful book and I am very happy that I bought it on a whim from Borders back in February.  Stuffed with a rich history behind the making of original lace creations by women of Estonia, this book offers tons of patterns that are challenging, fun, and breathtakingly beautiful.  It's really fun for me to be knitting something that is totally challenging for me... it's keeping me on my toes every step of the way!  But, at the same time, I totally get it - the instructions are flawless, and that makes everything doable.  In keeping with my 2010 New Year's resolution, I am knitting from a chart for the very first time.  GO ME!!!

I'm knitting a scarf for the fearless leader of my aforementioned knitting swap group on Ravelry.com.  The yarn I selected for him reminds me of the colors in a peacock's tail feathers - teal, navy, black, and gold - and this pattern suits the yarn well.

As I dive more into the progress of this scarf, I'll be updating more here.  I'm liking the look of this one so far, and I'm sure I'll be ready to show off my work once this thing grows some more.  Until then, let's all try and forget that this project was supposed to be finished waaaaaay back when... yeah, I try not to think about that.  And, instead, I'm looking at the scarf I'm knitting and hoping it will be well worth the wait.

Until more progress is made, I'll try a little harder to keep in touch.

Much love to knitter-bloggers everywhere!