The Man of Aran

So after a year plus, the Aran sweater is finally complete! I thought that it was finished last night, but when Jon tried it on there was something funny going on with the neck. This morning I unraveled the neck and fixed it. Here it is, in all its glory.

Yay!

Update on The Aran Sweater

Here is the progress I've made so far on the Aran Sweater. I've promised Jon that he will be able to wear it this autumn, around September. I think it's doable.



I've had lots of side projects in the meantime, including lots of baby items and a gift or two. But so far I'm pleased with my progress on The Aran Sweater.

Next task: sleeves, anyone?

Knitteversary, or The Aran Sweater

So, as you may have noticed, my blog-posting record has been abysmal. Is there a word worse than abysmal, because that would be me. I mean, 7 months?? C'mon.

Okay, now that I've given myself that little slap on the wrist followed by a whimpering little plea to be better in the future (really, I promisel!) I will move on and announce that October in my Knitteversary. Four years ago this month I cast on for the first time, and it was love at first stitch. I've found that the more items I knit, the more patterns are added to my "to knit" binder. And so the relationship grows.

To celebrate this milestone I am attempting something really special: I'm going to make an Aran sweater for my husband. He isn't a "sweater-guy", so you can imagine my surprise when one day, out of the blue, he popped the question. "Do you think you could make me an Aran sweater?" He has never asked me to knit anything for him before. But he does love all things Irish, and his only hope for this sweater is that it be as traditional as possible. Here's the interesting part: I have decided to make it without a published pattern, instead using bits and pieces from many different sources to create a truly unique garment. My first time at winging-it.

I of course will have some help from some trusted sources:



You may notice something funny about this picture. Yes, that is a swatch. A washed and blocked swatch! This is something new for me. I'm kind of a half-hearted swatcher, generally knitting an inch or two and then measuring without even casting off. Part of it's laziness, and part of it's just that I hate wasting that yarn. But this time I have decided to play it safe.

Alright, so this project is daunting to me (you can see that I had to swig a glass of wine before starting...liquid confidence!). I had to remind myself that I have done some very nice projects in the past few months while I've been absent from my blog...









If I can do those things, then I can do this too. And on that note...okay, here I go. Wish me luck, and I'll keep you posted!

It's been a while!

OK, so it's been a long time since I've posted anything here. But I'm going to try to be better, I promise! To start, I will share my newly completed baby pillow/decoration thingie. All of my friends are getting preggers, so I've been making lots of shower gifts.


This pattern was from Simple Knits for Cherished Babies, and the gauge was very tiny! Size 1 needles. I was hoping it would give me the courage to tackle the next project in my basket, which is Baby Norgi from Knitty. Tiny needles! But first...

I am anxious to finish up this cami I'm knitting before the weather gets too hot! I found this pattern on the blog site Black Dog Knits. There are some beautiful designs on her site, and I just love that there are people out there that share their own patterns for free. Someday, when I'm determined enought to make up my own patterns, I am definately going to share them with anyone who cares to know them!

Anyway, I love the yarn. It's hand-dyed cotton, and I really hope that it'll fit me as well in real life as it does in my imagination.

Blu-Beary

There are two kinds of people in this world. Those who love puns and those who hate them. Obviously, I'm a fan of the pun. Here is Blu-Beary:I made him out of some beautiful wool that I bought on my summer vacation to Maine. And Maine, as we all know, is known for its blueberries. I found that it's also a great place to buy wool. It was everywhere...I ended up lugging a huge bag full of it home with me on the plane, much to my husband's dismay. This bear has been set free and is now somewhere out there in the wide world. He was donated to a Hospice craft fair fundraiser last week and by now probably has a happy new home. Goodbye Blu Beary!

Some finished items

I finished my mom's cabled scarf. It looks very Irish! I think she'll like it:

I also finished a second baby sweater. I made an almost identical one for a coworker's baby shower, and I had so much yarn left over that I made a second one. It's a light brown cardiagn, and Jon (my husband) thinks that it looks like something an old man would wear while sitting in his library and smoking a pipe. It therefore has been dubbed the "little old man" sweater.


I have two new projects on the needles at the moment. One is a teddy bear that I am going to donate to a Hospice fundraiser, and the other is a sweater for myself (my first one!) that I've had several false starts on. Once I go out and purchase one more pair of needles I should be all set to go on it (I hope)!

Wrist Warmers

Everyone I know will have toasty wrists this winter. I have completed three pairs of wrist warmers:
I've decided to part with the pair that I was going to keep for myself. I think that after Christmas I will make myself a pair of pink ones. I'm currently working on a cabled scarf for my mom:

I'm happy with how it's turning out. The yarn is Rowan Cashsoft Aran in Forest. It is buttery soft, and I think when I'm finished I may try weaving ribbons into the lace pattern along the sides. I think I'll package it up along with a copy of the book "I Capture the Castle", which I read recently and highly recommend. It's about a poor and eccentric family that lives in a castle in England, and the daughter is a charming narrator.

Anyway, I should get back to my knitting. I have Christmas presents to attend to.