Sweater Battle- What would NORAH do?

I've enjoyed the comments and emails about what sweater should go with the yummy black Lustra. The early lead seems to be for Lexical and it's Chanel inspired deliciousness. That was my first choice and I Listeme turned my head (as patterns do)! I'm still mulling as I do want to make the right decision so please weigh in if you haven't!!!!

This pattern, perhaps more than others, leads me to say "WHAT WOULD NORAH DO?????" I know that THE Norah Gaughan would have much to say on the subject. What think you Norah?

Web Knitter said: "I think you're second guessing because you know deep down that the yarn isn't right for Listeme. You'll just have to buy more yarn. "

Well I don't know about the yarn not being right----- since the pattern was written for Lustra, but maybe it is that the color wouldn't really set it off to it's best advantage with that lovely little knitted ribbon run through eyelets on the front. On the other hand, black looks great in almost everything! With the fabulous price of Lustra I think that whichever sweater I go with will have a sister sweater coming soon. (Think Ba*chelorette......... that little chickaroo got a second chance after being dumped)!

Web Knitter also confessed "You inspired me to knit a Nimbus while on vacation this year. Just waiting for the yarn to arrive. " Hee.............. why is it that we all so love to know that we have inspired (led astray) another knitter! For the record, I still love my Nimbus!

I'll close on this miserably hot day with the cutest dogs in the world after their new summer haircuts. Hana (below) always knows to smile for the camera, so funny that girl dog! She's waiting for her new dress, she saw me cut it out yesterday after I got home from the studio.


And there they are, sitting (impatiently) for the camera when they'd much rather have dinner!

Get knittin'!

Knitting as Surgery....... sort of

Okay, so you can tell that darling bride Angie does not knit by the way she wields the sticks! Perhaps you can tell that by day she is in the medical profession and appears to be holding the needles like a scalpel.

She's holding what was on my needles last Saturday, the last bit of the Immediate Gratification Project, Nimbus, the little shawl collary bit.

Is she cute as pie or what? LOVE this bride, we had a blast and she and her new hubby were the best of the best. Can I have more like her?

Get knittin'!

Vote for your fave sweater......

So............. the sweater still isn't put together. With the heat index it is 105 here today, I am really in no hurry! I did however receive my new yarn lust........... Lustra from Berroco.

the Tencel in the mix makes it shiny, uber soft and just yummy! LOVE this yarn and can't wait to knit with it. As Cirilia says, this yarn may well be overshadowed with the other fabulous fall yarns but I think it will come out strong with many knitterly fans.

Also received the fabric I couldn't resist. Fat quarters of really fun fabric (Alexander Henry of course, who else does such tongue in cheek novelties?)---- in pink and black. Skulls impaled with knitting needles and scissors......... and sewing and knitting 'storyboards' as it were.

Knitmare on Elm is above---- check out the knitting needles as chopsticks, the kid in the too small sweater, the dog eating the yarn, and the skeleton giving up on the sweater. LOVE this fabric----- now what will it grow up to be??? I think maybe the pink skulls and needles will have to be a little frock for the newly groomed little girl dog!

Lastly, I can't decide what sweater the Lustra will evolve into, your help please???? The pattern is still a couple weeks from printing so I have a little time to make up my mind. (Not to mention finish the ongoing cabled cardi!) The choices follow........

My first choice is above, Listeme. Gorgeous! But I'm second guessing myself because I love

----- Lexical. Sort of Channelly, but so much more updated and (dare I say it) hip!

I have enough delicious Lustra to knit either............. but which one????

I know you are hanging out waiting for last week's knitting bride. Catch her tomorrow before I head out to wrangle tomorrows bride!

Jackie (of KIPing it real) and her First Bag

What a GREAT night last night was... I do love to sew and love me some great bags so when friend and fellow knitter Jackie sent a photo of a bag she liked and asked it I would help her make one sort of like it, I said a hasty YES!

She came by after work and we ordered Chinese (always a great start to any occasion)==== and got down to work. After she described what she wanted, we sketched and noodled. And measured and puttered. I showed her how to draft a pattern, and make a mock up in the non-perfect fabric. She worked diligently and the mock up was great with few changes. Moving on to her choice of fabric (which I have to say was VERY Jackie)------- we had a finished bag by 11 p.m.!!!!!


Didn't she do a GREAT job? Cute fabric--------- and just what she wanted! Her sewing skills were amazing. I was bragging on her today saying that it has been a very long time since I had someone at the machine who was such a natural, and so enthusiastic!

All of the pockets inside are great, and customized to her needs------ I told her that this style of bag with the pockets around and then room in the middle for other larger things has revolutionized my bag life.

Yup, fully loaded and you can see her KNITTING on the top.

Jackie took the photo above (and all of the others) and I particularly like the one above with her stylin' her bag as you can see her adorable doggie Paisley saying "hi Mom, fab bag!"

You can find Jackie's blog over on Vox where it seems I am unable to comment or even sign up. I'm trying not to take it personally.

She is also one of the newest podcasters and you really have to check her out! Find all about KIPing it real HERE!

Such fun................ now back to work!

Finished!

There is nothing happier than a finished sweater! Well, not much anyway!

Nimbus, the Immediate Gratification sweater has left me gratified with some immediacy! She is done and 90% dry from the blocking. (The onslaught of yet more unwanted rain does make drying that wooly loveliness a bit slower!) Maybe the only thing better than finished, blocked an dry would be assembled--------- that is next.

And I did return to the cabled cardi with a smile on my face when the smell of damp wool was in the air. Another couple of inches added to the sleeves, I'm about half way done with them.

My new goal is to have the cardigan DONE by the time the pattern booklets have arrived. They're not even to the printer for a couple of weeks so when they have arrived here I think I might get Alexi done. With luck I might get the ever-going intarsia bag finished as well.

While that would feel GREAT I am not so crazy as to believe that it is a slam dunk.

Optomism springs forth regardless!

Done Deal

I am still working on the sleeves of the lovely IG sweater, studio life has kept me away from the needles when in fact it would be short order to get the sleeves off the sticks.

Instead I feel the need to make a confession. I bought yarn today.

For a sweater.

Black yarn.



Yummy yarn.

wool and tencel yarn.

Did I mention for a sweater?

A delicious collection of patterns all more delightful than the next, including my next project!

I shall NOT open the box until the cabled cardi is done.

Maybe.

The Bag, The Bride

Yes, the bag and the bride. Bag first because I actually like it better! (wink wink)

How cute is she? So nice and sturdy, large enough and not too large..........

nice comfy padded fabric handles long enough and not too long as well as a matching stretch of nice leather handle on swivel hooks, detachable of course!

Loaded on the inside.......... heaven! Nothing gets lost, nothing can't be found in a hurry. Room for everything, sheer bliss. The white patch on the front is where the velcro attaches the little doohickey that comes across, you don't see it when the bag is closed.

See the great pockets? This may be the last time this bag is empty, I plan on using and loving her a LOT! I know I've mentioned it before but the fabric is from Fig Tree, their Patisserie line, see the map of France as part of the pockets?

Onto the bride---Last weeks bride was, hmmmmmm........ for lack of a better word she was retroesque. Old fashioned, nothing super stylish or edgy. A nice quiet (maybe too quiet) bride.


You can tell that although she was quite the sport about modeling with my knitting, she does not knit and doesn't even know how to hold the sticks. It was kind of scary. She was not a B*%ch, this is all that matters. I have hopes for this weeks bride as well. She is holding the oh so fun IG Sweater--- "Nimbus".

Knitting? Yeah buddy, immediate gratification lives on! Despite a no-notice visit from my Mother and the ManToy, I am half-way through the sleeves with just them to finish and then the little shawl collary piece. I am SO excited you have no idea.

Look how pretty they all are hanging out together! I can't wait until they are ONE! :) I'm fretting a bit about a big fabulous button for closure, I've searched high and low and really can't come up with anything. As a result I knit her without the buttonhole and will attach with a snap when found. I need to hurry!