Brown Paper Packages Tied Up With String

I finished my second sweater design, Beatrice. I'm so thrilled with the way it turned out. I took everything I learned from Rosemary and incorporated it into this raglan (I did a ksp decrease instead of a k2tog, and I used a smaller needle on the neck). This sweater was inspired by rainy days, The Sound of Music, and sweet simplicity.

Love Grows Where My Rosemary Goes

Last night I finished knitting the first sweater of my own design. There are a couple of things I will change about it when I write the pattern, but overall I'm very happy with it. It looks exactly like my sketches! I never really thought I would be able to write my own patterns, but Flavio inspired me to try, and the way this sweater turned out has given me a lot of confidence to try more complex designs. I've got a few more ideas up my sleeve that I want to try out soon: a baseball-style raglan for boys, a cloverleaf eyelet sweater-blouse for girls, and a unisex mesh-like beach hoodie.

In other news: apparently I got a contractual 33-cents/hour raise at work, I'm reading Stephenie Meyer's new novel The Host, the Old 97's new album Blame it on Gravity is frigging a-mazing, gas is too damn expensive (and I'm too damn broke), and every day from 2 to 4 pm you can get a route 44 cherry limeade at Sonic for 94 cents + tax (making it an even dollar here in Wichita).

Mostly About Knitting (okay, all about knitting...)

I've been knitting like mad lately. Last week I was foraging in the garage, and I found the sweater I knitted for myself 4 years ago. Well, knitted but never finished. So I finished it. Then I knit Ysolda Teague's "Verity" beret. Now I'm knitting Ysolda's elephant. Next up I'll probably finish the brown & pink striped baby sweater and knit some socks (I just placed my first order with The Loopy Ewe...2 lovely skeins of Dream In Color Baby). Sometime this summer I'd like to knit Ysolda's "Coraline" sweater with Jo Sharp Silkroad DK Tweed in Paper Rose.

I've also been spending loads of time on Ravelry. I love this site!!