The Golden Iris

Yes, with less than two weeks to go, it's suddenly Christmas knitting time. Thankfully this is pretty much the extent of what has to be knit up... ... and washed, and blocked, and wrapped... guess I'd better get started already!

Well, maybe I'm a bit late to sweater season, and I know I'm surely late to the game for this sweater, but I'm making one anyway. Here is the beginning of the really lovely February Lady Sweater . Apparently everybody is making this - Ravelry currently lists over 3,000 projects , making it the most popular adult-size sweater on the site. The designer adapted a baby sweater pattern by Elizabeth Zimmermann to adult size. I'm excited about the effect - and who couldn't use another cardigan? I'm about at the point where I can quit knitting endless garter stitch and switch to the lace pattern - I just have to double-check the raglan length against another sweater. Even with two needles in the bottom it's hard to gauge accurately how big it is when I try it on. I have a feeling that once I get going, this is going to be a very, very quick sweater to finish. Which is good - it's already more than cold enough out!

I've fallen into some good knitting luck lately and won some very nice yarn that I have to show off. Part of the reason you're seeing all these socks on the blog is that they're not just socks. They're also raffle drawing entries. And the raffle prizes are usually yarn - I've now won a prize three months in a row! This is a gorgeous skein of Schaefer Anne - and it was custom-dyed just for me. Each way you turn it, it's a little different. I asked for a warm brown, and autumn colors to complement it. I think they did a lovely job. Now I simply have to decide what to make with it!

Another sock - because I'm just that exciting. I know, I know, how many more socks am I going to show you? (It could be worse, right? I could do nothing but take photos of the cat!) One down, one to go. Finally, a toe-up construction that doesn't drive me crazy! No waste yarn, no short-row heel, just a very well-fitting sock. The heel and toe are arguably a little fiddly, being written for circular needles, but I can persevere. These are called Seaweed Socks [warning: PDF] by Wendy Johnson of WendyKnits . The yarn is Koigu (yum!). And here's a close-up, because I can. I think it's time to start the second one... and maybe scheme about some argyle socks.

...and knitting again. I am happy to report that moving couldn't have gone better. Out of the old apartment and into the truck in half an hour - two easy days on the road with clear weather - out of the truck and into the new apartment in half an hour. I'm mostly unpacked and soon I get to really start learning my way around Chicago. Once I get all my housekeys, that is - the hardware store didn't cut them all properly so it's a little hard to leave! (Well, I can leave just fine... getting back in is another story.)  Not that I want to leave, it's snowing outside, yuck. I have a delightfully long list of things to knit before the New Year, including: a sooper sekrit hat at least 2, maybe 3 pair of socks another Lace Ribbon Scarf some more sooper sekrit sample knitting (hooray!) Bits and pieces of an afghan and the February Lady Sweater for yours truly. It seems all I've been knitting is socks this year and I really want to get back to knitting larger pieces ...