Can you keep a secret?

Well, I'm working away on a variation on the Knitty apron featured in the Spring '04 issue, "Party Apron," by Jordana Paige. I'm making it for DD3 who turns 15 on 9/3, and who is a strange combination of Betty Crocker, Martha Stewart, and Courtney Love. And it's a GOOD combination.

I'm using solid aqua Plymouth Fantasy Naturale, and for the frou-frou trim I chose Fur Real in peacock. I intend to use the trim for embroidering along the vertical lines of the lower apron, as well as on the straps that tie at tie neck. I may also put it along the edges of the bib portion. I want it to be really over the top, as that captures Sophi's personality perfectly. Will post finished pix, but right now I have the pedal to the metal for the opening of school, and am only knitting when I can get away with it because I have to be at a meeting or presentation. But that works for me!

PS I got a great t-shirt from Stitch Divas that has a spoof of the iPod ad campaign, with a woman holding up her knitting needles and yarn, in silhouette, and the words "iKnit" and "Modern Yarn" on the edges. I love it!

Finito! Sweater and a hat

And for something completely different, I also had this on the needles:



The black is very soft--I think it was Rowan, but it was bought some time ago. The stripes are done with my Noro Iro from the Tahoe trip, and the color change over time was quite interesting. Note I am backing off my previous refusal to do anything like fringe, pompoms or tassels. What next? Never say never!



Lastly, I started something last night that is making my hands ache because it's cotton. It's really true what they say. So I do as many rows as I can stand and then take a break, but then I start up again because it's coming together and it's cool. What is it, you ask? Can't tell. Top secret. Wait a few weeks and I'll have one of the DDs model it. :)

The Luisa Sweater is comin' togethuh

Here it is, the sweater I have worked and reworked, frogged and reknit, despaired over and kept trying with, The Luisa Sweater! I had to make changes in my original freeform pattern (seriously, what IS a novice knitter doing making up a pattern??), changes I fully "got" only after completing the body. So after trying to talk myself into half-assing it, I frogged it and started all again.

Now, I've blocked it and it is going together this afternoon!

Did I mention that this yarn (Patons Rumor) is about 85% acrylic and 15% alpaca? Well, that alpaca was going to be its saving grace, but having knitted with it and frogged it for about a week now, I may never get all the alpaca fuzz out of my nose and off my clothes. Not to mention that frogging something that "sticky" is sometimes a real trial. But I did it, and I am really glad. Finished sweater pics tomorrow.

In other news . . . I refelted one of the two bowls I made earlier this week, so that it would have a flatter base and be more compact. I like it better now. Going to embellish it a bit too with some buttons.



There's a sale on at my LYS, Full Thread Ahead! Time to start courting my fellow drivers to take me up there, since I can't drive with this foot until the end of the month.

Happy Knitting!