Ready for a Rave?

Not that kind of rave, people. A much, much better sort.

I have found a "one skein" type knitting book that I actually think is worth the money--One-Skein Wonders. It's set up sensibly, by yarn weight! Duh! The chapters start with bulky, and work down to fingering weight (with a nice "heavy worsted" section that often designers don't seem aware exists). There is also a section called worsted-mohair, and one for novelty yarns, the latter being a category many of us are still working on in our stashes from previous projects). Several projects are felted. There are so many patterns (the subtitle is 101 Yarn-Shop Favorites), and the color pictures are great. The patterns come from various LYSes around the US, with a designer usually named. I can see a sequel already, Way More One-Skein Wonders.

The only "awww, shucks" is that I just purchased the coolest shell pattern called Diotima from Valley Yarns, and here it is in the book! Dag-gonnit.

I'm just getting the top started actually, in white mulberry silk that I got on eBay recently, and am pretty excited about it. It will do nicely in the fall when it's 95 degrees in my classroom.

I'll post a photo of my progress on it when I get one of the DDs to loan me a camera--DH is visiting my MIL on Orcas Island for a few weeks of mountain biking, kayaking, and his mom's home cooking, oh, yes, and telecommuting to work via the internet and the phone.

Baby Kimono completed and a LYS coup!

It's a heavy-duty little wrap, thick and cushy, and I am keeping my fingers crossed that it still fits Angelina! I have learned a ton, and when I tackle this pattern again, I will do even better with it.

I think it needs three buttons where the lace edging angles downward, which would remove the need for at least the external set of ties. I could even put a button inside at the bottom to substitute for those ties, a bit bulky.

I got the strap attached to the Deanna purse, and have been trying various other covers for the magnetic closure--still not satisfied with what I've done so far. I'll post a pic when this is all done.

Yesterday I scored a major coup when I found, at the sidewalk sale at one of my LYSes, Inspiration by SWTC for $3/skein. The regular price was $13!!! So needless to say I bought a bunch. No project in mind of course (work backwards, I like the challenge!!). It is almost a DK weight alpaca and soy fiber, and I got it in lavender. Seems like it would make a baby kimono too--I may just do this.

Friends and family need to start having babies so I can knit for everyone!

Happy knitting, all.

Baby Kimono looking good!

Now THIS is a baby sweater and I'm so proud of it! Compared to the hideous mistake I was knitting on before, this makes sense as I'm knitting it, and the M1 with a YO is creating the prettiest lacy placket. Here's a closeup of the increase--
I've actually done most of the second front flap, while watching TV last night, and I messed that up and frogged back to the shoulder and did it RIGHT. Fortunately on this sweater, when I got something wrong, I've been able to see what the mistake was and fix it. The direx are quite manageable.

I finished that hat I was mentioning recently and I think it turned out nice. It is also very soft.