VK Dutch Tunic Progress

I have just finished 10 inches of the back. Berocco Remix is a beautiful yarn. I think it is perfect for this sweater because of lightness, since, at 28 inches long, this sweater would be VERY heavy with a 100% cotton yarn. Remix also has a flow to it that will make the silhouette drapey and not stiff. I'm really excited about finishing this so I can start wearing it for my spring wardrobe!!

Take care, Sue

January Round-up: What the heck am I knitting?

Here's what I'm knitting right now ...

Vintage Elbaite - From Norah Gaughan Vol. 7 - I've been looking at this scarf for quite a while and decided to just go for it when I was browsing in Knitting Etc. while on vacation. I bought three skeins of Berroco Vintage in colorway Chana Dal (pictured below). This color is amazing ... I can't get enough of yellow ochre, always my favorite while painting.

The unusual construction of this scarf has not bored me yet. I am done with the first section, adding the fringe and I am on the mid-section with the traveling cables. Really fun knit, and Vintage is so soft! Here is a photo of my progress:

I am also knitting a pair of socks, and a prototype square for a brioche afghan I'm thinking about designing. Brioche is my favorite stitch right now, especially with two colors.

Take care, Sue

Remix has arrived for Dutch Tunic

I've started the VK Dutch tunic. Remix arrived today and I started the back. I'm using size 7 and size 8 needles ... the yarn is luscious!!!

Take care, Sue

Herringbone Cowl Finished!!

Big win this Christmas!! My daughter repeatedly tells me she does not want me to knit anything for her because she probably won't wear it (she is very picky and hardly ever wears knitted items). So despite these warnings, last February I decided to press her and say "If I knitted something for you, not that I will, what color would you like it to be?" She said, "Cerulean blue, like the crayon. That would make my eyes pop!" So I bought two skeins of Malabrigo Worsted in a glorious blue and proceeded to knit her the popular Purlbee "Herringbone Cowl." I struggled with this pattern as was discussed in my post at the time (see post) but I picked it up again in November and finished it ON CHRISTMAS EVE! Kate rolled her eyes when she opened up the present, but she did say she loved the color!! Success!!

Hope you all had a beautiful holiday!! Love, Sue

Vogue Knitting Favorites

I've had a subscription to Vogue Knitting since the mid 80s. I love every issue and browse through them constantly. I had an idea the other day about the designs I've loved but never knit! I'm going to make an effort this coming year to make at least a couple of these beauties.

The first one I want to attempt is an Anne Mieke design from the Holiday 1987 issue.


Anne Mieke's simply designed drop shoulder sweaters were in almost every issue in the late 80s-early 90s. I always ahh'd over this one although I never made it:

The description states: "A Dutch fisherman's smock inspired Anne Mieke's drop-shoulder tunic with seed-stitched side slits, back panel, and front-buttoned placket. Coin buttons close the placket and decorate the back panel. In a Classic Elite cotton/wool."

I think I'm going to use an eco-wool for this in a heathered beige. The original yarn was Classic Elite Cambridge, a cotton/wool worsted weight. I would need around 1,500 yards for size 38 (with the oversized fit bust measurement would be 50"). I'm leaning toward Berroco Remix, although the gauge is a little off (17 st per 4 in).

Stay Tuned!!

Take care, Sue

How to Stop A Guilt Trip About My Ravelry Notebook - Statistical Analysis!

So I made a pie chart of my Ravelry Notebook. Actually I don't feel so bad about this. Out of 125 projects, 72 are finished, which is 57 percent. I have a rule that I don't have more than 6 WIPs at a time, so that only makes 5 percent. 34 percent are in hibernation. 4 percent frogged.

So now that I've made a statistical analysis of my knitting, I can fling the guilt of mounting stash and rest on my laurels!!! (or my yarn piles!!)

Have a great weekend. Sue

Shadow WIP list

I assume that most people who read knitting blogs know about Ravelry, so you will know when I say that chronic starters like me have a "SHADOW WIP LIST." That group of started items that you don't put in your Ravelry notebook. I guess I think of these items as shameful starts that I don't want to admit to, like my inner critic is saying "you started another damn sweater? What about the 9 WIPs you have on your RAV notebook? Don't you care about them?" Damn I hate that voice (and why does it always sound like my ex-husband!!).

So here I am coming clean about the things I've started since I was going to start seaming this cute baby sweater for my friend's new granddaughter:

or this very simple dish towel that I wanted for my kitchen (only 20 rows to go!):

Well it's time to come clean ... over the past week I've started another pair of flip flop socks, Norah Gaughan's Kaiju from Vol. 1 in Origami, and a new design of my own with some Red Heart Eco Cotton Blend that I got at Hobby Lobby in Elmira.

Ok, I got that off my chest. Thanks for letting me share. Now to get back to that new design. More about that soon. :-)

Have a great weekend!! Sue