Casting On for the New Year

We couldn't start the new year without a project on the needles, now could we?

Right after the last gift was wrapped I cast on for the long anticipated Oblique by Veronik. This is the lovely Superwash Cascade 220 that was waiting to be something else. I love this yarn. It is the perfect neutral taupe-ish brown that will go with everything. And, baby, if this sucker takes as long as I think it will, I want to wear the living daylights out of it.

Here is my progress after 5 days of vacation knitting. VACATION knitting folks. What progress shall be made after I return to my normal working life? However, she is lovely, no? I don't have a name for her yet. Super- slouchy- going -to -live- in -this- "jin-jin" (chinese for baby blankee) -ultimate- comfort -sweater is just too difficult for a name. Did Linus have a name for his blanket? Maybe I will name her Linus.


Meanwhile, I had to cast on for something with more instant gratification! Here we are with iwriteplay's Leavened Raglan from Interweave Knits Fall '07. Her version was so lovely and the yarn was such a good deal (Lamb's Pride Bulky in Silver silver from the DBNY). It's so funny how a project will look dreadful in one color and fantastic in another.


Ok, here's a shot of the progress so far. We had to go all the way up to a 17 needle to get gauge. I'm pretty concerned that my swatch is a lying piece of &*(%*, since I never have to go up 2 sizes on a given project, but so far, so good. At least, until you look closely...


Can you see it? A mistake!!! (**GASP**) Yep, I had already frogged 7 rows to get rid of another mistake when I realized, **doh** if you decrease in a lace pattern, you have to adjust the next row or the whole dogged thing will be off. As I progress in my knitterly skills, I am also getting better at letting go of perfection. If it was perfect, it might as well be $19.95 at Old Navy - right?

Well, the back is identical to the front, so you can bet this guy is now designated the back. By the time I finish we might have some reasonable January weather again.