Hello, crafty and sundry!

Now, most of us will have a queue of projects in mind. I don’t know about most people, but I tend to leave it to one or two projects max, because I don’t want to have too many things tempting me — I work really hard to have one or two things max on needles at a time.

So of course, now I’ve got a queue stretching back like, six projects. Whups.

Now, the first I have had in mind for awhile — it’s this lovely Pulina top in Berroco… which I am actually doing in Berroco. I like many knitters do my best to find the best and cheapest deals for like-for-like wool, but there wasn’t anything else that quite gauged the same. It also by some witchcraft ended up being the best deal because the range is discontinued. Between these two facts, I acted fairly quickly to get the wool purchased and secured in my stash, because oh… well hrm. Firstly, the top is a gorgeous pattern and ideal for my particular style of dress (on the fancier end at that ’cause I’m such a jeans and t-shirt sort of lady). For seconds, it’s a chunky wool/knit, which after my current project, the Nesoi tee (more on that later), I was going to want something that knit up fairly quickly after a project that is essentially #knittingwithstring. It’s going to be sort of weird doing something that’s predominately garter stitch because I have gotten so used to everything being stockinette, but it will probably be a bit of fun.

Mother-in-Law Invades

So, that’s one project. If it were the only one, that would be one thing. But then my blessed mother-in-law got involved in ‘the process’. I was going to a crafting morning at the local Hobbycraft to check out a knitting group that meets there. So as I’m headed out the door from dropping off the littlest with her, she hands me £40. She starts off with suggesting that I could make another cardigan for the littlest, and then sort of trailed off and amended that I should spend it on whatever I wanted. Well shit, how do you fight that?!

So I didn’t. Now, I didn’t find anything that I liked in Hobbycraft. Nor could I get a good internet connection for my netbook, which would have been the first step in spending money in store anyways. I like to find the patterns first, and then try to find the best wool at the best value. The blue is an aran cashmerino blend that I am using to make this ribbed top, while the red is going to be used to make a cardigan for Littlerbit. I apologise for not being able to show the pattern from its original source, but you can see it here instead.

Further D’oh Spending

Now, you might have noted that there is a single button displayed against the wool. Well, that is because Ol’ Raesie here is a numpty and presumed that she was buying a pack of buttons for the low low price of 23 pence rather than a single button. So of course, that means that I ‘had’ to put together another order to justify the cost of shipping (as the buttons themselves came in less than the cost of the aforementioned shipping). I picked up some fabric wash to try, and then decided that what the hell, let’s get a full order made up.

+ = <3

The pattern is Abrazo, compliments of Knitty. I, like usual, found the pattern first and then tried to find the best value wool that would work for the pattern and make up enough of an order to get free shipping. Because that’s just what knitting junkies do, darn it. And yeah, totally a theme on doing shells, but like… I like short sleeves, but I like having a warm tummy, so this is totally going to be a bangin’ summer vacation wardrobe!

But What About Other Things?!

Oh yeah, I’ve totally completed other things you guys might have been wondering about. Let’s review!

Hat: This doth be for, and is modelled by, my cute husband-fellow!

Socks: I took some chunky wool and made myself some thick socks on the fly. Like, making it up as I went and everything.

And of course, a bit of progress on the Nesoi tee!

I’m actually working on the back properly now… but this post is pretty freaking long so I’ll leave it here.

<3