What a weekend!

My mother and father came to visit this weekend.  There was shopping and gifting and knitting, lots of knitting.   Mother brought me some lovely unspun (at my request, although I didn't expect enough for the whole sweater) The pattern I decided I want to make is Two Yoke Sweater (SPP4) from Schoolhouse Press:

She bought the pattern at Knitting Camp, she tells me she ordered the icelandic unspun to make it with later.  But she doesn't intend to knit it anymore (or so I assume)  I only meant to get her leftover unspun from the hat she made and then order the main body color but now I don't have to do that.  I'm not really sure I can manage to knit a sweater in unspun (in the past when I've tried to knit with it I've pulled it apart and become terribly frustrated) but I'm going to try.  Just as soon as I finish the Red/black/yellow Tradition.  

I also ordered some silk for a sweater when we were at Personal Threads. I miss the variety and options of all the yarn stores in Minneapolis/St. Paul,  but Personal Threads is operated by some really nice people.   The pattern will make use of some lovely silk (with beads) that my mother gifted me with a few years ago.  

And to make matters even better -  she is taking one of my old patterns to make  a sweater and while we were discussing what yarn she should use I realized that I had the perfect wool for her.  She's not sure of the color but I think it's a nice shade for her, a purply-blue denim shade.   All in all, between the yarn I asked for (which goes into stash) and the yarn I gave her I think I might break even-ish in the stash-out.   Unfortunately I have managed to obtain enough yarn for three sweaters in the last week.  

I Must Knit Faster!

Unfortunately it rained all weekend so we didn't get to do any of the touristy things we talked about.  The botanical gardens would have been great, but not in the rain.  Same for the zoo.  

Oh - more yarn!

My loving mother sent me a present.  This pattern and yarn kit:

I know, I needed more yarn, right?  It was surprise gift yarn so it doesn't add to my stash.  I was contemplating buying it though. 

 Right after I finished the Black, Yellow and Red sweater that I started.  I have managed two pattern sets on the sleeves and the body.  So far I think it's turning out well.  

Of course now the trouble is, do I cast on the new one or make myself wait?

Checking in update

What a week this has been.  I have finished all the things in my travel knitting bag.  I usually have a few things that need ends woven in, maybe a seam finished (or refinished if I didn't like it) and a simple knitting project or two.

So it was back to my WIP pile.  I put the gold sweater I'm working on for mother back in the bag and a sock that needs a second to the pair.  Of course I'm unable to find the needles for the socks (not a surprise to me - but where are all the 2.5mm dpns?  I don't have any socks on needles that size as far as I know.

I spent yesterday working on getting more things straightened out and put away.  It will take me at least a year to get unpacked from the moving.  Just in time to move again, I suppose.

I have made some progress on the new Philosopher's Wool sweater, but not enough for good pictures.  I have also found the pattern for Mary Tudor so I am working on that again.  Lots of colorwork in my future. It's unfortunate that colorwork just isn't more portable.  But dragging 8 or more balls of yarn and keeping track of the pattern while visiting might overtax my attention span.

April!?

I can't believe I lost 1/2 of April.

I finished my orchid silk sweater:

Detail of the yoke 

And the Dilemma Dress:  I think it looks like I skinned  a Muppet, but I can't wait until I have a reason to wear it. Also - YIKES, Stripes!  It doesn't look this stripy in person - probably because of the fuzziness of the mohair.

I am also very pleased that both of these were made with yarn I purchased without a purpose.  I'm actually enjoying watching the numbers change.  I think I need to save some money for a cedar closet for my knitted things.  Omaha is home to Nebraska Furniture Mart - which has to be the largest furniture store I have ever been in.  They have a cedar closet I like, unfortunately it seems quite expensive to my thrifty taste.  However, it could go on sale this fall/winter.  I hope.

I have started one of the Philosopher's Wool sweaters I stashed.  Another Tradition, this one in reds, yellow and black.  I still love this pattern and this yarn.  I am however attempting to work this one using EZ's EPS instructions.  I hope it works out.  It seemed so simple this time.  It isn't the first I've done so it may be familiarity making it seem not so scary as the first time. Any time something seems too easy I worry a little.