What's on the Needles?

Before I show you what I've been working on lately, I wanted to let you know I'm celebrating a third blogibirthday this week, and assembling a giveaway package for one of you. I'll have details at some point this week.

My attention has been divided between several projects lately, but I enjoy it, even if it means it takes me longer to finish.

Back in July, I started this pair of Impressionist Socks, but stalled out after starting the heel too soon. The sad sock sat (say that five times fast) untouched for months, but has new life now. I've knit past the length described in the pattern, but I've decided to continue the pattern until I run out of yarn, as I want to use every inch of this Koigu (which I picked up in Boston last fall). I'm excited to actually be knitting a sock during Socktoberfest; I believe that's a first. The lace pattern keeps my interest, and the variegated Koigu doesn't hurt either.

Up next, I cast on for the Emerald Isle Cardigan a few weeks ago. I've dubbed it my Gray Skies Cardigan, and I'm using Wool of the Andes in Onyx Heather. I'm currently about mid-way through the back piece. I just love the tab sleeves; it looks so wearable.

The third knitted project getting my attention is a cast-on inspired by Kara, who's been rocking the colorwork as of late. Colorwork was a 2010 goal, so I decided to jump in with Opus Spicatum, a gorgeous hat pattern.
I'm only a few rows into the colorwork, and it feels so foreign. Part of the problem is that I hold my yarn very differently than other knitters I've seen. I think it's going to hurt me on more complicated colorwork patterns, so I'm trying to be conscious and modify my hand posture.
I picked up this RYC Cashsoft Aran in a soft red and gray this weekend in Austin.

Finally, I've been working on the table runner project, and I'm nearly done with the top (and don't worry; I haven't forgotten about the quilt!). The striped squares were so much fun to make, and two more of those is all that's missing from the top pieces.

So, to recap, a lot of projects, some progress, but nothing finished.

Gimme S'more

I apologize for the cheesy and Busta Rhymes-reminiscent title of this post, but I couldn't help myself. This cake just got posted on Craft's blog, and well, I NEED this cake.

As Liz Lemon would say, "I want to go to there."

Quilt Market

Is anyone going to the Houston Quilt Market?
I'm going, and I'd love to meet up with any fellow fabric hounds! I'm a first-timer, and I'm very excited about it.

Oliver makes me happy when skies are gray

I was lucky enough to see Oliver again this weekend, and, good news!

He, along with his awesome parents, Beth and Kyle, are moving back to Texas next year. Hopefully, this means Elliott and I can see them more often.

Oliver is seven months old now, crawling and teething.

He's a very animated baby, and I had to delete many blurry photos from my camera, as his action was sometimes difficult to capture. I'm not complaining.

I enjoy being in his company, and seeing him grow, each time we visit.

Making a table runner

The kitties are helping me sew.
Olias presses the fabric, and Bella sits on the pedal.
It's a great system! I'm taking a little break from my quilt to make a table runner for my dining table. I don't use my dining room table very often, but I thought a crafty addition might encourage me to enjoy the space.

I've drawn up a schematic, and these sections will be separated by solid strips, with some string quilt squares in the middle section. I'm going to use Kona Stone for the solid pieces, but I haven't decided on the back fabric.

This weekend I'm hoping to get most of the top assembled, although I've got a new knitting project keeping my interests divided, which I hope to photograph soon.

Enjoy your weekend!

Progress on the Quilt Front

Although my crafting time was somewhat limited this weekend, I finally managed to make some quilting advances. I finished sewing the strips for the top of the quilt, and began assembling the strips into the quilt top. Saturday afternoon, I had three strips sewn together.

What you see is the two center strips (all nine patch squares) along with one adjacent strip.

Sunday, I managed to work on it another hour or so, and here's where I'm at now.

One half of the quilt (plus one strip) is assembled, with only four strips left to add. It looks like it will be somewhere between full and queen size.

Olias has thoroughly investigated my quilt top and I think he approves.
It goes with his outfit, at least!