FO: Endpaper Mitts

I queued the Endpaper Mitts pattern back in my first year of ravelry (2007). I started them once, in a color combination that was lacking oomph. So, I let the pattern languish, and then tried a second time, in a much more vibrant and happy color combination. I was enamored with this project, and chose similar colors in a different yarn for my pair.

They took me over a year to finish (really, I finished one and didn't cast on the second for months), but now I love them so hard.

Colorwork is so fun to knit.

FO: Mittens for Jeni

It's a little embarrassing when I think about how long these took me.

The actual knitting took place over just a few months.

But there was a.... year and a half hiatus before the second one was started. Yeah, something like that. Oh, well. They're done now, and living in a much more appropriate climate than Houston, Texas. The pattern is O.W.L. Mittens, from this magazine

I'm really proud of my colorwork progress.

This was the most complicated colorwork I've completed so far. I hope to try something even more challenging next year!

On ravelry

FO: Opus Spicatum

Before I get into today's post, I have to share two things about the SGS pattern. First, pattern writing takes serious attention to detail. The proof of this is that I made a VERY simple mistake. Hopefully, any of you that have started knitting so far caught the error, but my cast on number is 33 stitches. It should be an even number. I have fixed the pdf to call for 32 stitches of cast-on. I'm so sorry for any confusion that error may have caused. A big thanks to Rachel for catching my error.

Also, Claudia shared her SGS Scarf progress! I'm so excited about this. Claudia, thanks for giving it a try! It looks awesome so far!

So, on to today's post!
Colorwork freaks me out. I LOVE it (as evidenced by my growing pinterest board), but I find it really daunting. Last year in late October, I decided to cast on for a much-loved pattern, Opus Spicatum. I tried two colorwork tools to see what worked for me, this metal one, and this plastic one. But because of my knitting style (not really correct, but a version of English style), neither of these tools really worked, and I left my progress here:

Yeah. For pretty much an entire year, that's how it looked.

But then, while I was on my little vacation, I knew I'd be finished with the SGS Scarf pretty quickly, so I grabbed this to work on. I'm so glad I did, because I was able to finish it.

I don't know if it was the time away from it, or the fact that I got more comfortable with holding the two colors of yarn (with no tool, just held them both in my left hand), but something clicked!

I used two lovely shades of RYC Cashsoft Aran, and size 7 needles for the brim/size 9 for the body. Followed the pattern exactly!

Raveled here

Now, I'm trying to decide what colorwork project to knit next!

I'm entering this into Celebrate Color.

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.