Tuesday, February 8, 2011

Just DO IT

So much for my NY's resolution to blog every week...January was a whirlwind! I spent one busy weekend in Seattle for Nihon Vogue. For Level I we are finishing our first two projects--a roundneck vest and a top-down raglan. We learned how to do the sewn bindoff for straight pieces and how to work the sleeves for the raglan. Swatches were reviewed for the roundneck pullover, the next project. I am so excited to be using Madelinetosh DK for the pullover and was happy to have my lace panel swatch approved. Jean's approval process seems to be somewhat arbitrary at times, resulting in much swatching (its good for the soul) and some frustration.





I can't recall the name of this colorway right now but it is foresty green with little peeks of lavender. My cable swatch was rejected as the row gauge is tighter than stockinette, but the lace on the right was approved. Not a great picture for the details but it reminds me of climbing leaves. I will use it for either a single panel up the center front, or two panels, one on either side of the front reaching up to the shoulder.

These swatches are some of my handspun for the sleeveless vest. The whole project is turning out alarmingly small but I am trying not to think about it. (Ah, denial.)






The Level II class was a bit more intense. Our first two projects are a dolman sweater and a 'puffy-sleeved' sweater. My dolman is in Berroco Ultra Alpaca Light. This is a great yarn and I am loving working with it, so much so that I bought another sweater's worth in a different color.





My dolman is going to be a zip cardigan with a cable running up the fronts of the cardigan and up the tops of the sleeves and shoulders. We learned how to graft the pieces together so I have most of the finishing to do for this project.

All this to do, and I am not even working on any of it. More soon about the bottom-up raglan for Level two--this is what I have been working on. Catherine Lowe yarn...YUM!

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