Sedum sweater cast-on

Before I left Oregon, I had to spend a yarn store gift certificate. They happened to be in the middle of a big inventory reduction sale (eee!), so I bought up seven or eight skeins of a squishy soft gray wool. Just this past week I cast on the Sedum sweater (ravelry link). So far I’m feeling good about it…

Sedum sweater progress

You're jealous of my bathroom, aren't you? Floor to ceiling pink tile baby.

I’m knitting at a slightly tighter gauge than the Sedum pattern – about 15 st./4in. on 10.5 needles. It’s been relatively easy to adjust the instructions if I keep a little pen and paper nearby for arithmetic. After the Snowbird Cardigan, I see the beauty in top-down raglan design since it allows for adjustments as you knit along.

Snowbird cardigan unexpectedly wearable in late May

I started Heidi Kirrmaier’s Snowbird cardigan (ravelry link) in March, never thinking that I’d be able to wear it upon completion. But Oregon’s been extra rainy and extra cold this year (we had the heat on last week! terrible!) and so I’m wearing my finished cardigan to work today. I love it. It’s just what I wanted, and I’m so glad that I redid the sleeves.

It’s not as long as the pattern calls for, and there aren’t any pockets, but I ran out of yarn and I think in the end…I like it shorter and simpler. The pattern is very good – I would purchase more from this designer. I did a lot of edits since I started with thinner yarn that required smaller needles. I plan to make another cardigan with gray yarn, only this time I’ll use thicker weight so it’ll knit up faster.

snowbird cardigan FINISHEd!!

 

it's shorter and pocketless compared to the pattern

 

seam detailing

This cardigan should be useful in Boston. We finally broke the news to Samson that we’re moving to colder country. He took it pretty hard…insisting that we practice a bedtime routine that allows for maximum bed-heat-retention.

Sam has two epic fears ruling his life: hunger and being cold

Cast On: Snowbird cardigan

Late last week my friend and coworker had some crowns put in, a root canal, AND her wisdom teeth removed…all in one fell swoop. Talk about pain meds. I took work off to spend the day with her. I knew I’d be sitting in the waiting room a while and maybe watching tv while she slept. This all led me to one important conclusion—I needed a big new knitting project. And not a stash project. One where I pick out a pattern and go buy the yarn and everything.

Snowbird photo by PiPiBird on ravelry

 

I’ve been wanting to try a simple open cardigan and this post from barefoot rooster pointed me towards the Snowbird cardigan from Heidi Kirrmaier. I picked out a silk/wool blend and bought the pattern off ravelry (username=foxflat). That marks the first time I’ve bought a pattern online – it was really easy. I’ve never knit a raglan-type sweater in the round so I’m looking forward to it. I may shorten it up some – depends how quickly I go through the skeins I bought.

My other big project this week was trying to figure out how to keep the cats out of our roommate’s houseplants. Their litterbox is upstairs and amazingly, they seem to be too lazy to walk up there. Read says it’s because they probably prefer real dirt to litter. Either way…poor plants. We need to fix it. Do any of you have tried and true strategies? This is what we’ve come up with so far: 

Kabob sticks, planted sharp side up

 

more cat traps

 

Hope you had an enjoyable weekend! I’ll leave you with two bits of Oregon-themed happiness.

The first is a link to one of my favorite songs–Loretta Lynn is one classy lady.  Portland Oregon w/ Jack White

The second is a photo from a warm afternoon walk around the Portland Rose Garden yesterday. No roses yet…but all of the fruit trees were in bloom. So pretty.

Portland Rose Garden in March