Getting ahead of myself again...

I have so many wip's it's not funny, not to mention a ton of planned projects that I wanted to have completed in time to wear this summer, which I realize now will probably not even be started until next summer, and I'm already planning what I want to knit for this Fall and Winter. When will I actually start, let alone finish these projects, I have no idea, but I can dream, can't I?I usually find lots of knitting inspiration at Anthropologie, but at the moment the only thing I am crazy about is the funnelneck cardigan above. Not that that's such a bad thing, considering even one more wip is probably too much for me right now!

It just looks so chic and effortless, which is what I'm really attracted to at the moment-classic pieces with a twist that work together without putting a lot of thought into it. Not that this type of dressing doesn't require a great deal of pre-planning...my theory at the moment is this: if you choose individual pieces with care, the outfits will just fall into place naturally. And I love those little details, like the buttons not being done up properly-how did Kate Gilbert once put it? Oh yes - "Je suis belle et ça ne demande aucun effort"

I'd like to see this sweater in a bulkier wool, with a bit more ease - something warm and cuddly to throw on with darker than dark jeans and boots on a cool fall day. I'm leanning toward Manos del Uruguay handspun in either Bing Cherry or Aster, but I'm not 100% sure that I can get away with such a chunky yarn without looking, well, chunky. And then, there is the little matter of price: at $13.00 US, the absolutely gorgeous Manos is a little out of my range. A more affordable option would be (of course) to go with Knitpicks' Wool of the Andes. it's worsted weight, so it would be a little lighter, and at $1.79-1.99 per skein , ridiculously cheaper. And the colours are pretty nice too, shown below are: Hollyberry, Black Cherry Heather, Amethyst Heather, and Hyacynth. I'm thinking of ordering some colour cards, as their web site describes the Hyacinth as a purple, but to my eyes or on my monitor it really reads as a royal blue. It is a lovely colour either way, but I guess the whole project will have to be put on the backburner until I can free up some space on my needles!

Summer in the Knitty

The new issue of Knitty is up, and my first impressions are very good indeed! The cover photo is really lovely- or shall I say, "Fetching"? And that is the perfect name for the first pattern, because those fingerless gloves really are just that! It also looks like Cookie has done it again with "Baudelaire" - as if I needed another lacy sock pattern that I'm just d.i.y-ing to knit (stupid pun, I know)! I want to make almost everything, but the construction of "Widdershins" is especially intriguing, and I also adore "Swell" and "Perdita." I don't know when I'll get around to all of them, considering the many WIP's I already have, but at least time will weed out the patterns with less lasting appeal. Overall, this issue contains an abundance of knitable patterns - more than I've seen in one place in a long time. I haven't had time to look over all of the articles yet, but I am happy to see one on finger knitting, something I'm keen to try.
In other news, things have not really calmed down for me on the home front (maybe just a bit) I officially passed my final university course and will be graduating in the fall, so you would think I'd have tons of free time, but I am busy with other things and have decided to start a "rigorous" schedule to get me back into my regular knitting habits: ten minutes a night before bed, and if I'm too tired to go past that I stop, but usually it's just enough time to get me in the zone and I keep going. I've heard that this is a good way to force yourself to get into an exercise routine, so why not knitting? This is the first time since I learned how to knit that it's been harder for me to pick up the needles than it is to put them down-I'm still thinking about knitting all the time, but lately my brain has just been overwhelmed with everything else in my life that I just haven't been able to get motivated. This new tactic seems to be working, though, and I'm hoping I'll have the second Hedera sock finished by next week and some lovely pictures to show for it!