Help me choose...

I'm so excited about this project. I'm going to knit this little sweater from Roo Designs for my 3 year old son. I bought these four luscious colors of Spud & Chloe Sweater in super cute, springy colors. Here's my dilemma... I can't decide which colors to put where. What do you think? I need your help picking which colors to use as the background stripes, and which to use as the sheepy feet, face, and sleeves. Let me know what you think. :)

In the mean time, I need to keep knitting away on the lace capelet... I badly want to start this project but won't until the capelet is done. I'm knitting the border right now. By my estimation the border before attaching to the perimeter is going to be about seven feet long. I'm about 12 repeats in and have 16 more to go. I've already thought about turning this in to a pillow but simply won't... pillow-a-fying everything is turning in to a bad habit for when I don't feel like finishing something properly.

Silky Wool Fan Shawl

This was such a fun knit! This shawl is constructed from the bottom up in a modular way. First you knit the first fan, then pick up stitches along the side of it and add on as you go. You just keep building the shawl upward. The last row of fans are sort of shorter and with more swift decreases to flatten it out. Then stitches are picked up and worked in garter stitch for a nice clean border along the top.

Once you knit a couple of the fans, the 'lace' pattern is easily memorized. It's a great project because you can just work on one or two fans or whatever time permits without being totally sucked in to a long row or complicated pattern. It also happens to be a free pattern ... I highly recommend that you check it out.

I used Elsebeth Lavold Silky Wool for this project. It was really interesting to knit with. The texture is rustic but soft. It absolutely transformed in to a beautiful soft, lightweight, warm fabric after washing and blocking. I have always loved the color palette of Silky Wool and would love to knit a lightweight sweater out of this yarn. Here is a link to my Ravelry details for this project.

Blog Move

I moved my blog.... You can now find me at http://www.lizknits.com

I hope you'll make the jump... see you there!

Lace Capelet

I'm knitting this Lace Capelet from the newest Vogue Knitting (Spring/Summer 2010). I knew as soon as I saw it that it would be perfect for my Mom.

When I visited her in January, I was happy to see that she truly uses all of the things that I knit for her... is there anything better as a knitter than to see your gifts being used?

I'm knitting this shawl out of some stashed Sirdar Snuggly DK. It's the most beautiful shade of blue which I think she'll be reminiscent about. I chose this yarn because it's super soft and a high quality acrylic. I think she'll use it a lot in warmer weather. She already has several heavy and wool and alpaca shawls.

I'm curious to see this capelet take shape... It looks like the shaping comes from just going down a needle size. It is worked from the bottom up. Then a very pretty knitted border is added on afterward.

As far as new techniques go, I did my first provisional cast on. I think that my recent experience with finally figuring out how to crochet helped me grasp how to do this technique once and for all. I'm excited for the whole 'unzipping of the stitches' thing that I've always been so impressed with.

Hopefully by next week this will be in the FO category. My Mom's birthday isn't until mid-April so I have plenty of time.

20 Questions

via Carole Knits

1. Explain what ended your last relationship?

I was engaged to a man that I did love, but we just didn't have the same goals in life. He didn't want kids, wanted to live in the city and be a musician forever... he's doing that now so all's well that ends well. We fell in love in college and were a good match back then. We just sort of got to a fork in the road. I met my now husband and broke off my engagement immediately. The rest is history.

3. What were you doing this morning at 8 a.m.

getting breakfast on the table for the big guys... they eat first, then the babe and I dilly dally all morning drinking coffee and juice, watching cartoons, reading books, knitting, eating dry cheerios and yogurt. Ahh... such is life. :)

4. What were you doing 15 minutes ago?

tucking in the big boy who is home late from cub scouts. they had very serious pinewood derby business to take care of tonight which made them run late.

5. Some things you are excited about?

Spring. Getting to know our new town. Going to Florida for spring break next month. Going to Iowa this summer. Seeing my baby brother graduate from high school in May.

6. What is your favorite flavor of JELL-O?

none.

7. Your prom night, what do you remember about it?

I went with a group of friends. I wore a red satin dress, black and white polka dot shoes, big hair, bright red finger nails. I felt like a million bucks and had a blast.

8. Do you have any famous ancestors?

not that I know of.

9. Last thing received in the mail?

WEBS order confirmation. Misti Pima Cotton & Silk on closeout

10. How many different beverages have you had today?

3: water, coffee, tea

11. Do you ever leave messages on people’s answering machine?

people still have answering machines? Most of the people I call have voice mail or caller ID (on their cell phones) so I just hang up, they will know I called. If it's not just a social call, of course I leave a message.

12. Do you draw your name in the sand when you go to the beach?

sometimes... most of the time I'm making choo-choo tracks or building sand castles with my boys.

13. Any plans for Friday night?

my son and I have a date for Diary of a Wimpy Kid

14. Do you like what the ocean does to your hair?

I've never dipped my hair in the ocean, but I imagine it's not kind.

15. Have you ever received one of those big tins of 3 different popcorns?

yes.

16. Do you re-use towels after you shower?

No, and I've tried. I need a fresh towel every day. My husband could use his two weeks straight, but I just can't.

17. Describe your keychain(s)?

a mini-skein of Malabrigo that Sara made for me ages ago.

18. Where do you keep your change?

in a glass milk jug on the counter

19. When was the last time you spoke in front of a large group of people?

I think probably last August at our huge family reunion in Colorado

20. What kind of winter coat do you own?

a very practical and not very stylish one! I actually have a couple of nice ones, but none of them came out of the closet this winter. I'm OK with that. My new 'dressy' is whichever hiking shoes are the least muddy, and gore-tex.