Kyoto is Loved!

My friend called me last night to report that UPS had brought her the Kyoto sweater, and it fits (could stretch a bit longer at the waist, though) perfectly in the waist and bust and the sleeves fall right at the break in the wrist! It is soft and pretty and perfect for the bit of cold they are having right now. She joked with me about how I would be done in time for a thick sweater in the Summer heat, but I think it is light enough to wear into Spring.
It feels great to have made something nice for her, something she likes and will wear. Makes all the struggles and frogs worth it!
Project: Kyoto Sweater from Knitty (my second time)
Yarn: Rowan Calmer in Black (I find six ballbands?)
Needles: Denise circulars in size 10 to acheive guage. Knit a size small.
Began: June 28, 2006
Finished: March 18, 2007
Lesson: I like to avoid finishing, and altered the pattern, for the second time, to do most of the work in the round or otherwise in a connected piece. Swatched, made perfect-to-guage sleeves, and had a complete meltdown when knitting the Obi. Ripped out the Obi twice, then had similar problems in reducing the body. Learned that saving myself a little time can often create bigger problems later. Also that guage in stockinette has no bearing in other stitch patterns! (I fear I shall continue to re-learn these lessons over and over.)

Are Those...?

Yes! Finished the Kyoto today: Sewed the last sleeve on and now it is washed and blocking! And not only that: Those are the useless fingerless gloves blocking in the background, awaiting their embroidery. So technically I have finished the knitting on two objects! Yay! In fact, the only thing I have on the needles at this moment is the second beach sock (see below), and I finished the heel yesterday!
Hmmmm: Start the Alice Starmore? Or the Monsoon Rockin Sock Club socks? Or both?

Beach Socks

Last weekend I knit at the beach: An odd hobby, for sure. Something about warm wool socks and warm sandy beaches somehow are not supposed to go together, right? And yet the variegated blues and lacey holes of the sock yarn mimicked perfectly the gradient blues of ocean water over sand and reef, and the tide pool shallows swirling with life. These will be knee-socks, as I am knitting them toe-up until the yarn is gone. The yarn is Lorna's Laces Shepherd Sock in "Cod" #42. I used a figure-8 toe cast on, a lace pattern from this sock (Go with the Flow sock by Evelyn A. Clark. Interweave Knits Summer 2005: Scroll Down), and a heel from this sock(no picking up stitches! Sweet!). I started these on the airplane to Oahu a few weeks ago, got most of the foot done while sharing a bottle of Chardonnay and a chat with my cousin, and have gradually been inching up the leg.
(I know, I should be finishing the WIP's first. And what are the chances that I will quickly finish the 2nd sock when the first installment of the Socks that Rock club awaits in the knitting basket?)

Spring Knitting

Oh! What to knit next?
The new Knitty is up!
I got the new Interweave Knits in the mail! (Are magazines slower to Hawaii? Is this old news for everybody?)
And very soon we shall have the new Vogue Knitting for Spring/Summer!
I got my first Rockin' Sock Club shipment in the mail and should start those socks next, right?