SPRING TOPS, TANKS & TEES KNIT ALONG || KNIT TO FLATTER BOOK REVIEW

Knit to Flatter: The Only Instructions You'll Ever Need to Knit Sweaters that make You Look Good and Feel Great!

a lot of chit chat has been going on for the tops, tanks and tees knit along on fit. if you're like me and you have some curves and you love knitting sweaters you most likely are always trying to find ways to modify existing patterns to fit your shape.  i recently purchased a copy of the new book by amy herzog called knit to flatter and let me tell you - this is a must have book.  the information in here is priceless.  whether you lack curves, have a bit more in some places than others and so on amy has tips and patterns in here to suit every body shape.  she also shows you how to measure, figure out your shape and dress your body type as well.  it's a great resource.  in particular i really found the sections on adding bust darts to cardigans and sweaters very helpful.

 

knit to flatteris also gosh darn cute.  the pink polka dot binding, the layout and graphic design of the book, the models...(i could go on & on), the book is just gosh darn welcoming, friendly, and like a great friend who always tells you the truth.  it makes you feel awesome to see REAL women's bodies in here. not waifs, not just size 2's,  not airbrushed fakes and definitely not only 32" busts.  there are beautiful, gorgeous REAL women in this book and i loved it.  i felt great after reading it.  i felt a slight empowerment in knowing i could knit and dress my body properly and look just as great in my new handiwork as the size 2 model could.  in fact the book breaks it down really easily after amy walks you through finding out your body type.  i strongly feel like more books on both sewing and knitting should be showing images like these. ones of real women, no matter what their shape (skinny or curvy) or size looking gorgeous in handmade items.

so thank you amy herzog!  can i just say you and knit to flatterrock!  true to stc craft | melanie falick style this book is lovely and a must have asset to any knitters book collection.  i highly recommend it and you know what...mother's day is right around the corner.  you deserve it....lol.  heck i pre-ordered mine i wanted it so bad...lol.

since there has been chatting about mods and fit in the ravelry group i recommend knit to flatter a great resource to have on this subject.  i also recommend a great guest post by jane richmond on "understanding fit" that is also a good reference on ease and more. i hope to use some of this info on my current project tops, tanks & tees project - levenwick. wanna see how far i am?  i was motoring but have slowed down since i have been so sick the last week or so.  you know you don't feel well when you don't knit too much.  i'm just in the thick of the waist decreases so i'm hopeful that i can get it done in time for the deadline :) can i just say again how much i love the collar on this?  that paired with the reverse stockinette is just making me so happy.  it's so rustic looking.  i heart it.

what about you? how's your project coming along?  what project did you end up going with?  did you blog about your project this week?  share! chat!  join in! it's never too late to grab those needles and jump in! happy knitting!

>> JOIN IN & SIGN UP <<
- sign up for the knit along by clicking "here".
- get inspired by checking out our kal pinterest board & our pattern roundup post
- take part in all the fun conversation & make new friends in our ravelry group
- find out more and find all the posts and info "here" on our kal homepage.

>> OUR LOVELY SPONSORS <<

*luvinthemommyhood.com is a participant in the Amazon.com.ca, Inc. Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.ca

SPRING TOPS, TANKS & TEES KNIT ALONG - MY PROJECT & YARN

yarn:  cascade 220 heathers in colowary "aliki beach/sand"

it's time to cast on my dear friends for the spring tops, tanks & tees knit along!!!! weeee! you guys have been so patient but ever so excited! i can feel the eagerness just oozing off the ravelry thread pages! so many fun conversations already! and the patterns!!!! can i just say wow!  my faves and queue has grown so long already and it's only just begun!  the chat thread has been on fire!  i'm so excited for this knit along!  i love spring and you all know how much i LOVE to encourage you all to keep on knitting even in the warmer months. i mean honestly, who said we can't knit all year round? why stop?  keep those needles movin' gals! try out a new fiber, do some selfish knitting for yourself or make a pressie for that wee one in your life.  we're not picky, as long as it's a garment and doesn't have full length sleeves we're happy you're knitting & joining in for the fun!

pattern: levenwick by gudrun johnston for brooklyn tweed wool people vol. 1

speaking of garments, i had a heckuva time picking out my project.  too many good patterns out there.  i couldn't decide if i wanted a tank, a tee or a cardi/sweater.  in the end my cascade 220 heathers in "aliki beach/sand" won out.  i needed to go with a worsted weight because let's face it - i have a crush on heavier weights and just don't plain have the time to knit a cardi in fingering at the moment (i'm still trying to finish my audrey from 2 years ago!!! hangs head in shame). i've been humming and hawing over levenwick since the day it was released and finally decided it was time to just make the darn thing.  so i'm going warmer weight with a worsted yarn that i plan on wearing this summer with all the new pretty floral dresses & tunics i've been sewing up. i wanted a great staple i could wear all year, that was feminine yet rustic and that could be worn fitted with a cute summer dress.  it gets chilly down by the ocean here and i always need that go to cardigan for summer evenings.

i've got the collar for my levenwick on the go and my gauge swatch was perfect for the pattern! yippee! that never happens to me!!!  can i just say i love the technical parts of levenwick?  so many fun things to do for this cardi!  the collar is just plain fun, the reverse stockinette is a real hoot in my books (i'm digging the look and feel of it), i already learned the invisible purl increase, and after get to do many a more fun things to keep this gal interested.  thank you gudrun johnston - you. are. awesome. 

as for my yarn choice - it's not your average summer yarn. it's not linen (though i do recommend making summer clothes in linen, it really softens up with wear and washing) and it's not cotton but cascade 220 heathers is a favorite of mine and with my house on a budget being able to make a cardi for about $45 is a huge coup in my books!  can't beat the price!  i also love how this yarn feels after blocking.  it's definitely a great workhorse for this type of cardigan.  it mimics the rustic quality of brooklyn tweed yarns with it's strength yet ability to still drape nicely.

soooooo....c'mon...spill the beans! what's your project? what yarn did you choose and why?  and are you as excited as i am or what? check out our sponsors below and on the sidebar! can we say yahoo!!! prizes galore ladies!  awesome ones!!!! so go show them some kal love!  also for those of you who are dears and sport our kal buttons grab one for the TTT KAL below :) now...let's chat!

>> GRAB A BUTTON! <<

<a href="http://www.luvinthemommyhood.com/2006/04/spring-tops-tanks-tees-knit-along-2013.html" target="_blank"><img alt="luvinthemommyhood" src="http://i344.photobucket.com/albums/p330/shannonandjeremy/ttt-kal-button_zpsc1a9e8d2.jpg"/></a>

>> JOIN IN & SIGN UP <<
- sign up for the knit along by clicking "here".
- get inspired by checking out our kal pinterest board & our pattern roundup post
- take part in all the fun conversation & make new friends in our ravelry group
- find out more and find all the posts and info "here" on our kal homepage.

>> OUR LOVELY SPONSORS <<

TOPS, TANKS & TEES KNIT ALONG || PATTERN ROUNDUP!

lobelia by meghan fernandes for pom pom quarterly spring 2013

you guys ready to get inspired?  still looking for your spring tops, tanks & tees knit along project?  already chosen but wouldn't mind another?  well you're in luck!  here's our tops, tanks & tees inspiration roundup!  i've compiled some (and i definitely mean only some, there are way too many awesome patterns out right now) of my faves! these are the lovelies that have caught my eye over the last while and also ones that you all have been drooling over in our ravelry group!  so pour a cuppa jo' or brew your favorite tea, pull up a seat and let's daydream about our next project together.

1. compass pullover 2. helene 3. seagrass 4. newale

biston

1. high relief dolman 2. two-color baseball tee 3. die cut vest

1. hane 2.auden

gemini by jane richmond

1. etty 2. cap sleeve lattice top 3. knit t-shirt 4. fluctuate

1. grenadine tunic 2. patou tunic 3. koukla

1. low tide cardigan 2. vertex cardigan

1. kage 2. meeting point 3. lady bat

beverly tee

1. in a while crocodile 2. silverlight 3. ella jo 4. champagne 5. holla back tank 6. splitstone

so much to choose from!  i'm so excited about this kal and hope you all are too! i can't wait to show you our awesome sponsors and to see all the fabulous yarns and projects you all decide on! come chat in the ravelry group or in the comments below. fill us in on what yarn you're using & what project you're making! i'm dying to know!

also here's the deets in case you still need to sign up & join in! you can also find more information here on our tops, tanks & tees knit along homepage.

>>> SIGN UP <<<

sign up by clicking on the link below. *note: you must be signed up to be eligible to win the giveaway prizes at the end of the knit along.

Tops, Tanks & Tees Knit Along Sign Up Form

thank you for knitting along with me! 

p.s. don't forget to check out our tops, tanks & tees pinterest board!!! it's fun!  comment below to let me know which pattern you'd like to see added or mention it in our ravelry group & i'll do my best to add them in. 

pps. read through last year's tops, tanks & tees posts. there's lots of great info and helpful posts.  you can find it here.

TOPS, TANKS & TEES KNIT ALONG || PINTEREST BOARD

have you been looking for the perfect pattern to make for our upcoming tops, tanks & tees knit along?  why not check out our new pinterest board just for the knit along!  we tried this out last kal and it was so fun!!!


i've gone through our ravelry chat so far and also went through some of my faves and started pinning like a madwoman (sorry to my pinterest followers for the massive pinfest).  as we go along and projects get added in the ravelry thread i will keep adding them.  if you'd like a pattern to be added that you don't see just leave a comment here in this post or in our chat thread on ravelry and i'll do my best to add it in.

enjoy and happy yarn & pattern picking!

remember you can find all things TTT KAL below (dates, info & more):

http://www.luvinthemommyhood.com/2006/04/spring-tops-tanks-tees-knit-along-2013.html

and sign up here:

TOPS, TANKS & TEES KNIT ALONG SIGN UP

P.S. next week is our ttt kal roundup of my fave patterns!

do you have a pattern you'd like to see added to our pinterest board? what top are you making? share!!! we love adding new patterns to our group!

ANNOUNCEMENT || SPRING TOPS, TANKS & TEES KNIT ALONG!

guess what???? our annual spring tops, tanks & tees knit along is coming soon!!!!! get ready to mark your calendars!!!!!  our TTT's KAL is simply knitting a top, tank or tee to join in!  you can make it out of any weight of yarn, any style you'd like it just can't have full sleeves or be considered a full sweater!  it can be really summery or it can be warm and cozy with short sleeves. whatever you're dying to make and smitten with goes!  we just want you knitting!  just think how fab you will look sporting your new summer top in a month or so!  fun right?  plus you get to knit along with our crazy crew online!  we're a load of fun and the ravelry group is very active and chatty during our kal's.

the kal is suitable for any level of knitter! if this is your first garment - don't be scared to join in!  we've got a great group of ladies in our rav group and we are all always game to help and answer any questions!  during the kal there is always great technical posts with lots of info, tips & tutorials to help you get through your projects.  think of it as sitting each week with hundreds of ladies knitting alongside you cheering you on every step of the way!  trust me - it's fun!

then we are all done we celebrate with me showing off all your finished projects on the blog here with our starring you post and then i host a giant giveaway with awesome prizes from our KAL sponsors!!!! all you have to do is sign up (link below) and have started or complected your project to be eligible.  you can also crochet as well!  so if knittings not your game feel free to whip you your crochet needles as well.  heck do both if you're so inclined :)

>>>  DATES <<<

START:  APRIL 24TH
END:  MAY 22ND (give or take a week or two extension)

>>> SIGN UP <<<

sign up by clicking on the link below. *note: you must be signed up to be eligible to win the giveaway prizes at the end of the knit along.

Tops, Tanks & Tees Knit Along Sign Up Form

in the next week or so i'll be filling you in on all the nitty gritty details and doing our annual round up of inspiring patterns as well as a brand new knit along pinterest board for us to pin our fave patterns to so we can all get inspired!!! i'll also have a button for you all to sport & more goodies! i so hope you'll join in and knit along with me!

do you have a pattern picked out already? which yarn are you thinking of using? i'm so excited and hope you all are too! yay! knit along time ladies! 

p.s. you can always find lots of helpful info in our past kal's. click here to see them all!

DOWNTON ABBEY KNIT ALONG || GIVEAWAY WINNERS!

bitty billy flowers from flores del sol

you all ready to find out who are winners are for the downton abbey knit along? so exciting! ...........................................................................................................................................................

1ST PLACE WINNER
OLIVIA VILLARREAL
- prize pack from Quince and Co. - Sundara Gift Certificate - Sweet Georgia Yarns Gift Certificate - Feministy Great Cowl KAL E-Book - Yarniad Gift Certificate - (1) Set of Downton Abbey Stitch Markers from The Amy Lee Show 

2ND PLACE WINNER
ANDEE FAGAN
- Jane Richmond Gift Certificate - Copy of New Lines Collection from Rose Beck - (1) Skein of Rain City Knits - (1) Skein of Neptune & a Tote from Luna Grey Fiber Arts - (1) Set of Downton Abbey Stitch Markers from The Amy Lee Show

3RD PLACE WINNER
MICHELLE CARTER
- shop credit to Feministy - Copy of Be Mine Collection from Rose Beck - Gift Certificate to Miso Crafty Knits - (2) sets of stitch markers from Cherry Tree Stitches 

wowsa! those are some prizes! thank you again to all of our awesome sponsors who donated prizes! congratulations ladies, i'll be in touch with you over the next few days in regards to your prizes! and congrats to all of you for knitting up some gorgeous items over the last month or so! thank you so much for knitting along with me <3

downton abbey knit along || starring you!

wispy cardigan made by mamatronic

today is the day! it's time to show off all of your hard work from our downton abbey knit along m'dears! i am absolutely amazed by the talent of this group of ladies! so many lovely knits! my queue and faves grew in epic proportions this kal! i feel a strong urge to make a lot of hats and shawls! asap! this is one of my favorite posts to write when we do our knit alongs.  i love going through all of the FO pics in our ravelry group and seeing just what was accomplished during the kal. it feels wonderful to know we all knit these TOGETHER.  it may not have been in person but we still did it together.  i love that.

the best part is that we all did them while watching one of our favorite shows - downton abbey.  i think it's safe to say we all love it and it just made this kal that much more fun to have downton gossip to dish which spurred many other wonderful and very special conversations in our ravelry group.  new friendships were made and existing ones were made stronger.  a lot of new techniques were learned and a few of us recovered from our boo boos (myself included) and we all managed to come out of it with brand new lovelies to show off.

to say i luv you all is an understatement.  the wonderful and caring group of ladies in our rav group have such a special place in my heart. i look forward to going on there everyday and chatting and seeing what you are all up to and doing this post is my little way of saying thank you! thank you for being you, for being brave, for being strong, for staying up late with me, for loving downton as much as i do, for loving knitting as much as i do and for being such a welcoming group of gals. i also have lots of AWESOME prizes to give away next week too! so now....enough of my gushing...here's your hard work ladies! 

||  STARRING YOU - PROJECTS FINISHED DURING THE DOWNTON ABBEY KAL  ||

1. magrathea 2. frederick & anne scarf  - both made by this handmade life

1. rustling leaves beret made by kpbailey 2. caroline made by kcmomof2 3. nola cloche made by northernheather 4. sideways grande cloche made by expecting sam 5. escargot made by sewsable 6. lucy hat made by mootastic1 7. regina made by rashooray 8. brattleboro hat made by jenny makes stuff  9. copenhagen hat made by 9crafty11

downton cowl made by kpbailey

1. imogen cowl made by schatzi knits 2. cladonia made by svenna 3. cladonia made by culabrat

1. regina made by ummashin 2. downton cowl made by carambole 3. rustling leaves beret made by girl like the sea

ethereal made by mrscattel

1. stripe study shawl made by rncurlysue 2. artemis cowl made by jannamaria 3. downton cowl made by juniper grace 4. faraway so close made by mootastic1 5. pretty triangle scarf made by corrinemb 6. drop stitch cowl made by jackiemcmahan

downton girl made by celtic cast on

1. shallows made by jpknitknot 2.gramps made by expecting sam 3. fishtail wristwarmers made by emsmomma 4. quill made by kirstyl

regina made by pajfrun

1. wintered wheat mitts made by avasmom2007 2. ringwood gloves made by quiteamuzing 3. peacock eye fingerless mitts made by avasmom2007 4. regina made by lilpixie124 5. waiting for winter mittens made by knitterlydesigns 6. wintered wheat mitts made by nidhikansal 7. crochet lace fingerless mitts made by therapsdia 8. knitted neck scarf made by sewknittystar 9. socks made by minervas 10.. victorian cabled wristlets made by lauranh

1. downton cowl made by  2. downton cowl made by urbanizer

1. doily made by cnuland 2. a little something made by kcmomof2 3. stockholm scarf made by mudpunch 4. downton cowl made by trishaclap 5. downton cowl made by ackirebecci

grace lace beret made by arika

congrats ladies! did you get your project finished?  what was your fave part of the knit along?  do you have a fave episode so far of downton abbey?

you can follow along with all things downton abbey knit along here:
 

ravelry group  |  blog  |  flickr group

||  DOWNTON KAL SPONSORS  ||

CHERRY TREE STITCHES   ||   LUNA GREY FIBER ARTS

downton abbey knit along || confessions

Pattern: Nola Cloche by Hilary Smith Callis  Yarn: Supernova in colorway Pewter by Luna Grey Fiber Arts

i love my new hat.  i love that it's so different from my norm.  i am usually always sporting something of a slouch variety and hardly wear fitted hats anymore.  when i do i remember why i love them as well.  this hat makes me feel a tad fancy. like i should sashay around my house as if i really did live at downton, sipping from a cuppa tea, eating biscuits whilst knitting, and discussing the goings on of the servants in the house.  can't you see it?  you're all there with me too.  we're all dolled up in our prettiest frocks, the room is filled with fanciful goodies, doilies and lace and we are having the largest knit night downton has ever seen!  could you imagine? they totally need to do an episode with a big knitting party!  now that would be drama! lol!

speaking of drama true to shannon style i have a confession to make.  you ready for it?  i. made. an. oopsie.  a big one at that.  i realized right at the end of making my hat that i had actually been following the size instructions for a chunky yarn not my worsted weight. oh my.  helloooo...shannon...do you need glasses?  more sleep? more coffee?  who knows...but i can't believe i missed it.  duh.  the nola cloche is written for 2 yarn weights and i'm not sure how i got so mixed up but i did. i hate ripping things out though so instead of redoing the whole hat (ouch!) i kept going.  i tried that bad boy on and i like it. it's not perfect but it's mine and well, that's the nature of handmade right? 

i really enjoyed this pattern and i also really loved working with luna grey fiber arts yarn and have a few more lovely skeins to play with. i can't wait to dig in! both the yarn and the pattern made for a fun project even though i made an oopsies.  such is life thought right?  remember this big fat oopsie of mine? oh ya....that's a good'er right there.  moral of the story - pay better attention to the directions, get more sleep and drink more coffee ;)

luna grey fiber arts

how's your project coming along? since y'all are having so much fun i'm giving you till next week to finish up! get those lovely photos up in our ravelry group so i can show you all off next week on the blog! that's right! it's time for starring you!  i can't wait to show off all of your hard work on here. so many lovely pictures and projects!  kudos to all of you fab ladies for joining in!

you can follow along with all things downton abbey knit along here:
 

ravelry group  |  blog  |  flickr group

||  DOWNTON KAL SPONSORS  ||

CHERRY TREE STITCHES   ||   LUNA GREY FIBER ARTS

p.s. don't forget about our sew fab e-pattern bundle sale! don't miss this awesome deal!

downton abbey knit along || time to block!

Pattern: Nola Cloche by Hilary Smith Callis  Yarn: Supernova in colorway Pewter by Luna Grey Fiber Arts

guess who's done their hat for the downton abbey knit along??? me! me! me!  i'm soooo excited!  i finished this bad boy up yesterday afternoon.  it really is a super fast knit but i've been distracted by other projects lately so i tried to spread the knitting love around throughout the last few weeks.  it fits like a dream and the yarn was so lovely to work with.  of course after modeling the hat i had to pop her in the bath for a lovely long soak and a cup of tea for me.

one of my fave rinses to use currently is eucalan.  i like the lavender scent.  i am also a fan of soak and cannot wait to try our sponsor quince and co's new lanolin soap! it sounds heavenly! it's on my "to try" list this year.  i've got a thing for always trying out new rinses for my knits.  what's your current fave? 

you all know how important i think blocking is.  it's a pain - yes...it sort of goes hand in hand with swatching.  they are both necessary evils.  they are kind of boring and we all are too excited to want to do them most of the time but i promise you that if you block (if appropriate for your project) the outcome is soooo worth it.  trust me on that one.  if you'd like to know a bit more about blocking here are two great post from my lovely friend rebecca of "nook":

- blocking from summer sweater knig along 2012
- blocking party from summer sweater knit along 2011 

i cannot wait to wear that brim! i'm mostly a slouch hat kinda gal so i'm looking forward to branching out a bit into the cloche style. should be fun!  i'm watching it dry as we speak and am crossing my fingers it's on my head by late this afternoon :)  i only wished i had been able to indulge in a nice soak myself last night with some tea and downton abbey.  i would have cried more than my tub could hold bath water though. i know a lot of you ladies have been commiserating in the ravelry group and i'm right there with ya. only issue for me is that i have seen the whole season and i'm still crying.  so if i chat too much about it i'll give it all away.  just be reminded to buy stock in kleenex. you're gonna need it.

oh and in case you're wondering what that lovely tea print fabric is under my hat it's from the lovely bari j and it's called "tea delights jam" from splendor 1920 for art gallery fabrics. i luuuurve it!  you may remember i used some of it in a different colorway in my christmas tree skirt this december.

how's your project coming along? are you almost done? remember to add your finished project pics to our "FO" thread in the ravelry group so i can show off your lovely finished projects in our "starring you" post soon!  i can't wait to see them! there are some gorgeous ones in there already and a lot of you are on your 2nd projects for the kal! go ladies go!

so grab your tea and come sip and chat with me. i want to hear about what YOU thought about this past weekends episode and how your project is doing.

you can follow along with all things downton abbey knit along here:
 

ravelry group  |  blog  |  flickr group

||  DOWNTON KAL SPONSORS  ||

CHERRY TREE STITCHES   ||   LUNA GREY FIBER ARTS

Downton Abbey Knit Along - Kitchener & Colorways

hats, hats and more hats! there sure have been a ton of hats being made in our downton abbey knit along right now. very gorgeous ones at that.  i adore hats and wear them all year round.  i detest cold weather but love when it's cool enough for me to start wearing hard core knitwear on my head all year round.  i think i wear a hat at least once a day during this season.  sure helps me out for kindergarten drop off in the am - saves me time having to do my hair :P

kitchener stitch tutorial from the purl bee

i'm working away on my nola cloche for my kal project and got to a part that requires using the kitchener stitch - a grafting technique that yields an invisible seaming result.  i like doing the kitchener stich and find it very soothing for some reason and oddly fun.  i do know that the way of doing the kitchener stitch is one of those techniques that is tricky to memorize. it has a repeat pattern to it but you have to do it in just the right order.

as i was working on my kitchener stitch and watching my fave video to remind me how to do it on knittinghelp.com i thought wouldn't it be fab to have a handy little cheat sheet of this that I could throw in my knitting bag?  and then instead of just pondering it i actually made one. i then had to share it with all of you too.  now we can all remember "knit, purl, purl, knit" - KPPK.

click here to print out your kitchener stitch cheat sheet

i've also been busy drooling away at the projects that are being worked on and also the ones that are finished.  the one thing i noticed that i thought was really neat was the color palettes most of you had chosen.  i took a snippet of color from each image shared in our ravelry group and voila - a lovely array of what we feel are downtesque colorways :)  i think they are purdy and i also thought it was fun to see them all grouped together.  where did yours fall in?

i feel so lucky to get to knit with such a wonderful and caring group of women.  it's been so much fun and boy oh boy are sunday nights and monday mornings a fun time to jump in the convo. so many chats happening, friendships being made and old ones getting stronger, people learning new skills and just overall discussion on downton abbey itself -  i love it!  don't miss out on the discussion. you can find our ravelry group here.

how's your project going? are you enjoying the kal? how do you remember the kitchener stitch? let's sip some tea and chat all things knitting! i'd love to hear from you!

you can follow along with all things downton abbey knit along here:

ravelry group  |  blog  |  flickr group

 ||  DOWNTON KAL SPONSORS  ||

CHERRY TREE STITCHES   ||   LUNA GREY FIBER ARTS

downton abbey knit along - twists & techniques!

Pattern: Nola Cloche by Hilary Smith Callis  Yarn: Supernova in colorway Pewter by Luna Grey Fiber Arts

i'm having so much fun with my downton abbey knit along project!  just like sewing i love a project with interesting construction or finishing details. it get's me excited and i race through the project to get to the fun part!  the nola cloche doesn't disappoint.  hilary is a friend of mine and one of our kal sponsors and i really enjoy how she designs her projects.  this hat is a fun example.  the brim is knit flat and then seamed together while the rest of the hat is knit in the round! me likie!!!  i know it sounds a tad silly but i just loved how she designed the twist which is my fave part of the hat.  i love details like that and i also love cables so it was a win win for me.

i know a lot of our kal members are trying out new things and there are a lot of hats being made with interesting techniques.  there are also a lot of lace work and cables happening so i thought i would use today's post to link up some of our handy resources so if you happen to get stuck or are still deciding on your project but needed a bit more helpful info before you jumped in i hope these help you out!  please remember we also have a very active ravelry group that is always more than willing to help knitters out and to answer any questions. so don't be shy - join the fun!

||  PICKING UP STITCHES  ||
i am just about ready to pick up stitches (not one of my fave things to do) and here's a great knit along post from one of my besties jane richmond.

- picking up stitches (summer sweater knit along 2012)
- picking up the stitches (summer sweater knit along)

||  LACE KNITTING AND KNITTED LACE  ||
i adore lace and knitting it.  i also like to get others to not be so frightened or overwhelmed by lace knitting and knitted lace.  here's a post i did with a fun rundown on the ins and outs of lace.

- la la la loving the lace (tops, tanks & tees knit along 2012)

||  SEAMING  ||
who loves seaming? not me...lol. so we had one of our group moderators kelly of celtic cast on to come and show us all her tricks for seaming.

- seaming video tutorials (summer sweater knit along 2012)

how is your project coming along?  are you doing a project with fun techniques or construction involved?  is there a topic you'd like to see covered in this knit along? come chat! coffee's on!

you can follow along with all things downton abbey knit along here:
 

ravelry group  |  blog  |  flickr group

i'm so excited for this kal and i am so happy you are all knitting along with me! please show your love for all of our amazing sponsors who make our knit alongs possible!

CHERRY TREE STITCHES   ||   LUNA GREY FIBER ARTS

downton abbey kal - my project & tea!

Pattern: Nola Cloche by Hilary Smith Callis  Yarn: Supernova in colorway Pewter by Luna Grey Fiber Arts

it's here! our very first official downton abbey knit along post! woot woot!  i was so excited on sunday night knowing everyone was watching the season 3 premiere! our ravelry group was on fire!!!  i couldn't believe how many convos i had to read to catch up! love it!  there's something so comforting knowing we were all curled up with our tea and knitting together while watching downton abbey.  does my heart good.

i swatched my pattern choice on sunday night.  want to know which one i chose?  the nola cloche by my gorgeous friend hilary smith callis of "the yarniad".  hilary is such a sweetheart and when i saw the nola cloche pop up in my facebook feed a few months ago i knew i was making it for the downton kal.  i've always wanted a cloche and this one was a happy place for me.  two different yarn weight options - chunky, or worsted, and you can wear the hat a few ways too!  bonus is there is even a nola cloche for kids now!  hehe! can you just see me and both my girls wearing them! adorable!

the nola cloche by hilary smith callis

my yarn choice? yum!!! i'm using some gorgeous and lovely yarn from one our fab sponsors luna grey fiber arts!  she's got tons of modern and fresh yarns and her colors are just to die for!  i'm so excited to wear this yarn! it knits up so nice and i'm very happy with it!  the yarn weight is worsted and it is called supernova. it's a 100% merino in the colorway pewter.  jackie from luna grey fiber arts recently dyed a nice bundle of lovely yarns for me that i'll be showing you in a few weeks so stay tuned. they are so pretty!

now i couldn't have watched downton abbey without some tea.  i started thinking it would be fun to share our favorite tea of choice at the moment.  i'm currently obsessed and i mean obsessed with the david's tea and the flavor - cocomint cream.  delicious.  i drink at least 1 cup a day and have to monitor myself as it's a holiday flavor and when it's gone in the shops it's gone :(  wahhhhh!  i think i need to buy another tin to get me by :)  you can find all the david's teas online on their website.  so delish!  i cannot rave about this company enough.  it definitely is one of my fave new things to do in our city and it doesn't help that all of my pals and i are equally as addicted :)  yarn and tea....ahhhh the lovely little things in life :)

you can follow along with all things downton abbey knit along here:
 

ravelry group  |  blog  |  flickr group

i'm so excited for this kal and so happy you are all knitting along with me!  i'm so excited to show you all of our fabulous and oh so amazing sponsors for this kal! are you ready to see who they are? yay!!!!!!!!!!!! fo'reals...the prizes are drool worthy! you seriously do not want to miss this!  can you hear me squealing!!!!!!!!!!!! 

CHERRY TREE STITCHES   ||   LUNA GREY FIBER ARTS

now get sippin' and get knittin'!  which project did you cast on for? what yarn are you using? is anyone else making the nola cloche? what's your fave tea of the moment? any thoughts on the new episode of downton? let's chat <3

Downton Abbey Knit Along - Pinterest Board & Inspirations

Source: mylusciouslife.com via Shannon on Pinterest

we've got a pinboard for our downton abbey knit along! woot woot!  i started putting together a downton abbey roundup and well....got overwhelmed.  i think i just love downton abbey too much..lol.  the post would have been way too long to put up on here so trust me when i say that a pin board was a much better solution.  now you can all view it and get inspired!  it doesn't mean my roundups are gone, just that for this kal i'm going to try something new.

||  DOWNTON ABBEY KNIT ALONG PINTEREST BOARD  ||

the lucy hat by carina spencer

i added to the pin board most of the pattern suggestions or patterns chosen by our knit along members chatting in our ravelry group.  we're getting all excited and fired up to get clicking.  2 more sleeps people and we can cast on!  hats have been a hugely popular choice for this knit along and the pattern pictured above is by far the most popular one.  isn't it lovely?  it's called the lucy hat and is by carina spencer.  i almost squealed (ok, i did squeal) when i saw the pic at the start of the post of mary! so awesome!!! how cool that they match so well? are you making a hat?

before you ask what pattern and yarn am i using i can't say yet! hehehe, you'll have to wait till next wed!  i still have to do my swatch though.  remember how important gauge is ladies.  here's a helpful post we did on the importance of swatching.  it's better to make yourself do a swatch then to knit a whole project only to have it not work out.  it hurts...trust me on that one :)  and for those of you still choosing yarns etc i've also added our link for help with that as well.

- gauge and what it is
- choosing yarns stress free

*you can find tons of helpful links and resources on our permanent kal page.  you can also click on each knit along and find a handy page with all the links, guest posts and helpful info from each knit along.  i refer to these on a regular basis.  i'm always learning something new.

Source: ohhellofriendblog.com via Shannon on Pinterest

and just for fun i thought we could take a little quiz to see which member of the abbey we are most like.  what was your answer?  i was surprised at mine! p.s. i love seeing the cast members of downton all dressed up in clothes from present time.  so lovely! i couldn't resist pinning some and also some gorgeous shots of the men of downton from GQ mag. they are my fave!!!! love them!

DOWNTON ABBEY QUIZ

 

you can follow along with all things downton abbey knit along here:

ravelry group  |  blog  |  flickr group

and don't forget to sign up. you must be signed up & have a project started to be eligible for the awesome giveaway at the end of the knit along and remember you can knit or crochet :)

DOWNTON ABBEY  KNIT ALONG SIGN UP FORM

alrighty my friends, head on over to the pinterest board and have some fun!  i had a great time finding some fun images from the show as well.  if there are patterns you have chosen or you would love to see pinned on the board please let me know in the comments below and i'll add them in :)

p.s. i know a lot of you are signed up for the jimmy beans wool mysterl downton kal and i just wanted to mention again that you ARE ALLOWED to join our knit along making their mystery pattern :) we've had this kal planned for months and i want all of you able to join in on the fun!!! so sign up & let's all dish & knit along to the downton!

Something Silver - Better Late Than Never

PATTERN: SOMETHING SILVER BY VEERA VALIMAKI

YARN:  YELLOW LABEL DK WEIGHT BY TANIS FIBER ARTS IN COLORWAY PINK GRAPEFRUIT

NEEDLE: 3.75MM/US 5

PROJECT FOR OUR SUMMER SWEATER KNIT ALONG 2012

oh my, i sort of debated about posting this first thing in the new year but i couldn't resist. i know what some of you are thinking, this was my summer sweater knit along project and well....it sure isn't summer anymore..lol.  this goes to show sometimes we all don't get our projects finished on time.  i adore this cardigan and the pattern but i got stuck with my usual case of sleevitis. it took me forever to knit the sleeves. not for any reason other than i hate knitting sleeves.  i know it sounds like a cop out but it's just how it is.

this cardigan was very much worth ever single minute i put into knitting it and trust me, it took a while.  it's gorgeous, the fit is perfection, it's slimming on my hips and doesn't make my boobies look overly gargantuan or like big headlights..lol.  veera's patterns are always written well and her sizing is definitely perfect for women's bodies.  if you have curves don't fear her knits.

now onto my fave part of this whole cardigan - the yarn. ohhhh!!!! isn't the color just so yummy? i smile every time i look at it.  it's so funny to think back to when i was a hairdresser and my closet consisted of black to now wearing a bright grapefruit colored cardigan! my life is so much happier and brighter with the freedom of color!  this colorway is called "pink grapefruit" is yellow label dk weight from tanis fiber arts.  tanis is AMAZING!  i can't even write in descriptive words how awesome this yarn was to work with.  i can't even photograph it properly to show you all the delicious tones and colors in this cardi.  it's soft, lofty and so gentle against my skin.  tanis - you are so talented my dear! thank you again for the chance to knit this with your yarn. hugs!

now i've said this before and i will say it again, i love garter and i love lace.  so this cardi was a no brainer for me.  the lace pattern in it is easy to memorize and flows so nicely over the course of the pattern.  and the garter parts?  well let's just say those were my faves!  i love the look of garter and there are pockets in the garter?! yes! how can it get better than that?  i struggled a bit with finding the perfect buttons to accent this cardi and finally decided on some covered buttons with some fabric scraps i had that matched the tones well.  i adore them and get a kick out of them.

i'm so glad that i pushed past the arms and got this lovely finished.  i completed knitting it on december 22nd, blocked it and then seamed my pocket down & sewed my buttons on.  i've been wearing it ever since.  i'm so happy my lovely group of knitty pals pushed me to stay up late and finish the darn thing up. i honestly just kept procrastinating and working on new patterns (coming soon) and leaving my poor cardi sleeves as an after thought.  naughty girl i was.  from now on i'm going to try to knit my sleeves before i finish the body of a top down sweater or a cardigan.  we'll see if that helps me beat my sleevitis.

in the meantime i'll be curled up in this new knit.  smiling and dreaming of summer.

you can find my project page on ravelry here for my something silver and our summer sweater kal here. what project did you squeak by on finishing right before the end of the year? did you get your summer sweater kal project finished late too?  are you a fan of veera's or tanis fiber arts?  let's chat fo's ladies! happy new year's!

Announcement || The Downton Abbey Knit Along

guess what????!! it's time for our next knit along announcement!!! woot woot!  i know, i know, it's xmas and who's thinking about knit along? well....ahem...me :P  i always need a fun project to focus on right after the holidays are over and i thought what better way to ring in 2013 than to have a knit along inspired by one of our favorite shows - downton abbey!!!!  now i can't take credit for this whole idea, it started as a fun convo in our ravelry group and grew from there.   so to my lovely knitty pals - let's do this thing!!! yay!!!

the american premier of downton abbey is the first week of january!!  if you're naughty like me (streamed it online) or live in the UK you may have already seen most of season 3 but it doesn't matter, it's still gonna be fun! we thought it would be great fun to time it with the release in the states and for us all to be able to chat about the show and new season as we knit on our lovely projects throughout january.

what can you knit?  well you can KNIT OR CROCHET anything that has that downton abbey inspired vibe.  shawls, wraps, lace, gloves, hats, cardigans, home decor, anything that you feel fits in with the whole ambiance and aesthetic of downton abbey.  don't worry if you're stumped for a pattern, i'll be doing a roundup right after xmas so you can get inspired and get your yarn and needles ready!

believe me when i tell you there are a lot of yummy lovelies to make but if you can't wait for the roundup you could plan to whip up my very own downton cowl that was inspired by the peaks of the roof of downton abbey in the black and white logo they show during the commercial breaks.  it's a very fast knit and suitable for a beginner-intermediate looking to jump into an easy lace pattern.  you can find the pattern here on ravelry and also in my etsy shop here.

the downton cowl pattern - BUY NOW

here's the deets my dear friends! i hope you'll join me!

||  WHEN  ||

- january 9th to february 6th 2013 (prizes will be announced the following week)

||  HOW TO SIGN UP  ||

- simply enter your name in this doc by clicking on the link below to be eligible for prizes.

DOWNTON ABBEY  KNIT ALONG SIGN UP FORM

*you must be entered & have started a project to be eligible for the giveaway at the end of the knit along.
 

||  DETAILS  ||

- you can KNIT OR CROCHET ANY PATTERN OF YOUR LIKING that has a "downton abbey-esque" vibe to it.  for example:  shawls, wraps, hats, gloves, mitts, feminine cardigans etc.

- you don't need to finish your project (though we love it if you do) to be eligible for the giveaway but you do need to start.  we really want to encourage people to knit together and form a sense of community and online friendships.

- the KAL will start in line with the american premiere dates of downton abbey which is january 6th 2013.  in canada check your local listings for PBS airing these as well.  if you are in the UK or are naughty like me you will have already seen most of season 3 :)

- there will be a topic thread on ravelry here that you can chat away about your projects, discuss downton abbey, share patterns and more.  have fun with it!  i can't wait to start!

- you will also find all the posts and info about the downton abbey knit along on it's blog page here.  you can find all of our previous kal's listed here as well.

- if you're not on ravelry feel free to share your pics and chat in the comments.  i love when you guys comment on the blog and it's also a fun place to have convos and share your blog posts as well.

want a button? yay!

<a href="http://www.luvinthemommyhood.com/" target="_blank"><img alt="downton abbey knit along" src="http://i344.photobucket.com/albums/p330/shannonandjeremy/kal-1.jpg" /></a>

you can follow along with all things downton abbey knit along here:

ravelry group  |  blog  |  flickr group

you ready to curl up near the fire with a nice cuppa tea and your downton abbey kal knitting/crochet project and knit along with me?  i'm so hoping you'll join me!  and don't worry if you are a new knitter! our ravelry group is filled with friendly ladies who love to help out. we strongly encourage new knitters to jump in and join the fun! so what do you say? are you going to join in?

Summer Sweater Knit Along Winners!!!

girl with balloons by lola's room photography

this was a giveaway that i was very thankful for www.random.org.  i mean how could you possibly choose a winner out of all of you?  you all did so amazing for our summer sweater knit along!  i'm just so thrilled that anyone even joined in nevermind the lively group we have going now.  you guys rock and i so appreciate all your time, comments and friendship.  i can't wait for the next one!

on to the winners.....was it you?  here ya go...drumroll please......

Winner #1 - Vanessa of Bunnies & Bettas, Rav ID: urbanizer

wahoo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! congratulations vanessa! so excited for you!

YOU'VE WON:
Tanis Fiber Arts - 1 skein of lace weight yarn in the mallard colourway
Knit Picks - try it needle set & yarn
Sweet Georgia - $25 gift certificate
Sundara Yarns - $50 gift certificate
Joji Locatelli - 4 patterns of your choice

 Winner #2 - Tracy Johnson, Rav ID: rncurlysue

congratulations tracy!!! yay!!!

YOU'VE WON:
Jane Richmond Designs - $25 gift certificate
Madbird - $25 gift certificate
By Annie Claire - 2 skeins of yarn and 1 pattern

Winner #3 - Ryan Page Haas, Rav ID: ryanpagehaas

congrats ryan!!! enjoy!!!

YOU'VE WON:
Knitterella - Project Bag filled with patterns and goodies!

 

enjoy your prizes everyone, i'll be in touch with you all soon and again a big thank you to our awesome knit along sponsors too!  thanks for making our knit alongs that much more fun!!! you guys are the best!

who's in for another round of our holiday knitting support group - christmas knitting 911?  let me know your thoughts and if enough people are interested i'll set up the topic in our rav group for nov/dec again this year. it was so fun to see what you were all making last holiday season and a great place to go to get inspired and find support.

happy knitting everyone!!!! 

Summer Sweater Knit Along Giveaway Day!!!

Source: makesomethingsplendid.com via Disney on Pinterest

this summer sweater knit along post has been a long time coming and boy am i excited!  i love the end of our knit alongs so that i can see all your beautiful new handmade lovelies but i also love our giveaway day!!!! that's right ladies, delicious knitty prizes for you all to enter to win!!!! yay!!!!! these are some awesome prizes too.  the best ones we've had yet!

1. jane richmond 2. tanis fiber arts 3. kniterella 4. knit picks

i wish i could give you all a prize! this summer sweater knit along was so much fun and you all were such a fun group of ladies to knit with!  i'm already starting to count down till the next one! 

1. madbird  2. sweet georgia

i would like to say thank you all for knitting along with me and for making this knit along so much fun! it really is so special to me to have you all join in!  and also a huge thank you to our sponsors for this knit along!  they are all amazingly fabulous and i hope you all show them some love!

ready to hear what the prizes are?  yay!  here they are....

|  TANIS FIBER ARTS  |

  FIRST PRIZE - 1 skein of lace weight yarn in the mallard colourway

|  KNIT PICKS  |

FIRST PRIZE - try it needle set & yarn

|  SWEET GEORGIA  |

FIRST PRIZE - $25 gift certificate

|  JANE RICHMOND  |

SECOND PRIZE - $25 GIFT CERTIFICATE

|  SUNDARA YARN  |

FIRST PRIZE - $50 gift certificate

|  MADBIRD  |

SECOND PRIZE -  $25 gift certificate

|  JOJI LOCATELLI  |

FIRST PRIZE - 4 patterns

|  BY ANNIE CLAIRE  |

 SECOND PRIZE - 2 skeins of yarn and 1 pattern

|  KNITTERELLA  |

THIRD PRIZE - Project Bag filled with patterns and goodies!

|  HOW TO ENTER THE GIVEAWAY  |
- you MUST be signed up for the summer sweater knit along and have started your project (it's no biggie if you're not done yet).  if you haven't already signed up you can here:

summer sweater knit along entry form

|  RULES OF THE GIVEAWAY  |
- you MAY only enter your name once on the sign up form.
- you MUST have at least started your project.
- you MUST have a valid email address.

1. joji locatelli 2. by annie claire 3. sundara yarns

good luck everyone!!!!!!!!!!!  happy knitting!!!!!!!!!

summer sweater knit along - starring you!

woodstove made by celticcaston

before i began even writing this post i got teary eyed. seriously, i LOVE our knitting kal's.  it's amazing to be part of this loving, supportive and wonderfully talented group of women i am lucky to call my friends.  it's amazing to live all over the world yet we all rush on when we get a free moment to spare to chat, encourage and just drool over each other's knitting progress.  i've said it before that this has always been a dream of mine and each and every time we have a kal i feel so blessed to have gotten to know so many wonderful women.  so thank you to each and every one of you.  for the laughs, the virtual hugs, the shoulders to lean on, the advice, the recipes, the pics, the smiles, the likes and just for being you.  i can't wait for the next one!!!!  

and now.....check them all out!  aren't they freaking amazing!!!!!!!!!  here are some of the finished projects from our summer sweater knit along 2012!!!!  starring you my dears!!! 

campus jacket made by mamatronic

silken straw sweater made by schaetzchen

chalkstone made by celtic cast on

nanook made by tanis fiber arts

1. chuck and 2. colorblock -  made by celtic cast on

1. peabody 2. bayside pullover 3. contigous 4. nanook

1. julissa 2. folded 3. westwood blouse 4. classic raglan pullover

umbrellas made by annie claire

1. levenwick 2. abalone 3. watercourse

1. amiga 2. lighthousekeepers wife 3. cloudy sunday 4. lucinda 5. rocky coast cardigan 6. suzanne 7. hine 8. umbrellas 9. $5 in paris

1. sibella pullover 2. i heart aran 3. farrah

wispy cardi by ava's mom

1. capricious 2. shapely boyfriend 3. tourist sweater 4. vertebrae

kindling made by cherylmac

1. aidez 2. dark & stormy 3. driftwood

shrug made by 3pumpkinslittle

 a big special thank you as well to our awesome ravelry group moderators kelly (celtic cast on), sandra (3pumpkinslittle) and rebecca (nook).  you guys are the best and i appreciate all of your time and energy. i couldn't do it without you!

and let's hear it for our kal sponsors! yeehaw! just wait till you see what's up for grabs next week for our giveaway!!! i can't wait!!!

additional sponsors:

joji locatelli

you can follow along with all things summer sweater knit along:
 

ravelry group  |  blog  |  flickr group

 do you have a blog post showing off your finished kal project? link up below! i can't wait to see!!!  and congrats to all of you for knitting along!  even if you're not done i'm thrilled just to be knitting with you! xoxo

Blocking with Guest Rebecca of Nook

the mallory cowl pattern

today's guest poster is one of my besties - rebecca of the blog/shop nook.  she's the fastest knitter i know.  her hands literally could start a fire when she gets going.  she knits in the dark people...lol.  seriously...you just can't stop her.  we all love it about her and we also can't help ourselves from teasing her about it too (sorry becca...lol).  she pretty much knits no matter what she's doing. fo'reals. this gal doesn't stop.  she also teaches knitting.  i swear if she could knit in her sleep she could.  she's also my fave model...purdy lady..xoxox.  so who better to ask to chat about finishing all those fancy knits you're all cooking up than rebecca herself. 

ready to start blocking all those gorgeous sweaters you have all been making?  here's rebecca....
 
thanks so much shannon, for having me here! guys i have to say i'm so impressed and so proud of you all in this summer sweater knit along event. some of you made multiple sweaters! and some of you made your very first sweater! hurrah!! there's really something chest-pouffing (it's a word i checked, so you ...ahem...don't have to *cough*cough*) about that first sweater you make for yourself, hey?
and since you've put in alll of that effort into your sweater. and allll of those hours... don't skimp out at the end! your very last step (unless you like to sew your buttons on as the very last step, like i do) is blocking.

block-wha? yah. blocking. it's really a very simple step to your knitting that essentially does to your knitting what ironing does to your clothes. just makes everything nice and smooth and even. and that's what we want.

last year, i actually had the opportunity to chat about blocking on the summer sweater kal, but this year i thought i'd show you more of what i like to do. there really are lots of ways to block your garment. depending on fibre choice, type of garment (bulky sweater, vs. lacy shawl) and lots of tools out there to help you out. for more tips and specifics on blocking check out my post here. it goes into lots more detail. but i do think that for sweaters, this way is pretty straightforward. :)

so let's get started. i'm a creature of habit, really. even if i've knitted something lacy (which doesn't happen often) i still do the full on soak in the sink block. it's what i do. it's what works for me.

i start off with my new fave blocking tool. eucalan. there are other things out there, like soak, and it works great too. the awesome thing with this is it's a conditioning treatment for your knitted work. so you don't have to rinse it out. yah. i love that! ok. so i just put about a half tsp maybe into the palm of my hand and throw it in the sink with the sweater, and some cool to lukewarm water. just fill'er up and let it become completely submerged. (you kind of need to push your sweater down a bit as wool likes to drink up all of the water.) just give it a good soak in the sink, and then gently squeeze out the liquid. do not wring it out. wool is very delicate when it's wet, be nice to it :)

then i just bring it on over to a towel in a separate room and i lay it out to the shape i want it to be in. not stretching it out too much. your knitting will grow a little when it's wet though. as it gets heavy with water.

there are blocking mats out there, but a towel works fine for me. then for this specific project i didn't think i needed too many pins. so i just pinned it down in a few spots. depending on the garment though, i sometimes use a lot more. the pins i have aren't special blocking pins. (shhh don't tell).

so basically i just block it to dimension and leave it alone. check it here and there with the fan on it, to make sure it's dry...

that's pretty much it! you only need to block once though, as wool has memory.
and now i have a very pretty sweater to wear. i think this has to be my fave cardi that i've knit. but it's really the little things that make me the most proud of it. and blocking is one of them :)

so there you have it! easy peasy, lemon squeezy. hope this helps you out in properly finishing your sweater(s) :) xo

thanks so much becca!  luv ya girlie!!!! you guys can find all things nook here:

 blog  |  shop  |  facebook  |  pinterest  |  ravelry

you can follow along with all things summer sweater knit along:
 

ravelry group  |  blog  |  flickr group

and a big thank you to our wonderful sponsors! thanks everyone!

additional sponsors:

joji locatelli

join our linky party by linking up your "summer sweater kal" blog post!

Summer Sweater Knit Along - Sleeves

i was finally able to get around to starting the sleeves on my "something silver".  i will openly admit that i detest knitting sleeves.  it's like the end of a party when all your friends are getting ready to go and you are having a fabulous time and you don't want it to end but you know it has to and you are faced with the reality of the dreaded mess of clean up when all you want to do is go to bed and wake up the next day to a clean house & fond memories :)  this sweater has a been a fun knit and a joy to make and at this point i would loooooove to be able to wear it but sleeves seem to take me forevah!!  and i mean a looong time. 

they will prolly take me even longer because we have so much going on right now.  i haven't hardly any time to knit and boy am i feeling it.  it's therapy for me and i know i have to get back onto my schedule of knitting for a tiny bit before bed each night.  it helps to calm my mind and relax me.  only problem is it takes a lot for me to pick this up cause i know it's "the sleeves".  blah.  i also won't allow myself to knit on anything else right now because i need to finish this bad boy up.  there's a crispness in the air already and too many times have i been getting dressed and thought to myself "my new cardi will look FAB with this" only to remember it's not done yet :P

so sleeve knitting it is for me this week.  i must forge ahead and get them done.  thankfully they are only 3/4 and the lace pattern is a breeze and joy to knit.  so close.....my friends....so close.......

until then i will be looking at this view.... one (don't judge me...lol, there was more than 1. in fact my daughter even said "mom, you soooo don't need any more journals".  to which i replied "you can never have enough journals luv, it's all about the little things in life" and i quickly got the eye roll....she's now 5 going on a judgemental 13..lol) of my newest journals, my new best friend "the cuppow", and my sweater.  how's your summer sweater knit along project coming along?  join in the linky party below ladies.  i want to see pics!

you can follow along with all things summer sweater knit along:
 

ravelry group  |  blog  |  flickr group

and a big thank you to our wonderful sponsors! thanks everyone!

additional sponsors:

joji locatelli

join our linky party by linking up your "summer sweater kal" blog post!