So much for being regular

And it's not because I don't eat enough fiber. It's just that I thought I'd be able to post a bit more regularly that I have been. I'm all spurty for lack of a better word. But anyway, life just has a habit of getting in the way, eh?

So rather than spoiling you with pictures of a WIP that's this close to being done, I'd rather just unveil the whole thing all at once. Seems more magical when you haven't even seen anything about it before.

But I really have been knitting. I swear. Even on things that have been in my sidebar for ages. Like DF's (pink) Zippered Raglan sweater. I finished the body up to the armpits and have worked a few sets of increases on the sleeves. I carefully consulted Alison's corrections to the arm instructions (thanks for the reminder IronSteph!), and I realized that all she was trying to say was just make sure that you replace the ribs that you take out from the body with the ones you're adding back in for the sleeves. It doesn't really matter how much you increase or whether you finish with knits or purls under your arms so long as it matches. In my case, I'm taking out 4 purls, 4 knits, and 4 purls from the body where I'll attach the sleeves. So, that means that when I increase for my sleeve, I need to end up with 4 purls, 4 knits, and 4 purls centered around the underarm "seam". So pathetic that it took me reading through Alison's post about 40 times and tearing my hair out to figure this simple thing out.

Because you guys just can't get enough of the pink (burgundy) sweater...
I've also been planning out my future projects. Namely my Sockapaloooza socks. I just received my yarn in the mail. I went ahead and purchased the Regia Stretch and it's just as fabulously subtly variegated in person as it is on Sue's website. I think this should pass nicely for solid, while giving a little bit of oomph in the visual texture department.
As for the pattern, I've been debating this at length. My sock pal wants lace socks, and there are so many lace patterns that I've been wanting to try, but frankly, I'm a bit selfish. I know that if I make something for my sock pal, I won't get around to making them again so that I can keep them (serious 3rd and 4th sockitis here my friends).

Then it hit me, I should pay it forward. I was recently gifted with an amazing pair of Yukon Leaves socks that I ABSOLUTELY LOVE and wear as many days as I can without grossing out DF with my smelly feet. But, I figured, hey, I love these socks that I already have, but I haven't had the opportunity to knit them yet. If I make them for my sock pal, everybody gets what they want. She gets lace socks, I get to work on a pattern that I think I'll enjoy, and I'll still have a pair of these socks even after I give them away. I think we have a winner people!

Only question: is stretch wool a bad idea for lace?

Next up, DF's cousin has twins due in April, so with my lightning knitting pace, I should probably be starting their welcome present now or two months ago. Probably the cardigan (shown left) from Debbie Bliss' Baby Knits for Beginners book. At least I managed to start swatching with yarn that my future MIL purchased for me during a shopping as therapy session. Normally, I don't like novelty yarn so much, but this stuff I swear feels like a fluffy bath robe. Perfect for baby. Despite fondling the swatch, I didn't think too far ahead until I got home with my loot and actually read the label. Yes, it does say "eyelash" yarn on it. And what's up with not putting a knitting gauge on the label? Crochet only?

So if you actually rolled your mouse over the picture to see the back of the label, you may have noticed that they suggested a US8 crochet hook. So I figured I'd swatch with the same size needles. Disaster. I finally got a reasonable fabric after going down to size US3 needles to get 18 sts/4 in. Anyone know if crochet gauge is the same as knitting gauge, because damn I've never had to go down 5 needle sizes to get gauge before.

Here's what the swatch looks like BTW. I'm thinking that for the solids, I don't like the way the knit side looks as much as I like the purl side. There's a remarkable lack of stitch definition on the purl side that almost makes it look like I didn't even knit it but rather wove it that I really like. The colors come out funny on the purl side with the variegated yarn so I think I will use the knit side as the right side in this case. What do y'all think? Again, roll over the picture to see the purl side. I blatantly stole this HTML trick from Nona btw.

Oh, okay. Here's a sneak peak of the almost FO. Anyone up for Name that Yarn?