"Before", but not yet "after"

Here's my Enid, so far so good - waiting for steeking, I'm thinking of incorporating a zipper instead of buttons. And yes, I know, the sleeve looks quite ugly, but I'm hoping that bath&blocking will make it all better.

As this is made with not 100% wool, the steek would have to be made by sewing, in order to quarantee good hold on the stiches when cut. That will be my first time, so let's see how it turns

Anyhow, I got started already with a new project - did you really think I could keep my hands off of those purple (oh, sorry, 'Claret') goodies..?!

...and isn't lime just the most delicious color!

The light is...

...almost too bright this morning! Birds are singing! (Despite the frosty weather) it's coming!

Also in the post yesterday came 8 cute balls of this deliciously purple (well, actually it's "claret", mind you) cotton/viscose/silk delight from the sale of Kangaroo. But we must be patient, my little purple friends - first we need to finish the 'Enid', and then... yes, then we can start to plan something for you..

Ode to Hands

The things I did today with my hands:

• washed, blow-dried and ponytailed my hair, and put on make-up
  
• held a knife and fork to eat two lovely meals


• gave money from my purse to buy a bread and some cheese


• arranged 20 tulips in a vase


• played piano for the first time, after a long long while


• knit few more rounds of the 2nd sleeve of my Enid cardigan


• leafed through a couple of magazines


• turned pages of a book to read and learn more


• wrote this post
  

Preview..

..of the new IK for Spring '09 is here - based on first glances, it's your typical Spring issue with light colors and loads of cotton. Which is not bad, don't get me wrong.

My knitting radar seems to get ticking especially for 'Millefiori Cardigan' & 'Diminishing Rib Cardigan' (both by Andrea Pomerantz), and 'Sculptured Lace Scarf' (by Kenny Chua). And maybe more, once the magazine arrives..

As I have some cotton knits waiting to be frogged of their previous existence, there will be plenty of yarn available for these - waste not, want not :)

Origami for girls..

..is of course "Girligami"! This little gem of a book (by Cindy Ng, 2008) came my way this week, and boy... ooops, girl.. what cutesy ideas it includes.. Take a look:

* * *

On the needles, after the start-frogging-start-frogging disaster on The Disastrous Sunday, is finally the famous 'Enid Cardigan' (IK, Fall 2006, by Véronik Avery) which has been haunting me to knit it ever since I first laid eyes on it.

I'm using Sandnes Sisu for the body and then lovely pastel shade Artesano Alpaca's for the yoke.

Fits like a... well, a glove!

After last posting's despair, there's hope for me as a knitter yet! :)

At least I managed to finish these - 'Knotty Gloves' (by Julia Mueller, Ravelry link), from the Mokkasukka yarn mentioned a couple of posts ago..

You know you're having a bad knitting day when...

1) ...it takes 3 attempts before you get the required provisionary cast-on going.

2) ...your scrap yarn and work yarn get tangled because, against the instructions, you didn't choose a non-sticky yarn as scrap yarn.

3) ...finally, after managing to get all stiches cast and after checking (of course I checked!) that the work was not twisted when knitting in round, you found yourself ending up with a twisted piece.

4) ...after a long sigh and a 'I-cannot-believe-I-just-did-that' look on your lonely sad face, you just pull out the circs and squeeze in your sweaty hand the remains of your efforts of the past 2 hours:

Oh, well.