Monday, January 4, 2010

A very productive weekend

It was only a three-day weekend (for Rick, that is; I'm still out of school, as is Older Daughter, Younger Daughter had to go back this morning), but we got a lot done. And we got it done in spite of the fact that I am currently sick as a dog. (Yes, I went to the doctor this morning, finally. And yes, I am now on drugs; this sinus infection is apparently so bad that the idea of taking X-rays was bandied about. I have been told to get better quickly lest they carry out their threat.)

First, we (finally!) painted Younger Daughter's room. She's been waiting patiently, and we've been holding off on moving the set of cubbies that Rick built into her room (for desperately-needed storage) until the painting was done, as they were to be bolted to the walls (a hangover from living in earthquake country; we bolt all tall furniture to the walls), and we didn't want to have to unscrew them to take them out for painting. She picked a green color that none of us was sure about (except her) until it went on the walls, and then we all loved it. It required two coats on the bottom half of the room, as the past owners had painted the walls in two colors, darker on the bottom and lighter on the top, but it was worth it. Her room looks like springtime.
That's a little washed out, as it's cloudy today, and her window is shaded by trees; I'll try to get a better picture when the sun is shining in the window, as the patterns that the leaves make on that wall are really lovely. The best way I can think of to describe this color is to say that it reminds me a bit of the color of key lime pie. You may not be able to tell, but those bedspreads are pink, and the pink and green combination is much nicer than I'd have thought it would be. She's completely thrilled with the whole thing, happy that we would let her choose a color and then would spend all that time painting her room. She even invited her sister for a "sleep over" last night to celebrate (this is something that they do, occasionally), and they went to bed early, as they were so excited to be sleeping in her "new" room. It was worth all of the painting with a sinus headache to see her face when everything was put together, no doubt about it.

When I wasn't painting, I was knitting (it's hard to sleep with a sinus infection, I find, no matter how worn out and tired I am; not to share too much information, but my nose has been very productive, too...). And Sprossling is finished! That makes this my first FO for 2010. I stayed up last night to finish the making up, and then steam-blocked it when I got back from the doctor this morning. Forgive the photo shoot; I'm not looking so great right now, but this sweater is, so I had to share.
I think I need to block the button bands just a bit more. But I think I got the fit nailed on this one, finally.
The shoulder seams hit at pretty close to the right place (maybe a titch low?), and the length is good, on both sleeves and body, and it's curve-skimming without being tight (the shaping helps with that, as does the ribbing in the pattern).
The sleeve color did end up being a bit lighter than that of the body, just enough that I'm really glad I reknitted the first one; I had to use some of the darker yarn in the top part of the sleeve, but I'd planned ahead for that and alternated, somewhat randomly, between two balls of yarn, which seems to have done the trick, because I can't tell, looking at the picture, which is which.
So, there is it. To recap: this is a test-knit of Sprossling (Anne hasn't released the pattern yet, I don't think), using Lanas Puras Melosa fingering weight yarn (I still don't see this colorway up there; they must be out), on size four needles (and size twos for the edging). I used just under three balls of yarn for the size medium, as promised. I love this pattern; the lace motif is completely intuitive, and utterly memorizable (this from the woman who can't memorize lace patterns to save her life), and it was kind of fun to figure out how much of each repeat to include when doing the increases and decreases -- definitely a lesson in the concept of not doing an ssk or k2tog unless there was room for its corresponding yo (and vice versa). I can tell already that I'm going to be wearing this one a LOT, as it goes with all of the things I most like to wear.

So here I am, no big projects OTN. I do need to knit up a pair of fingerless mitts for my brother-in-law for his birthday, which is coming up quickly (Geri, don't tell), but I have the yarn for that already and just need to decide on a pattern (maybe another pair of the Paris-Roubaix mitts? Rick loves his...). And I've got that list of requests from the family (socks, scarf, and sweater). But I also have my eye on this, maybe knitted up in this? Meanwhile, I'm going to go sit and my spinning wheel and contemplate.

21 comments:

Rachael said...

I know, isn't the tibetan stole just to die for? I dont' know when I'll get to it, but I'll definitely get to it!

EGunn said...

I love productive weekends. =) YD's room looks great; she has good taste in color. I find that I like most the colors I never would have put together of my own accord...it's good to have someone with daring color palette around to shake things up.

Sprossling looks great; I can't see the difference at all in the pictures, and it fits really well. Definitely a good way to start the knitting year!

Have fun choosing your next big project. The stole is gorgeous, and I love the brown, too. What color beads? A rose would look nice, or a yellow-gold...

Wanderingcatstudio said...

Pink and green is one of my favourite colour combinations! My bedroom at my parent's was pink and green. My bedroom now is pink and green and yellow - only because I haven't painted over the yellow walls yet - though they do go with the room, giving it a very French provincial feeling.

Sprossling looks fantastic... my goal is to look that good in sweaters I knit!

Hope you're really better soon.

Wool Enough said...

Congratulations on Sprossling. It is absolute perfection. And the fit --- yes!!

I've never been a huge fan of shaped sweaters, but I believe I'm changing my mind about that.

Rachel said...

Your sweater looks great, I love the way it fits you, very nice job!

I actually knit a pair of socks in a similar color to yd walls and I just bought myself a skein of Hand Maiden Casbah in a similar color, I love how this color looks with eggplant and purples too.

I hope you will get better soon.

Geri said...

Sprossling looks wonderful and it fits really well.Yeah! Can't tell about the color. But blue is so you.

Love the tibetan stole and the yarn. Gorgeous.

I had a pink and green bedroom when I was a kid too. Mine was more, way more shockingly pink and green though. It took me years to like pink again.

Willow said...

I'm sorry you're feeling yucky! The blue sweater should help you heal quickly :) The shaping looks great.

Jane said...

Congratulations on getting sprossling finished. The bedroom looks lovely and fresh, it is so good to be able to choose your own colours.

twinsetellen said...

Sprossling is wonderful - fit is so good right out of the gate, and in that color, it will look great with your eyes (when we get to see them again).

And, I must ask, what part of "get better or we'll X-ray you" did you not understand when you took on all that weekend work? Great results, but it's time to sit down and knit!

FUZZARELLY said...

That sweater looks terrific on you! I particularly like the waist shaping.

Hope the medz help your sinuses. I feel for ya, having spent most of last winter infected, too.

Nana Sadie said...

Productive is the word, girl!
LOVE Sprossling! You did great!!!
and the room is pretty, too, so happy DD is happy.

Now take care of yourself, okay? I kinda like that Tibetan Stole and the yarn you've picked...

Hmmm...and now I'm thinking about it, too, but not that color for me.
(((Hugs)))

Gwen said...

Gorgeous sweater! And the fit is perfect! Congratulations! Now the lovely anticipation of what to do next.

(I've got the virus my mother had for Christmas - nasty lingering sore throat, but not so drippy thank dogs!)

The room is perfect and bright. Just think how nice when the next dark November comes around!

Lynne said...

How sweet - a sleepover with her sister!

Sprossling looks great on you.

Bea said...

I love green rooms. It looks really cute. I'm sure she's happy its done.

Love the new sweater. It looks fantastic on you!

Stell said...

I love the room, she has an eye for colour, trust her, and I vote for the Tibetan clouds beaded stole, beads are fun.

AlisonH said...

Nice, very very nice sweater.

Anonymous said...

Hooray for green rooms! We were so thrilled when we found our house, which already had green walls in most rooms.

Sprossling looks fantastic!

Anonymous said...

YD's green walls look like they might be the same green as our LR walls, we've always loved having a soft green - key lime is a good description - it's such a restful yet alive color. One of the things I love about it is the way it seems to change depths throughout the day and seasons.

Beautiful sweater!!! You did a great job on sprossling.

Kim said...

Yes!! You DID nail the fit! And yes, FINALLY!!! hahaha. This sweater looks absolutely FABULOUS on you. I bet the blue looks wonderful with yoru eyes! Are you wearing it tomorrow??? I wanta see!

jess said...

Sprossling looks totally fantastic! I love the color and it just fits you perfectly. :) Anne just posted and shared pictures of you each in your Sprossling -- I must make one! :) Way to go!

knithound brooklyn said...

I love this sweater on you! I saw it over on Anne's blog - the blue works great with your eyes!