New Year, New Projects!

 

It always feels good to start fresh for the new year.  I finished up the Retreating Sweater and will have modeled shots later this week, but it's blocking right now.  (I'm blocking the hem and the ribbing at the front band.)  You saw my finished Oak Grove mitts last week, and I finished up a few other odds and ends that were staring at me (they aren't all bloggable).  Basically, as of yesterday, I had a couple of projects that are essentially hibernating, my Hexipuff project, and The Babette.  That was all I had in progress.

Of course yesterday was January 1, so that meant I could start my new Sweaters 2013 project.  My first sweater is the Woodstove Season cardigan, knit in Beaverslide Dry Goods Fisherman's Two Ply.  This yarn is discontinued and I had actually used it in another sweater that turned out huge and was frogged years ago.  It will be nice to get this knit into a useable sweater.  This is a top down, raglan sleeve design and what you see here is the collar and one of my buttons.  I used a tubular cast on because I really like the way it makes the edge look.  It does take a bit more time, but it gives ribbing a much more finished look than my usual long tail cast on.  I got the buttons from Bead Freaky on Etsy and while they're a little bigger than what the pattern calls for (I'll have to refigure buttonholes to fit), I think they're perfect for this sweater and this yarn.  They're ceramic and they're very lightweight.

Today I'm planning on getting a pair of socks started - I don't have any little portable projects except Hexipuffs and I want to have an option.  If I'm not back tomorrow, send out a rescue team - I'm buried in my sock yarn stash!