Fall Color

I like to mix up my knitting so that I don't get into a rut. A spate of shawls will be followed by a sweater or two. Cables follow colorwork. Plain socks are always on the needles for waiting times. Every now and then I throw in a plain sweater as a palette cleanser. This keeps things nice and fresh, so when I come back to a technique I have fun with it.

Right now that technique is colorwork. The colorwork I'm doing is small-canvas colorwork, too -- a pair of socks and the Fiddlehead Mittens. Colorwork seems to go more quickly for me than other knitting, maybe because there are definite goalposts to shoot for, like knitting until the next color change. But then I get mesmerized by the pattern developing in my hands and before I know it I almost have a pair of mittens:


I took this picture this morning and then went back to knitting, so I have even more done now. I love this pattern. First you knit these cute, colorful mittens, then you pick up stitches around the bottom and knit another mitten in the other direction, using a solid colored yarn. When you finish that mitten, you squoosh it up into the colorwork mitten, for an extra-warm double-layered mitten.

Speaking of colorwork, here's where I am with the Dark Isle socks:


These got pushed aside a bit while I focus on the mittens, but I'm anxious to get back to them. I love the pattern and I love how they feel on my feet.

I'm also still working on the Squoose merino/cashmere easy sweater. I've gotten to the point where I separate the arms from the body and start knitting them separately:


I'm still quite in love with the yarn. In fact, I bought a bunch of Squoosh's merino/cashmere sock yarn to make the Pas de Valse sweater from the last issue of Twist Collective:


It's pink! With grey, but still pink! I'm moving out of my dark-color zone with this one, but I think it will look nice. I'll start that after I finish the pullover and the sooper seekrit knitting which is on hold until I receive the yarn.

But the Big News here in the T household (at least for the female member of the household) is this:


Dun Dun DUN! Yup, I took the plunge and got a sewing machine. I'm scared of it. It's intimidating. I mostly got it for steeking sweaters, but I do intend to learn how to use this on some small projects (for now). My immediate goal is to make myself an apron. I don't know why, it just seems like a good first project. Kippi has been graciously sharing her extensive sewing expertise with me via pm on Ravelry. I wish I knew someone around here who sews.

I plan to go to G St. Fabrics later this week to pick up some essentials and give this baby a test-drive. I will not, however, get into quilting. Nope.

In other family goings-on, the weekend was a big washout. It was actually a relief not to have soccer and tennis on Saturday, to be able to get some errands done and relax a bit.

On Sunday, Mr. T and Sr. Jr. went off to do a new cyclocross race out in Winchester, the Winchester Apple Harvest Cross race. Reports were that the course was nice, the race well-run, much fun was had by all, and they hope this becomes a regular part of the circuit. Mr. T broke his 11th streak by coming in 6th in his race, and Sr. Jr. won his race for the second week in a row. Congrats to both my guys!