It's done! It's done!

Sugarplum Shrug, front
Originally uploaded by Project Pictures

So, here is my very first sweater, ever. And only my second knitted-lace project. And I just LOVE it!

The alpaca is buttery soft and warm as well. I like it much better than the Rowan Kidsilk Aura that was suggested for the pattern. I think that much fuzz would have driven me batty. I can't even stand to have my own hair loose around my face.

I'm thrilled to get it done. Now I'm on to knitting my Little Twisted Socks, and maybe a hat out of the only handspun I've ever done.

Sugarplum Shrug, blocking

Sugarplum Shrug, blocking
Originally uploaded by Project Pictures

Oh, I'm so excited! I'm blocking it! Yay!

The diamond-lace edging is done and I blocked it out on my ironing board, so I'm down to piecing this together once the body is dry. Right now it's pinned out on my living room floor with a fan on it to speed up the process.

I'm looking forward to shrugging it on, tomorrow!

Shrug, Troix

The main body is done! I bound off about 10 minutes ago, and then spent the rest of the time running my hands happily over the soft cloth. The next step is the edgings, which feel like they could take as long as the rest of the work! We'll see.

I'll have to figure out a new goal, as well, since getting merely one pattern repeat done each night won't get me anywhere for at least a month, and I'd really love to wear the shrug before the weather turns.

Here's hoping!

Shrug, Part Deux

The shrug is going really fast! I have a goal of at least one full repeat of the pattern each evening, and that's going well. It's also nice that I feel comfortable putting it down after that one repeat, rather than feeling driven by it. Tomorrow I'm on my last full repeat, and then I go back to the more narrow width, which should finish even faster.

Then I get to knit the diamond-border for the whole thing. I have a feeling that will take longer than I think.

Sugarplum Shrug lace pattern

Sugarplum Shrug lace pattern
Originally uploaded by Project Pictures

I'm maybe 50% into my Sugarplum Shrug from Interweave Knits' Holiday Gifts 2007 and I'm still loving it. The yarn feels almost buttery between my fingers, and I like to pull out what I have done and just run my hand over it.

I'm feeling a bit apprehensive over some wording in the pattern, tho. The pattern starts at one width, goes for about 4", and then you cast on more stitches and continue in pattern for a while. The instructions say to go about 17" from the cast-on, but it doesn't specify if that's the original cast on edge, or the secondary cast-on edge. I'm leaning towards 17" from the beginning of the work, but I'm hoping for some feedback on Ravelry.com to give me more confidence in that.

At any rate I have a couple more repeats before hitting my first 17" mark, and that should take about two days. I'll figure it out then, hopefully!

Sugarplum Shrug

The Shrug is begun! After some confusion as to yarn-weight and how to deal with that (I had a bad-brain moment and bought a bunch of lace-weight yarn for lace-knitting... and DUH it calls for DK or Aran) I cast on a couple of days ago, and am about 10% (maybe 20%, hard to say) into the knitting. I am loving my brand-new Knit Picks Options needles, and the Classic Elite Inca Alpaca yarn I'm using for this project. They're both silky-smooth for knitting.

Inca Alpaca
Originally uploaded by Project Pictures

I'm also pretty happy with my colorway. The hazy-blue/purple yarn is gorgeous. Plus the yarn itself should bring a different character than the Rowan Kidsilk Aura that is suggested for the pattern, since it's not a mohair-type. There is very little fuzz to it at all. I'm really looking forward to seeing how it turns out, especially since this is my first sweater of any sort. Perhaps not the wisest choice for a first-garment projects, but what the heck. I like to dive right in!