Knitting Update

First of all, a reminder - we are still raising funds for Girls on the Run. Every $5 contribution buys an entry to win this scarf:

We've nearly reached our goal, so if you were thinking about making a contribution, now's the time! At this point, we can only accept checks (made out to Greater Kalamazoo Girls on the Run) or cash; contact me to work out the details: RobinVanderRoest @ gmail dot com. Thanks!

My entrelac Lilly blanket is nearly finished:

That top row of blue needs one more triangle, there on the right. I'll add a final row of purple triangles to fill in the gaps, and then I'm planning to edge it with single crochet all around. That sounds like I know what I'm doing. I don't - the crochet bit will be a new adventure - but I'm optimistic that I can figure it out.

The baby blanket is slowly growing, and is about half finished:

I still think it's a bit wonky. When I started this pattern, I envisioned columns of smooth, even stitches, which don't seem to be happening. I'm hoping it will relax when I get it finished and washed.

And my woodland shawl is looking good:

I've finished 44 out of 112 rows. That sounds like it's 39% complete, but not so: each pair of rows increases by 4 stitches, so they get longer and longer as I knit. The row I just finished has 81 stitches; by the time I reach the ruffle edge, there will be 189 stitches, and that ruffle increases the stitch count to 300+. I had an early set-back - the "knit 4 rows / rip back 8 rows" variety - but it's been behaving since then (and I've been paying more attention).

My sky scarf is progressing as well, a day at a time, but I'll wait til my monthly checkpoint to post another photo.

I listen to all sorts of podcasts while walking Bonnie. One of my favorites is  the Knitmore Girls Podcast. Mother-daughter team Gigi and Jasmin talk about all things knitting, and it is delightful. I recently won a drawing on their show, and received Jane Slicer-Smith's book Swing, Swagger, Drape: Knit the Colors of Australia.

When I learned I'd won this book, I looked up the patterns on Ravelry. My initial impression was "Eh. It's nice I won, but none of these patterns excite me."

Then the book showed up in my mailbox. It is gorgeous - the photography is by Alexis Xenakis, and includes so many wonderful images and colors, buildings and nature and Australian scenery. There are design sketches, and lots of good photos of the knitwear.

The book itself was a bit confusing, at least for me. I struggled to match patterns with modeled knitwear, and to understand how the patterns themselves were written.

Notwithstanding that challenge, and notwithstanding my initial reaction, I fell in love with the mitered patterns (and some of the others as well). The Miter Vee Capelet is rated 'easy+,' and I'm pretty sure I want to knit this. I've even found where I can order a kit with the yarn (a dozen different colors) online. I wonder how much the shipping costs from Australia would be.... And which colourway would be best... Decisions, decisions...