When I'm Not Making Gloves...

Occasionally I manage to actually start and finish a project for myself entirely outside of the world of Etsy. It's rare, but I think it's something worth celebrating. I've come to the conclusion that I am a hat/gloves/cowl making girl at heart (thanks, in part, to my terrible habit of never finishing large projects), but here's a peek of some of the projects from 2009 that have actually completed their cast-on to cast-off life cycles.

Jasmine

pattern: Jasmine by Kim Hargreaves, from Nectar

yarn: 5 balls Rowan 4-Ply Cotton, color 121 (Ripple)

needles: sizes 2 and 3 circulars

notes/modifications: It's no secret that I love Kim Hargreaves designs, but I have very little patience for the pointless and tortuous seaming that all Rowan patterns demand. I decided to modify the pattern so I would have to do little to no seaming. Not did I get away with it, but I was also able to basically avoid do any purling. No wonder I actually finished this sweater. Instructions on how to work this sweater seamlessly are detailed on my Ravelry page.

Kate's Cate

pattern: Cate by Kim Hargreaves, from Thrown Together

yarn: 6 skeins of Malabrigo Merino, color Polar Morn

needles: sizes 6 and 8 circulars

notes/modifications: I let this sweater hibernate for many months before picking it up and finishing it. Despite my hatred for seaming, I actually knit this sweater in pieces as the pattern called for (with the exception of the sleeves). I even knit a good chunk of this toasty merino wool sweater in the sweltering heat of North Carolina. That coupled with seaming set-in sleeves on reverse stockinette...? It really is a miracle I'm able to call this project a finished object. And if you can believe it, sleepy Chihuahuas don't help matters much.