WIP Wednesday (for “Work In Progress”) is a meme where we share our current fibery projects. It was started by Nicole @ Book-Wyrm-Knits, who also reviews books at book-wyrm-reads.
Introducing: WIP Wednesdays! I’ve been thinking about including more about my knitting and spinning on the blog, and after seeing several other bloggers move toward posting about their crafting, I decided to go for it. Nicole of Book-Wyrm-Knits uses the phrase “WIP Wednesday” for her weekly post about her current works-in-progress, and graciously allowed me (and other knitters) to use it too. So here we are: my first WIP Wednesday post!
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I have two ‘active’ projects on the needles right now: a baby sweater for a friend who is expecting her first girl (after three boys), and a lacy scarf for someone else dear to me. I’ve also got five or six “hibernating” projects in various stages of completion, from “just need to weave the ends in and block it” to “I might as well frog this one.” But today, I’m focusing on my two active projects.
Please forgive the terrible lighting in these photos. It’s gloomy and rainy outside, so I had to take pictures indoors, and because we live more-or-less in the woods, our little house doesn’t get much natural light. In editing the photos, I tried to compensate for the dimness and the yellowish cast caused by the artificial lights, but I still couldn’t get the colors exactly right.
This cute cap-sleeve baby sweater is the “in threes: a baby cardigan” pattern by Kelly Herdrich. I’m knitting the 0-6 mo. size on US 7 needles, using Bernat Softee Baby acrylic yarn in the “Mango” colorway—which is a softer, more cheerful salmon/mango color than it looks in this photo! It’s a relatively quick knit, especially with the cap sleeves. I should be done with the knitting by this time next week, but I need to find buttons before I can finish it.
I’ve made a few small mistakes, both of them in the button band (I forgot to maintain the garter stitch for a row, twice), but otherwise I’m pretty happy with how it’s turning out. I’ll need to figure out a way to stabilize the armholes, which are a little loose where I cast on the additional stitches, even though I used a tighter cast-on method than the pattern called for. I’m hopeful that I can stabilize those edges with a crocheted chain-stitch.
Again, the colors on this feather-and-fan scarf are softer in real life than they look in the photo! They remind me of Easter eggs or spring flowers. The scarf is the Misty Garden pattern by Jo Sharp. The yarn is Nova Novangora, and it’s 100% angora (rabbit fur), which makes it beautifully soft but also prone to shedding. Whenever I’m working on this, I end up with fine hairs all over my clothes. It makes me look like the owner of a fantastically-colored dog!
As you can see from the photo, I’ve gotten quite a bit done on this—it’s a little more than half-way done. As soon as I get the baby sweater finished, this will be my main knitting project until I finish it. Once it’s done and blocked, you’ll be able to see the lace pattern more clearly.
Ravelry: I’ve linked the patterns and projects to their respective Ravelry pages. If you’re a knitter or crocheter and want to connect with me on Ravelry, you can find me there as “Lady-Lark.” And send me a PM on Ravelry to let me know your Rav-name and that you read this blog, so I can friend you back!
Aleen @ Lampshade Reader
That’s super cool. The baby cardigan is so cute, omgosh. Look forward to more of your progress.
Lark_Bookwyrm
Thank you! It’s been a fun and easy knit.
Katherine @ I Wish I Lived in a Library
Oh I love the scarf! The baby sweater is adorable. When Emma was a baby a friend knitted her a sweater and it was one of my favorite things.
Katherine @ I Wish I Lived in a Library recently posted…Making the Monster – Nonfiction Review
Lark_Bookwyrm
Thank you, Katherine! I wish I had been a knitter when Robin was a baby, but at least I can make things for my friends, or for charity.
Nicole
Oh, I love your projects! I can imagine how much lovelier the yarn looks in natural light, but they’re still both very pretty as-is. Thanks for joining me on this WIP posting adventure! 🙂
Nicole recently posted…WIP Wednesday for 7 February 2018
Lark_Bookwyrm
Thank you, Nicole!
RO
I have always wished that I could knit or crochet, but every time I tried was a total disaster!(lol) I really adore your work, and that little girl is going to be so stylish. Kudos and Hugs…RO
RO recently posted…NATIONAL PIZZA DAY
Lark_Bookwyrm
Thanks, RO! I learned to knit in late high school or early college, but found it boring at the time—I made the mistake of starting with legwarmers in stockinette stitch; they seemed to go on and on forever. I forced myself to finish them, but didn’t pick up the needles again for nearly 20 years. When I did, I discovered that rather than being bored, I found the process soothing. (At least when I’m not making mistakes LOL!) I’ve been happily knitting ever since.