stash, knit, repeat

I’ve recently acquired both the Spring Interweave Knits and Rowan Magazine 41. I love both of these magazines generally, even if they’re often hit-and-miss for projects I’d actually wear. Lots of future projects this time around, though! I’m absolutely making myself the Dollar-and-a-Half Cardigan, Bonsai Tunic, Slanted Neck Pullover, and Swan Lake Cardigan from the Interweave. I’m interested in modified versions of the Cable-Down Raglan and the Ruffled Surplice, and I think the Bauhaus sweater might even be muted enough for hubby. Rowan has Lords and Ladies, The Anice Shawl, oh-my-god Spice, a slightly-modified Dixie, perhaps Coastal… it’s been a long time since I’ve so thoroughly enjoyed leafing through the new magazines.

Leafing through magazines is almost all that I’ve managed this week, sadly. With hubby at a conference for work, I was a single parent all week and you can pretty much guess how much knitting got done. I’m glad this is a baby project, because that means it will be over quickly, and I won’t be tortured by my wonky pre-blocked stitches for months.

Seriously. My stitches have never been that uneven. It drives me completely crazy. Thankfully the work isn’t puckering or anything, so I think it’s just uneven tension that will pretty up in the washer. I miss the neat pattern the long floats made on the WS, too.

But, no tiny baby fingers will get snagged, and I’m sure the set will be the cutest thing this side of a pile of puppies when it’s done. Which will hopefully be soon. ;-) In fact, I should get back to it… right after I weave in the current batch of ends.

There are just a few inches left on the second sleeve, so showing you a full progress shot seems like spoiling a surprise. But wouldn’t you know it, today’s shots actually showed the true color of the sweater. So here’s a peek:

As you can imagine, I’m pretty bored with the stockinette at this point. I think I’m going to do the Dale of Norway Ladybug sweater and hat next–something tiny and complicated. And socks, of course. Check out my holiday score on that front:

I love them all and can’t wait to knit with them. The brown one on the left is called “Hot Chocolate”. Very fitting!

In other news, I’ve been watching Knitty Gritty on tivo this last month or so–DiY and HG networks both run it. I guess I’m late to the game on this show, but I’m surprising myself by enjoying it immensely. Of course, there are a decent number of episodes that just make me run screaming (here, have a NEON PONCHO KNIT ON US17S! or a KNITTED BIKINI in FUNKY COLORS!). But there seem to be just as many episodes that either produce something I like or introduce me to a new technique, or both. A three-needle bindoff, which I’ve never done, was shown in one episode; I’ve now seen knitting with beads, modular knitting, and drop-spindle spinning. None of these things were daunting to me; I just hadn’t gotten around to thinking about them. But now I know exactly which ones excite me, and which don’t.

Do you watch? What episodes are your favorites–the ones along the lines of “You Knit *What*?!”, new techniques, barely knitting-related…?