The knitting content has been a little lacking around here lately. With yarn orders getting held up, a move, and a craft show – it’s because the actual knitting has been a little lacking!

Ruffle Rose Pillow

First up, though, is a crochet project I started a few weeks ago. For the first time ever I grabbed one of those free patterns that hang in the yarn aisles at Michaels and JoAnn, and it was for this Ruffle Rose Pillow. I immediately thought they would make fantastic holiday gifts, and I’ve got three of them on my to-make list this holiday season.

Ruffles!

On the pattern sheet I took from Michaels, it says this project will take 10 hours. That is the biggest crock of shit! It’s a 16″ pillow that goes up to something like 229 half double crochet stitches at the biggest round, AND THEN you have to go back into each stitch to make the first round of ruffle, AND THEN do it again! I’ve been working on the ruffle alone for 10 hours.

But it looks fantastic. I bought 3 Caron 1 pound skeins in white because I read on Ravelry that the pillow is a yarn suck, and as usual Ravelry was right. Now I just can’t wait to get done with that darn ruffle!

Wedding Shrug #2

Another project I’ve got going right now might look familiar. Remember the wedding shrug I was hired to knit back in January? The one that I hated knitting and hated the yarn and promised myself I’d never knit again? Well, my friend Rachel is getting married on October 2nd, and I said I’d knit her a little something to wear over her dress, and here we are.

Mohair? Yep.

The only redeeming factor here is that Knit Picks came out with a super kid mohair yarn called Aloft, and it’s lovely. It’s less than half the price of the yarn I used for the last shrug, and it’s the tiniest bit more sturdy, which makes it easier to knit.

(I also upped the needle size from 4/6 to 7 – don’t tell anyone)

#25 Rib Yoke Topper

But the project I’m enjoying the most? The #25 Rib Yoke Topper in this fall’s Vogue Knitting magazine, that I blogged about a couple weeks ago, and that I haven’t been able to stop thinking about! I cast this on during the first football game of the season a week ago today, and have been rolling on it since. Worsted weight yarn and size 9 needles and this top is flying.

Knit Picks Wool of the Andes Tweed

And this yarn is fantastic. Knit Picks Wool of the Andes I’ve used before, but the new line of tweed colors are perfect. It’s knitting up so pretty I can barely stand it. And I can hardly stand working on my other projects! I want this sweater. I want to knit it and I want to wear it. Immediately!

Alas. Rachel’s shrug needs to get finished before her wedding, so I’ll be working on that until it’s done. BUT THEN! Then, #25 Rib Yoke Topper, it’s just you and me.

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