On the needles

What am I currently working on?  Well, not losing my mind mostly!  Knitting-wise I currently have two projects going on, a Central Park Hoodie for me, and a Woodland shawl for me, notice a trend here?  I really should start something for someone else soon so I don't feel guilty about all the me me me me me that's going on!

The fronts and back knit in one piece

The second right sleeve

I am really enjoying knitting the hoodie, it is my first time making a larger, long sleeve sweater like this I have only made a short sleeve cardigan and a short sleeve pullover before, Hey Teach! and Silken Scabbard.  I can't wait to get it done, especially with the weather going the way it is!  With it being August and still chilly in the morning half the time I actually could wear it in the mornings and possibly in the evening despite it being summer, and this in spite of the fact that it is made out of Wool of the Andes!  The only problem I have had so far is having to knit 3 sleeves, yes 3.  I decided to do them in the round so I don't have to seam and my first attempt was both too tight and too short so I frogged that sleeve and tried again.  Luckily the second time seems to be working well so far, and the yarn has held up really well to being knit, ripped, and then knit again. 

The shawl is my first attempt at beading, I am using a bloody tiny crochet hook to get the beads onto each stitch which is extraordinarily time consuming, but well worth the effort in my opinion.  I hadn't know what I was going to do with this yarn, I ordered it on a whim just to try out the Palette yarn you see.  Then on one of my crafting get-together days with friends Chatty-Cathy brought her beads and she had some that perfectly matched the color of the yarn, so she insisted I take them and use them with the yarn (they had been purchased by her on a whim as well while she was shopping in Little India).  I had to order a third skein of the Palette yarn as I think just the 2 won't be quite long enough and at $1.99 per skein I'd rather have too much than not enough!  Now of course I envision wearing this with the perfect summery white/ivory dress so will have another project of sewing a dress for myself next...