Starry Day Sweater in Progress

Hello Friends,

I've been working on a few projects this weekend and cannot wait to get them done and share the final products with you. I am still plugging away at my granny stripe from my last few posts. As usual, I couldn't have just one WIP. So, I started on another little project. Do you remember when I went to Seattle a few weeks ago and snapped a photo at this sweater from Anthropologie?

Well, as promised, I started working on a sweater inspired by this one and I am calling it "Starry Day" because the motifs remind me of a star. I am using Simply Soft Caron yarn. Right now I am a little worried about gauge but I just have to keep going to get the first version of the sweater and then make adjustments from there.

Once I have my first prototype I will write-up the pattern and share with you. I will also try to do a photo tutorial for the visual learners.

Other than some Starry Day sweater fun, I had a very nice weekend. Two years ago, J and I went to Alaska for a Land and Cruise tour. While we were visiting the Denali National Park area, we came across an Alaskan artist, Tok Hwang. He had some great paintings and prints of Alaska as well as some original oil paintings. We really like his work especially one of his original oil paintings. A few weeks ago my husband surprised me and purchased Tok Hwang's last oil painting. It arrived at our house on Friday all the way from Alaska. The painting is called Hatcher Pass and features a winter scene of the Mount McKinley (also referred as "Denali" by some). Here it is!

After waiting about three weeks for the arrival of the painting we were very glad to finally see it. I hope your weekend was wonderful too!
xoxo Susan

New Sweater to Make

Good Morning!

So far my weekend has been filled with relaxation and I plan to continue to relax today. I do have a little bit of work to squeeze in before the day is through. Tomorrow will be back to work for another new week. I noticed in blogland the last few weeks seem to be filled with sweaters, wraps, and shawls, myself included with my cotton cardigan. While I was in Seattle, I visited an Anthropologie store and found this lovely crocheted sweater.

I immediately took out my camera to snap a photo so I could remember the details of the design. I hope to have a pattern created within two weeks and of course I will share it with all of you! I already have one friend who has requested one after seeing the photo. We'll see if she still wants one after seeing a photo of the one made by me (hehe). But, assuming the sweater turns out great, I am thinking this may be the perfect gift for my friends for this year.

I just surveyed my yarn stash and made a list of more blues and greens I need to continue with my granny stripe blanket. A quick trip to A.C. Moore and I will be all set. All of the Vanna's Choice and Vanna's Baby yarn is on sale 2 for $5 this week (regular $3.29). I will be stopping later today to replenish my stash.
I hope to take some progress photos of my other cardigan I am working on. So far it is looking quite nice, but far from finished. Check back for some photos soon!

Have a fabulous Sunday,
xoxo Susan

Cardigan Finished!!!

Good Morning Lovelies,

I finished the sweater! I am not sure about adding a button or not. In the project photos on Ravelry some people did a button and some people did not. I sort of like it without the button for now because I probably will keep it open when I wear it. Although we do not have rules about wearing sleeveless tops at my office, I usually like to have a little something to throw over and this sweater is going to be perfect. I may have to make similar versions in multiple colors! The pattern called for 600 yards of yarn I believe. It looks like I have just a little less than half of the yarn left, so I did pretty good.

I purchased the 100% Bernat Cotton at A. C. Moore on sale for $5.99 about 2 weeks ago. Now the only issue will be the stretching of the cotton. As we're learned throughout the years, a little Lycra or spandex is added into our sweaters and tops now to help keep the shape.

What do you think, button needed?

Front of the Sweater

Side view. I did not add anything to the arms after making the 10 in chain for the arm holes.

Back of the sweater.



Hanging on the hanger looking official!



I really liked making this and I already started to make another sweater using a different pattern but my gauge is way off, so it looks like I will be starting it over today. I do not want to make it too big and have no one be able to swear it. 

Today is Mother's Day here in the United States- so Happy Mother's Day to my Mom, my Nana, and all of the other wonderful mothers!

My mom on the left, and Nana on the right.

Have a great Sunday!

xoxo Susan

Cardigan Almost Done!!!

Good Morning Lovelies,

My cardigan is almost complete. I am so excited to finish it and wear my sweater!! This sweater hooks up so fast, I just love it. I am already thinking about different yarns to try making additional ones. I also and trying to wrap my head around altering the stitches. Maybe after a few more types of sweaters, I will have a good feel for the shaping required so I can customize them a little bit.

The Back

The Front - I am not sure why the photo was so blurry.

Almost complete!!!!

I used 100% cotton for this one, so I know the shape will not hold up as well as others, but I wanted something good for the hot summers here. I am going to keep the sleeves short because I want to be able to throw this on over a sleeveless dress. I may add a little bit to the sleeves but I am not sure. I may bring it in to the office to see what the ladies think before I add more.
Have a fabulous Saturday!!
xoxo Susan

Chevron Cardigan Update

Hello Friends,

Thanks for stopping by to see what I am up to. As promised I have some updates on my Chevron Cardigan sweater I am making. This is my very first piece of clothing I am crocheting (not counting the baby hats I made earlier this year - but those are easy) and I am excited to wear something I actually made. Hopefully it turns out nice enough for me to wear outside of my house.
The pattern is worked from the top down. I am following the pattern for size small.

I am getting close to doing the arm holes so I will let you know how that goes. I am really enjoying this pattern. If all goes well with this one, I am going to do another cardigan after this one, but I will use a different pattern (I can't have too many of the same pattern, at least not yet). I am using a G size hook, but I did follow the directions and did a gauge check. My gage is usually off from the hook size suggested, so after repeatedly not bothing to check my gauge for projects, I wanted this one to be done correctly. One of my favorite sayings is "If you do not have time to do it right the first time, then you better have time to do it over". So, I now check my gauge unless it is a blanket or something where size is not important.

I am still here in Washington, D.C., tomorrow I fly back to Florida. The temperature dropped 20 degrees from yesterday with some rain last night and this morning. So I am little chilly walking around outside today. We are close to having final approval on our grant reviews and should be able to celebrate our completion this evening. And it will be back to the sunshine and warmth in Florida for me.

Have a fabulous day,
xoxo Susan

Finally Friday

Hello,
Another late posting again -- Sarasota was beautiful. Many of the conference attendees came from the northern snowy parts of the US, and I bet they had a hard time sitting inside listening to research presentations when the pool outside at the hotel was b-e-a-u-t-i-f-u-l! I forgot to nap a pic of the pool to share but I did get some ocean views further south of Sarasota in Port Charlotte. 

And a lovely morning glory in bloom near the water. I love morning glories. My next door neighbor Kathy used to plant morning glories each summer on her deck and I loved how they would open every morning. I found they grow like weeds. I planted some last year and I see many starting to come up this year.

Now, I will be working on my crochet projects this weekend so I should have an update for you on my projects, but I wanted to share with you a project my friend Carolynne is working on. Her very first sweater!! and I love it so much I think I have to make one too. She hasn't completed it yet, but it is the Chevron sweater pattern on raverly (I think it is raverly's most popular sweater pattern). I made her bring it into work so I could photograph it to share with all of you. This is her first piece of clothing she has crocheted for herself. In the past she has made smaller items, she is a baby hat making pro. Don't you just LOVE it! Again, this is a work in progress. She is going to get a fabulous button for a closure at the top. Don't worry, I will provide and update of the final product once she finishes it.

Maybe I will be able to start mine this weekend. I need to make it soon otherwise I won't be able to wear it until I travel somewhere up north or wait for next winter. The current temperature outside is 73 degrees F, and my office at work in always very warm. Maybe I will make it in a cotton?

I hope you have you are able to put your feet up and relax for a while this weekend.

XOXO Susan