…and since the weather was pristine yesterday afternoon, I decided outdoor photographs were in order! 

Of course, I needed one of the pomegranates from my collection to remind you just why I call this sweater "Pomegranate" – the color is a dead ringer for the fruit! It captures the three-way color blend of pink, orange, and red so well.   No wonder I was drawn to the yarn at the craft fair, nearly a year ago…

Pomegranate Pullover
Pattern: "Mohair Hoodie" from Knitting to Go Deck by Kris Percival
Yarn: Woolarina Handpaints Merino Laceweight
Needles: Size US 9 bamboo needles
Started: March 2006 / Finished: September 2006
See the Pomegranate Pullover Photo Mosaic!

This sweater started back in the Project Spectrum Red/Pink month of March, and it has been on the back burner ever since, coming to the forefront once again for Project Spectrum Clean Sweep.  I did a few rows here and there, but there was no real progress until the last few weeks.  I am so happy to have it finished! Maryland's weather is mild right now – chilly mornings and warm days – so this pullover is the perfect garment.  And I even have a pomegranate-colored cami to wear underneath! 

I used the pattern more as a guideline, primarily for the set-in sleeves.  I used a lot of creative license in this one:  I omitted the hood, which is an option that the pattern gives, but I also omitted the mock turtleneck that it calls for if you don't do the hood.  I picked up the stitches to do so, but the laceweight was floppy, and not suited for that kind of neckline. I did a pretty little single crochet chain – the extent of my crochet skills – and the crew neck is a much better fit for the yarn and for my style.  I also cropped the sleeves to my preferred three-quarters length, and made the torso longer than the pattern – seeing it now, I could have gone even more. 

The Knitting to Go Deck was a great find. It contains 25 patterns for women, men, and children – all of the patterns are printed out on folded cards that fit into a knitting bag so well! The patterns are basic in nature, and provide a great jumping off point if you want to experiment with lace, and/or textures in your knitting.  I split the deck with my mom and sister who wanted to try some of the beginner patterns.

I picked it up at a bookstore in Grand Central Terminal where I was waiting to meet Carrie back in March. I had a gauzy light pattern in mind for this yarn from the moment I bought it, and as I flipped through this deck, I found this pattern. It was perfect! When I got home, I swatched and had to play with the gauge a little to ensure a proper fit. As many of you have noted, my shape has changed since March – specifically up top (I am wondering just where my b**bs went…) I am glad that I decided on a smaller fit and size – I think it will fit me as I continue to lose weight.

Speaking of great books… I recently borrowed Amy Butler's In Stitches from my friend Avice (check out her lovely Rowan Seabreeze pullover and her Log Cabin blanket!) and after just flipping through, I added it to my wishlist.  This book is spectacular!  I really want to catch the sewing bug ~ this book has so many patterns, and best of all: detailed technical diagrams!

 Here's a little sneak peek…

(Click on the photo for links to larger photographs)

This weekend will finally be a restful one – it may even give me a chance to answer my huge backlog of emails (I am sorry if you have been waiting to hear from me!) 

♥

"Lauren is a very bright student, and a joy to have in class.  However, she talks to her peers and is easily distracted." 

Ahem. The worst part was that I had to get my parents to sign the report card, just to prove that they had actually seen it. (Forgery did cross my mind…)  Of course they knew I was loquacious Lolly.  Of course they knew that I was easily distracted.  They lived with me.  I prefer to think that I was developing good communication skills, and that I was a good multi-tasker…

I am still a talkative girl – but I think it has tempered a bit.  I still am easily distracted… but sometimes I know that "staying the course" is really best because the end result will be so sweet.

Take the Pomegranate Hoodie:  I really want to cast on for some other things… but I really want a finished sweater too.  So, I worked on her non-stop during my weekend road trip to Tennessee.  Sleeve 2 banged out in a few hours, and then the seaming.

I kept trying her on at various stages of seaming… first time doing set-in sleeves, so I wanted to ensure a proper fit. I am happy with it! 

I have been working on this hoodie since March.  I started it as part of the red month for Project Spectrum, and it is still on the needles.  Just as a reminder, I am using Woolarina Handpaints laceweight yarn (it is so great!)  I thought the color resembled a pomegranate, hence the name of the hoodie (sometimes shortened to Pom Hoodie).  I am using the Hoodie pattern from the Knitting to Go Deck by Kris Percival.

September is officially the Project Spectrum Clean Sweep month, and I want to finish this sweater, as well as my Sesame cardigan.  I hope I can make it before the end of the month! 

Sleeve 2 was set in and sewn up while watching last week's Project Runway episode. (wasn't crazy about that twist…) Since this picture I have finished both side seams, and have picked up the neck stitches for the hood attachment.

The hood is completely vestigial.  Purely for aesthetics.  In a rain storm, I would still be soaking wet.  In a gust of wind, my ears would still freeze.  There is no point to it whatsoever.  It crossed my mind to just leave it off.  What do you think? (See what the original pattern looks like here) Let me know, because I can't decide.  (You can add indecisiveness to the list of my "endearing" character traits, right beside short attention span and procrastination…)

Just because I needed a little change of pace while sitting in the car for approximately 16 hours round trip, I also started working on "My So-Called Scarf" pattern in the delicious new Malabrigo for my Scarf Exchange pal. 

My pal actually reads my blog (it may be you and you don't even know it!) and she lives in a colder climate, so I though the wool would be a great way to go.  She listed green among her favorite colors, and I think this fits the bill very well.  There are slight blueish green variegations in the yarn.  I had heard reviews about Malabrigo but had never seen it.  I ordered it online to give it a try, and I can't say enough good things about it.  It is so soft – that is definitely its edge over the other kettle-dyed Uruguayan wools on the market (and I have used several: Manos, Rio de la Plata, and Handpaintedyarn)  I hope it continues to hold up well, I don't want any pilling or fuzzing on my pal's scarf! 

Can I get these things done before the end of the month?  It appears that some six seven eight hundred people are devoting themselves to SOCKS next month, so I better 'get a move on'! 

Take the Seed Stitch purse I started back in April…  If you blinked, you probably missed it.  I only blogged about it once. 

I am using some inherited Tahki Cotton Classic in gold, and basing my purse on the one seen in the book, Cool Girls’ Guide to Knitting.  The buttons are from my grandmother’s tin, all of the orange ones I could find.  I may mix in some other buttons from my collection, but I like seeing the seed stitch in the background.  I am planning to use a pillowcase I found at the thrift store as the liner for this bag.  So, all of the ingredients will be hand-me-downs or thrifted!

The Pomegranate Hoodie is still forefront on the Finish List.  I worked on her all weekend, and the front is nearly complete. 

The yarn is quite a lovely color – despite how it looks on your monitor.  It is hard to photograph without looking too “harsh” and fiery.  It is actually more pink than orange, and I hope that shows when it is finished.  Paula and Kate did an amazing job with this yarn – there is no pooling, just a beautiful variegation of light and dark pomegranate colors.  Just to make sure that the colors matched my complexion, I did the ol’ yarn-by-face trick before balling the second hank.  The yarn even looks nice as a cowl/necklace!

I was able to make such great progress on the hoodie because I had a great companion who knit with me all day on Saturday! Jenna was “baching” it this weekend, so she made a trip to the ‘burbs to see me, get some yummy Indian cuisine, and shop at the LYS.  After all of that, we made a cozy nest in my basement, watched movies and the Discovery Channel, and knit the night away. Despite the rainy day, we had a wonderful time. 

Behold!  A finished Carla sweater!

Jenna finished her Project Spectrum August knit: The Carla sweater from Rowan’s It’s a Tape Thing.  Just brilliant!  I think hers turned out better than mine - maybe that is because I am on such a brown kick lately.  She just blogged about it too! She also had something to do with this…

14 Balls of DK wool – brown, cream, and eggplant

Jenna wanted to go to All About Yarn and buy some yarn for her next pair of socks.  They just happened to have this lovely wool on sale – Jo Sharp DK Wool – and I just happened to have a pattern in mind for it.

This is the Nordic Memories pullover from Interweave Knits, Winter 2003. This was the first Interweave magazine I ever bought – I had just learned to knit, and I looked through and said “Someday… someday…” Now, almost three years later, I am finally ready to tackle the color work and learn how to do Fair Isle.

CosmicPluto did this sweater last winter, and I can’t wait to have my own version. Brown as the base color, cream as the bird’s eye pattern, and eggplant as the collar and sleeve edge. Jenna and I sat on the floor of All About Yarn putting this combo together, and I really couldn’t be happier.

Adding another knit to the list… yet another “good intention”.

PS - What a loss! You’ll be missed, Steve.

The yarn is handpainted laceweight from Woolarina. It is very nice to work with, and seems to be a perfect match for this garment. The original pattern called for a brushed mohair, but I was able to get gauge with this yarn, and it will be a nice lightweight hoodie for transitional weather – like now! – and also perfect for beach trips. There is so much yardage in these skeins (purchased at last year's Crafty Bastards fair in DC) that I am still on skein one and almost half-way through the project. There are definitely going to be leftovers, and I am thinking a lacy scarf is just the way to go!

The pattern "Women's Mohair Hoodie" is from the handy-dandy Knitting to Go Deck.This is one of the 25 pattern cards enclosed in the deck. Each of the patterns are simple and classic in nature – perfect for gifts and for timeless knits for babies, children, men and women. I split the deck with my sister and my mom, who liked many of the beginner patterns.

With the remnants of Hurricane Ernesto hovering over Maryland, and a special visitor coming to knit with me today, I have a feeling that the Pom Hoodie will be finished in the very near future…. no more lingering around!

In the interest of full disclosure, I have something to show you:

So, there you have it. I bought some yarn. However, I feel that I am completely justified – just shy of the deadline for Summer of Stash – but still 100% justified. I did not any exceptions – even when I was on vacation; AND I actually started my yarn diet after Maryland Sheep and Wool festival at the beginning of May. I am pretty happy with my purchases – and I am even happier about how I got them…

Carole posted a few weeks ago on her blog about her upcoming DC trip. I have been reading Carole's blog for a long time, so I was excited at the chance to meet her! So excited, in fact, that I left my camera's memory card at home when Erin and I went to meet with Carole in Alexandria, VA last Thursday! … despite my emptyheadedness, we had a great time doing our yarn crawl! Erin and I drove down from MD and met with Carole at Springwater Fiber Workshop. Such a great shop with a nice selection. I picked up a ball of Karabella Aurora 8 for some gift knitting, and some Louet Gems sock yarn.

(Thanks Carole for posting the pics!) After a yummy lunch, we trekked over to Knit Happens. This was my first visit to the shop, and I was so happy to see that my blog friends Holly and Rossana were both working! We were the only ones in the shop, and we spent our time playing with the yarns, looking at all of the new fall catalogs, and having a general great time! And, I did not leave empty-handed… in fact, Rossana helped me pad my bag with some Rowan Cotton Tape – on clearance, I might add. Cotton Tape is a favorite yarn of mine – I used it for both Virtue and Carla. Now with the lovely Lap colorway, I am planning a solid version of Tammy…

… I hope wearing this sweater does not induce the same bad posture and laissez-faire attitude…

You can read more about our Thursday fun at MamaE's blog and Carole's blog!

Have a lovely weekend!

1. Kris Bowling, 2. Bowling Shoes, 3. Lots of balls, 4. Lolly Bowling (Arr!)

Then again, it may have been the roller derby/pirate face that helped me get my game on at the lanes last Friday night!  We met up with a friend of Kris's for dinner, and then we needed something else to do.  We were all so indecisive about what to do, and then someone suggested bowling… I snickered, but then I remembered that I had a fun time last year when I bowled with my sisters, so I gave it a go.  And I was good!  Kris said I had just the right "spin" on my ball. 

This past weekend was dreadfully hot, so there were no bike rides or farmer's market visits. We had a nice dinner with our neighbors: Kris and F played a mean table tennis match, while V and I talked about sewing.  I really need to catch that sewing bug that is going around – can you pass it this way, Blossom?

I finished the knitting portion of Mimi's present.  I am reworking one area that was problematic, but overall, I am pretty happy with the result.  I hope she will be too! After some minor fixings, it will be winging its way to Hawaii… hopefully by tomorrow… then I can reveal more details.

So, am I the only one who has some leftover works-in-progress from Project Spectrum color months?  I am still working on the Pom Hoodie (from March!) and I have several other knits that never saw the glorious cast-off day.  I started a discussion on the Flickr Project Spectrum group, and suggested a Clean Sweep month – September – when PS participants finish up their leftover crafts.  What do you think about that?  Of course, any feedback is welcome and highly encouraged!!

All I can say is that it has been a GREAT ride – and these five months have completely flown by!  And we still have half a month of purple left and a whole neutrals month!  I do encourage participation in the Flickr Project Spectrum group – because it is nearly impossible to visit all of your sites and blogs to see your current crafts.  Flickr puts it in a great format, and allows comments as well, so check it out.

Last but not least, we had a great time at the Columbia Meetup last night – and we had SIX new people join us!  Welcome Erin, Jen, Christa, Diane, Cherie, and Shayna! (Actually Shayna is an old friend, but it was her first time at the meetup) Hope to see you back at the next knit nite! Laura tells more about the fun we had in her post; I swear my cheeks hurt afterward from laughing so hard! 

Erin, Jen, and Christa are initiated into the group!

More pics
(including the ol' crew of MamaE, Coleen, Eunny, Laura and Amie)

I had every intention of blogging last night with the winner of the little contest, but I got caught up in the best game on earth. Just as predicted, I bawled like a little baby when the game finished, and I am sure I would have done the same had the Oilers had won. The tears started even before the Cup came out! Amazing!

So, without further ado… the winner of the Cotton Tape is…

Amy at I Heart Knitting!

Thanks for all of the entries! Stay tuned for another contest next month… it is a great way to celebrate big events (like my upcoming 2-year blogiversary!)

With Carla off the needles, I decided to assess my current works-in-progress. Project Spectrum has helped me choose projects for the past four months. The yarn is in the stash, and I am just deciding how to use it best. The biggest “linger knit” is my Pomegranate Hoodie; named for the lovely color of the Woolarina yarn (and its striking similarity to my favorite fruit.)

Just as a reminder, this simple hoodie pattern is from the Knitting to Go deck. It calls for mohair, but I am using a laceweight hand-dyed merino, and it is working very well. The completed back looks “skinny” but will really open up after a good blocking. I started on a sleeve during last night’s hockey game, and plan to take this one to the beach with me this weekend. I started it in Project Spectrum’s Pink/Red month of March, and as the months passed and I started new color projects, it fell by the wayside.

My sock projects are a little behind this month, but I am not worried. I rarely wear socks in the summertime, but I plan to use the Summer of Socks and the Trek Along with Me knitalongs to enhance my sock drawer for the fall and winter. The Summer of Socks only counts socks knit between the Summer Solstice (tomorrow, June 21st) and the Autumnal Equinox (September 21st). So my Blueberry Waffle socks will not count for this, but my Trekking socks most definitely will… as soon as I decide on a pattern! I have a few in mind, but am very open to suggestions. For Trekking yarns, I prefer simple patterns, in order to show off the natural variegation/striping of the yarn.

I also started something new, and you will probably not see it again until it is finished.

It is another super secret sister knit- this time for Mimi. She turns 23 next month, and I wanted to do something special. That is all I am going to say about it – I want some element of surprise!

Our weekend was great – Saturday started early with our longest bike ride yet (18 miles) and later inthe afternoon, we took Kris’s dad out for dinner. On Sunday, I spent the day with my family. Unfortunately my camera had some problems, and I was not able to document any of it. The last picture I took was one of my sister making a ridiculous face – I think this picture must have broken it!

It was Dad’s day, but I spent a good time in the afternoon knitting with my mom. I brought over my swift and ballwinder, and we wound up her stash. She has some beautiful yarns – mostly from the Festival, and a few gifts from me.

She has been knitting and felting up a storm! She just completed her third felted purse. The large multi-colored one was my Mother’s Day gift to her – a felt kit from Cloverhill Yarn Shop. It is Lamb’s Pride Worsted and Noro Kuryeon. The smaller purses are both Sophie bags from MagKnits.She is planning her next project: she wants to make her first garment!

Although I don’t like losing an hour of the day, I always enjoy going back to Daylight Savings Time. There is just more daylight to enjoy time outdoors, and to get some natural light pictures of knitting! This week has been very busy – both at work and at school – so crafting time has suffered a little. However, my mom’s secret birthday project is going well (the reveal next week, hopefully!), and I started the armhole decreases for my Pom Hoodie.

The Woolarina yarn is so beautiful! I love working with it! Lucky Lolly also has 2 more Woolarinas in the stash – one that fits particularly well in this month’s color theme. I hope I am able to get to this skein; I have many yellow and orange projects in my mind for this month.

The big skein is the Woolarina sock weight, and Paula was kind enough to include two little handspun skeins, and a great rubber stamp card! Thank you!

And another recent acquisition that brought much excitement…

Love the book, ladies! I read it yesterday – cover to cover – and fell in love with the patterns. I love the simplicity of the designs, and the clean lines. The best part about all of this is:

Kay and Ann are coming to DC next week!

They have three tour stops here in the city, and the best night for me is Tuesday at Politics & Prose (a perfect excuse to get to that amazing bookstore!) If anyone else is going to be there on Tuesday night, let me know!

I got the great postcard in the mail today from a Postcrossing pal in Finland. Little did she know it would fit in so well with Project Spectrum! The orange floral fabric was a scrap I picked up at the thrift store a few weeks ago, and the little orange triangular beads are destined to be a project this month too. I just need an idea what to do with them…

Some fun little bits I just have to share!

• Mama E started a Project Spectrum Sock Club! She is planning to dye yarns to match the colors of each month through August – and send them to you for a very reasonable price! Go over to her blog and check it out! Space is limited though, so hurry!
• The Project Spectrum Flickr Group is a beautiful sight to behold! There are some amazing photographs there! Because Project Spectrum has grown SO big, and it is impossible to visit all of the participants blogs, you should check out the photos… creativity everywhere!
• This is the premiere week of Stylelicious, the new show on DIY Network, hosted by the brilliant ladies of the Austin Craft Mafia. The episode aired today, and will rerun this weekend. The first project is revamping vintage and thrift store clothes.
• Friends and fellow bloggers Sheryl and Amylovie’s new yarn shop, Yarntopia, is open for business! If you are in the Houston, Texas area, check out their lovely store in Katy! and if you can’t make it to TX right away (like me) keep up with the Yarntopia store’s blog! (They created a Project Spectrum display for the store! How exciting!)

This weekend is the Meetup on the Mall! See my sidebar for the details and times! It would be great to see you! Bring a blanket for some sitting and knitting (or whichever craft you choose to bring!)

I made a little collage from some of the yellow pictures I took while I was in New York City last month – thought it was a good time to share!

One last pink and red hoorah…

All the pinks and reds in my world this past month… the flowers, the knits, the postcards, the books, the collectibles – I truly had rose-colored glasses this month! And some 900 of you did too! Many participants chose to showcase their projects on their blogs, while others used the Project Spectrum Flickr page. It is a great inspiration to see all of your lovely creations, and I thank you so much for sharing yourself and your creativity in this Project.

The fun is not over!! Many more colors over the next few months! Remember that Project Spectrum is a no-pressure project. It can be as big or as small as you want to make it. You can create anything you desire – please do not think you have to knit something every month! This may be primarily a knitting blog, but ALL crafts are welcomed in Project Spectrum!

As the month comes to a close (only a few minutes away!), I have a few more pink and red photos to share…

Cherry Blossom trees at the peak bloom
(Don’t forget the Festival Knit on the National Mall!)

A sweet gift from Lisa! Thank you for the lovely package! I can’t wait to play with the seed beads!

My March Postcard from Ashley! I just love it! Thank you!

I have a secret knit in the works – for a certain mother of mine who has a birthday in a few days – so knitting content has been on the DL. I did however get a few more inches on my "Pom" hoodie. I love working with this Woolarina yarn!

Little bit of red and orange combined! A perfect transition knit!

Ready for some sunshiney yellow happiness tomorrow!?

This yarn is from Woolarina – the handspun and hand-dyed yarn line of two great girls: Paula and Kate. I bought it last October at the DC Crafty Bastards Arts and Crafts Fair.

Since it is kind of pink and kind of orange, I figured I would start this project in the latter part of March and extend it into April, keeping with the Project Spectrum color themes.

I saw this pattern in the new Knitting To Go deck, and really liked the simple lines and construction. I thought it would look great in a wool (á la KnitPicks) but I decided to dig in the stash and see if any of my yarns would work. The Woolarina merino laceweight crossed my mind… I swatched at the Columbia Knit Night (fun Monday night!) and finally got gauge when I went up a few needle sizes.

About three inches into the back of the body, and I am really liking the results. It will be a great airy sweater for spring and summer – over camisoles and tanks, and will transition well into the cooler temperatures.

Although the temperatures dipped back down and things are still pretty chilly here in Maryland, the flowers and trees are starting to bloom, and the promise that spring is right aroung the corner!

So… why not celebrate spring?

The National Cherry Blossom Festival begins this weekend on the National Mall in Washington, DC!

I was talking to my girl, Heather on the phone, and we thought it would be fun to have an informal knitter meetup at the Festival!

Sunday, April 9th
2:00 pm at the Washington Monument
(See the PDF Map for Directions)

Come for some knitting, socializing, and fresh spring air!

Perhaps we could bring some blankets and find a grassy knoll to sit and knit upon? Please email me if you are interested in meeting up for the afternoon, or if you have further suggestions (like a rain location? just in case!) It would be great to see all of you there!

The April Project Spectrum Postcard Swap is about three times the size of the March swap! So, if you have not received your postcard pal’s name yet, it will be on the way shortly! I hope to get all of the emails out by this weekend.

In the meantime, I wanted to share with you some of the new project ideas that have spun off from the original Project Spectrum idea. I just love to see these crafters taking the idea and running with it!

• Zarah is taking names for her Project Spectrum Hand-dyed Yarn Swap! If you love to dye your own yarn, and send fun mail packages, this swap is definitely for you! Sign up over at her blog – and make it quick – The deadline is tomorrow (24th)!
• Webfrau has taken Project Spectrum into the digital realm with her new project on the Digital Scrapbook Place. If you like scrapbooking and web design and art, you have to check out this great idea! More details on her blog.
• Lynne started Project: Colorswap, a Secret-Pal style swap where all items in the package match the month’s color. Although sign-ups are already closed, it will be fun to watch what the recipients make and swap with each other!
• Mama-E rolled out some of her new hand-dyed sock yarns… and look at that! There is a colorway named after yours truly! It is yellow and orange – perfect for April! (She is taking orders!)

Mama-E was kind enough to send me a lovely hank of the eponymous colorway, and although it is a little early for the yellow/orange extravaganza, you can see how beautifully this yarn is knitting up! I am doing a simple lace eyelet cuff on this sock, and with this yarn, it looks like a HONEYCOMB! So, that is what I will call them. Yum!

Have a wonderful Thursday!