WIP Wednesday

I have two sweaters on and off the needles this Wednesday.  It's very exciting!  At least it's exciting for a knitting nerd.  A couple weeks ago I showed my Beer Sweater in progress.  Today it has a completed back and one a a half completed side panels.  As you can see to the lower right there is a hole left in the fabric for a pocket.  I am so very excited for a sweater with a pockets.  By next week I hope there will be a sleeve to show too.

 This is my Bayside Pullover.  I started it early in the year but didn't quite manage to finish before summer took hold.  Summer came on strong and early here this year.  This sweater sat for the last few months with just the bottom ribbing to go.  I finally got it off the needles last weekend when we had a cool and rainy day.  Ends needs to be woven and blocking needs to be done.  Looking forward to a new sweater for my wardrobe! 

The yarn used was Knitted Wit single ply fingering for those interested.  This sweater is definitely an accomplishment.  My first pullover and it was knit in fingering on size 4 needles.  That's a lot of stockinette, people!

I loved this pattern.  It is such a classic design, simple and gently fitted with just a little bit of flair with the raglan cables running down the side.  Totally my style.

Extra Looong Weekend

I had a nice extended vacation weekend with some time spent camping by a lake, kayaking with a very scared little dog, concert-going, gardening, knitting and canning!  I took a knitting project along for camping.  It's always a great time to get some work done, sitting around the fire or lounging by the lake.  I pulled out my needles and pattern the first morning and discovered to my dismay that the next row of instructions called for a larger size needle.  So sad, so very sad.  I did not get any knitting done on my trip.  Most of what would have been time my hands were occupied with wool, turned into time my hands were occupied with beer or snacks.  Whoops!  I had a great time though and I just had to push my self-imposed deadline for this project down another week.  So it goes.

After we returned from camping I did some much needed work in the garden.  It had been pretty neglected for a couple weeks with back to back company and out of town trips.  I cleaned up a few things, transplanted some of my winter garden starts including, cauliflower, cabbage and cold hearty lettuce.  I'm trying out some new lettuce varieties that I am pretty excited about and I planted January King cabbage for the first time too.  I have never had great success with cabbage, but these guys look like winners!  We'll see come January...

I worked through our backlog of tomatoes too, getting another 6 pints of salsa in the larder and another batch of plain tomato sauce for the freezer.  I keep trying to make enough tomato sauce to can, but I never have enough tomatoes ripe all at the same time.  I have 4 bags in the freezer now, which will serve us all the same, but it sure is convenient to be able to grab a can off the shelf instead of having to plan ahead and thaw a freezer bag.  So it goes.

I also finished knitting what was supposed to have been my Spring sweater earlier this year.  I didn't quite finish it before the weather turned warm and I put it on hold over the summer.  It's off the needles now and just needs blocking.  It's making me look forward to the first blustery day so I can wear it!  Pictures will come tomorrow for WIP Wednesday!