Sweater Weather

...so I have tried taking moody, arty  photos...the kind where the model is looking off into the distance, or scowling at something off camera.  Or having only half the body in the picture frame...but they always look contrived and self conscious.  I think I would need to be a photographer or something to be able to take those kind of pictures.  So for now, you will have to suffer through with my corny, 'self-portraits' standing in the back yard or my very poorly lit dress form in front of a blank wall.  I may put 'taking better pictures' on my list of things to do, or not....

Anyway, here is a collection of non-photographer photos of some of the knitting projects I have been finishing up this fall.  

I like to have a knitting project when I travel.  But there comes a time in every project that requires counting, or fiddly work that just doesn't happen on an airplane.  Or they get so big that it is hard to shove them into my carry-on bag.  Instead of finishing the project I just start another one and at some point I end up with several mostly knitted sweaters.  As I was trolling around for yet another project to take on some up coming trips, I stumble on three nearly finished sweaters.  Fortunately I had worked on them in the relatively recent past so I knew what I needed to do to wrap them up.  

The vest was a very quick project.  Big fluffy yarn, size humongous needles, and no sleeves!!!
It's chunky and cozy and will be great this fall and winter.

The yarn was a purchase at the West Michigan Fiber Fest several years ago.  I really liked the earthy colors and the way the spinner had made the yarn tightly twisted in some places and left almost no twist in other places.

My cardigan is actually a pattern called "Order of the Garter."  I don't often use patterns because it is difficult to add and change them for my vertical challenges, and I spend more time trying to figure out the abbreviations than actually knitting!!!  But I wanted to try a 'top-down' pattern and thought working in only knit stitches would take at least one element out of the equation.  I did have to add to the sleeve length but that was fairly easy.  

I am very pleased with the result!  Not sure if it will encourage me to try more patterns, but this one was relatively drama free and I finished it!!

















The last 'unfinished object' is a self designed pattern knitted with a tweedy cotton yarn called Tetra Cotton by Rowan.  I really wanted the unusual yarn to be the star of the sweater so the style is very simple.  A boxy top with drop shoulders and long sleeves.


           

So I have an empty knitting basket but three lovely sweaters finished just in time for fall!

And I can cast on another project, guilt-free!