Knitting's Not So Little Challenges

A KnitPicks blog alert popped up in my inbox today featuring a collection of Scandinavian inspired patterns called “Northern Lights.” Have you seen it yet? GORGEOUS patterns. They are the kinds of awe-inspiring designs that make you say “wow, I could never knit that.” I mean, take a look at the Asea sweater below … doesn’t it just blow your mind? I seriously think it would take me a year and a whole lot of Xanax to finish that sweater. I love a challenge, but I think that particular sweater is a bit beyond me. I am, however, considering the Baldrun sweater as a deep winter project (or maybe it should be an early winter project so I can wear it in the deep winter, ha).  I love it, and it would be my first attempt at a zippered knit.

Asea Sweater - KnitPicks

Baldrun Sweater - KnitPicks

Adelaide Sweater

I tried my hand at fair isle knitting earlier this year with the Adelaide Yoke Pullover, published in Vintage Modern Knits. It was a fairly simple pattern that didn’t cause too much heartburn. If I had a better color sense, I might have done things a little differently, but overall I was really pleased with the end result.

Right now, I’m working on the Owls sweater. I’ve had this one in my queue for about two years now—and I’m not alone, seeing as how it is currently in over 10,000 other Ravelry queues as well. So far it’s been a very easy knit. I’m on sleeve two and should be ready to connect the pieces and start on the owl yoke in the next couple of days.

Knit Red Cowl Neck Sweater

I’ve been on a kind of knitting mission lately. After doing an inventory of my near-hoarder-level amounts of yarn, I realized that I need to kick my knitting into high gear if for nothing else than to free up some space in my spare bedroom/craft room. I’m aiming to knit a sweater a month for the next six months or so and maybe some small projects in between. Earlier in August I made a baby blanket for my new nephew Evan and later in the month I finished a short-sleeve cowl neck sweater from the Knit Red book that turned out super cute but not my size. It will be a good gift for my perpetually thin mother.

With so many projects in my queue, the only dilemma I really have is which one to work on next. Not a bad dilemma I suppose.