The simp

Kind of like this, only different.

I came across these pics of Jessica wearing this sweater several months ago and thought I’d like a comfy, soft sweater to knock around in.  Obviously, though, I’m not followed by paparazzi noticing how often I’ll wear my sweater nor will I ever wear it with Uggs.

Because I’m not a celeb, I ordered some super soft Drops Alpaca boucle yarn, mocked up an A-line oversized sweater pattern and started knitting.  In stockinette, for like, ever!  I’ve knit and knit and come out with a sweater body I really like.  My sweater is similarly proportioned to the Jessica sweater, but I opted for normal sleeve widths because I do my own chores and such.

I really do have a neck people!

What’s the problem?  I don’t like the neck I knit on the sweater.  I wanted a loose squooshy turtleneck thing, but one that would not touch my neck because that heebs me out.  We all have our things.

What does that fabulous idea look like?

Yeah, not so good in the neck department.  It looks like I donated my neck to science right?  And may I just add, I have a rather long neck so I really did a number here.  I shall have to rip out and perhaps come up with a ribbed turtle neck like on the Jessica sweater.  Can I mention how hard it is to rip out this boucle?  I’ll put it off for a few days to gather my patience and strength.

It’s summer

Most of a sleeve with a pile of sweater parts.

It’s officially summer.  How is that determined you ask?  Because I just got my first “aggressive” bikini wax of the season.  Too much information.  Sure.  Get over it?  Sure.  Gophers and calendars be damned.

Other than the above (which we shall not discuss again – no doubt to everyone’s relief) I’ve got lots of piles.  Piles of knitting.  Piles of cut out dress pieces.  No completed anything.  I also looked at my schedule today to see when I worked on Friday and found out I actually work on Thursday.  Oops!  Seriously dudes, I work like two states over so it’s not just a hop into the car situation.  Handled it though!

So back to my piles.  The knitting pile is the almost complete first sleeve of my Drops Alpaca Boucle sweater.  Can I tell you how dull yet lovely this pullover will be?  It’s soft and squishy but all stockinette.  You couldn’t see a stitch pattern in the boucle yarn anyway, but I think I’ll wear this sweater to death when it’s eventually done.

The dress is Burda 03-2013-131 which will hopefully be cute and not crazy.  It’s got fluttery sleeves that need underpinnings so side boob isn’t showing up constantly.  I think I’ve got a plan, but it will have to wait until next week when I finish working.  The fabric is some lovely paisley rayon challis I bought at Britex after a dental appointment (yes my dentist was carefully chosen to be in the Britex neighborhood).  Not really.  It’s just a bonus though.  It’s a pretty fabric I had to have despite being stupid expensive (for me that is).  I then cut it up for a panel skirted dress…who’s not much of a planner?

I shall leave you with my favorite cactus of last week’s trip.  What?  You don’t have a favorite cactus of the week?  Shame, you should get out more.

Good morning cactus!

Older not wiser.

Tulips, knitting and cake. Good times.

Thanks for all the birthday love on Facebook and Twitter!  Yes indeed, I had a birthday yesterday and there were presents, cake, artisan cocktails, fun – and the yummiest steak frites ever! A great day.

I like to bake little birthday cakes for my peeps (including moi), just enough to celebrate but not enough to have masses of cake leftover.  I know that cake looks massive but it’s really only 6″ across.  It’s chocoloate cake, filled with raspberry/kirsch and iced with chocolate ganache.  All chocolate is Green and Black bittersweet organic so this cake is not too sweet yet super yum!  And yes, it will be my breakfast today since I’m working out with my trainer later.

The Tulip Watch 2013 continues with the three Claudias you see in the bottom picture.  One is a bit past it today but the other two are looking good.  The front tulips are doing F-all flowerwise at present so we won’t mention them.

Craftwise I’m more than halfway done with the back of my self styled alpaca boucle Poodle Sweater.  It’s easy to knit this up when watching movies so I hope to make a bit of progress every day.  The only downside I can see is that an alpaca sweater with the current temperatures will cause me to spontaneously combust.  Still, we’ll probably get a cooling trend sometime.

I also finished sewing up a knit dress that I should love but don’t.  I’ll force myself to take pics and share, just not today.  It’s too annoying really.  I’m just going to have to ignore it for a bit.

Thanks again for the lovely wishes! xoxo

Oodles of poodles

Can you see how soft and fluffy this is?

For some reason everything I’m interested in making these days is falling into the “comfy/cozy” category.  I wonder if that means anything?  Probably not, I’m not that self aware or introspective.  Really.

What you see in all it’s creamy poodle glory is the beginnings of the back of the Poodle Sweater.  I’m imagining it as oversized and comfy with drop sleeves and a loose turtleneck or small cowl.  The yarn is Drops Alpaca Boucle and feels like heaven!  Boucle can be a bitch with which to knit because of those loops, but I’m using a nice slippery, pretty sharp metal needle.  Not so bad and it’s at aran gauge so it’ll go fairly quickly, and I’m knitting it flat since it’s going to be a bit bulky.  Easier to handle in pieces.

The pattern in one I’m making up as I go, using a few calculations of course.  I’m not a moron.  Well I can be if one remembers me losing the last ball of yarn on my previous sweater make, frogging and then finding it…moron that.  This time the yarn is all corralled up in a big bag that is in a special place, no wayward balls please (that’ll make a good google hit).

Now I’m off to work and cold places.  I’m cold already thinking about my non-tropical layovers…