One Step Back, But Some Steps Forwards Too

I ripped Navy Ribs.
I feel better now.

The Red Sandstone Cardi marches on. I wish, wish, wish the pattern had a schematic so that I could be sure I'm doing the right thing. I have been peering a lot at ambermoggie's photos for reassurance. I think it should be illegal to publish patterns without schematics, just as it should be illegal to sell dvds without subtitles. So there.
It looks too wide under the arms but I've checked the instructions repeatedly and when I try it on, it's about right. I think I'll need to buy a little more yarn. It is sadly no longer available at the astonishing price it was when I bought this, so a couple of extra balls will cost as much as six did then, so I'll wait until I'm quite sure.

Yes, the rosewood circs are fab, Mary Lou. They're a German brand, Suzanne's. I have a few pairs of the circs and one set of dpns as well as set of their ebony dpns. I found the ebony slightly too resistant for sock knitting, but I expect they would be perfect for some yarn or another. They're made from left overs from musical-instrument making, which is about as close as I'm ever likely to get to playing one.

These are the navy fingerless mitts I mentioned in my last post. It's the Toasty pattern, rendered in navy Jet with flashes of Noro Silk Garden.
Not a good choice for anyone who is inclined to fiddle with things, as I didn't fasten off the green bits very securely, but they'll last a winter.
The Jet is a bit thicker than the recommended yarn, but I cast on the same number of stitches so they fit my huge hands. They're really a swatch for Kaari, because I'm using 5.5mms for the pink jacket and I needed to check what I get on 5mms: I seem to be bang on target.

After I mentioned how nice Jet would be for a Pinwheel baby blanket, I checked out eBay and someone was selling a pack of it in white - serendipity strikes again.
It's not as bright a white as it looks here. It's a nice soft baby white, with a subtle alpaca sheen. If I find out in time whether it is a girl cold or a boy cold*, I might put in a band of colour towards the edge, and I'll do a lace border like I did here, although I think I'll do a different border this time, just for the sake of the change.

I've received a knitting commission, as a birthday present. A retro tank top is required, like this one from the Boden catalogue.

I was surprised how long it took me to track down a pattern: I thought there would be lots, but they mostly have some shaping or cabling or something else which would interfere with the idea. I think this is promising though, and it's in the same gauge as fabulous Felted Tweed. I hope to take the flowers from Ruth Sorenson's (she of the Kauni cardigans) Spring pattern, as seen on the right. I've had my eye on those daisies for a while.

Felted Tweed comes in a good dark sea green and a navy which I think would look fab, but I am awaiting final instructions. I might swatch a flower when I run out of red sandstone Jet, as I have plenty of Felted Tweed lying around, providing temptation to the better class of moth.

Fyberspates will be at K1 Yarns with her yarns on Sunday (at the Glasgow shop on Saturday) and I might go. I haven't knitted up any of the yarn I bought from her at Woolfest, but I have knitted the golden silk I commissioned ... do you think I dare go?

*My wife has a cold but in about a month will be over it. I hope it is a boy cold, but will love whatever the gods send. Oscar Wilde, in a letter to a friend