Happy Holy Week

I didn't plan on giving up blogging for Lent, but I guess I did. Before Ash Wednesday, I considered it, but decided it wasn't necessary. So I am amused that God has seen fit to make my life inconducive to blogging during these six weeks! I could point to a lot of ordinary life events that would excuse the lack of blogging, but they really wouldn't be the reason - something spiritual is afoot and I can't wait to see the fruits of God's labor.

As for sewing, not much has gone on there either, although there has been some. I'll get photos tomorrow of the latest Liverpool Tunic, and I am currently working on a dress from the same Liverpool pattern, made from the batik quilt back I got at the Mid-Atlantic Quilt Show. For some reason, getting the collar on that dress has been the challenge of my life, even though this is the third time I have sewn up this pattern. I need to move onto to something else and that something else is already picked out: my first Burda pattern.

Meanwhile, my goal of learning to knit has come along nicely. I'm knitting Debbie Bliss' Pleated Wrap in her Spring/Summer 2009 magazine. This is what I have so far:

You can see where my knitting was somewhat tight in the beginning, got considerably looser, but now has settled at the (hopefully) appropriate gauge. (You can also see where my knitting got a bit wrinkled in my knitting bag - it's been awhile since I worked on this as well.) Here is a close up:

I'm pretty pleased with the pleated part. It's an easy pattern Eileen turned me onto, and the yarn is Debbie Bliss as well; a cotton/bamboo blend. It feels fabulous!

This project will provide a lot more practice on knitting, purling, short rows, and endless counting - the wrap is to be nearly six feet long when finished! I've cycled through three sets of needles on this project already: bamboo, aluminum, and now circular. Knitting requires as much stash "stuff" as sewing!

Speaking of knitting, Loy turned Eileen and me onto to a great knitting blog, Mason-Dixon Knitting. Be sure to watch the gas commercial, and then be sure to watch the making of the gas commerical. Really cool!