Summer Sweater Knitalong!!!

As many of you know I am an avid reader of the blog luvinthemommyhood.  About a month ago Shannon posted a question to her readers about what should be her very first sweater knit.  The comments led to an amazing knitalong that she is hosting and I am so excited to be a part of it!  Not only did I help write a post on yarn choices or even that I'm throwing in a few treats for the end giveaway but I have also cast on for a lovely sweater.

In fact I currently have TWO sweaters on my needles both of which are for me!  If everything goes according to my plans I should have 2 completed sweaters for my by the 1st of September!  I am beyond excited.  It is every knitters dream to have a wardrobe of sweaters for fall but the reality of life is that husbands, kids, cooking, and laundry tend to get in the way of that dream.  However, with a little planning and a giant push from other knitters working along side you some dreams can come true.

I thought today would be a great day to showcase the pattern I've chosen and the progress I've made.  I have been working on Hannah Fettig's Gooseberry Cardigan since Mother's day and I am about 65%-70% of the way through it.

Gooseberry Cardigan by Hannah Fettig
Featured in Interweave Knits, Weekend 2009

As you can see it is a delicious little number and mine is purple too, although a much darker purple.  You can see my progress here if you are on ravelry.  However, in the exact same magazine is another fab sweater and as I have been knitting my cardi I would be completely enamored by it.  I thought how fun it would be to wear and loved all the patterns in it.  Wanna see?

Reversible Come and Go Sweater by Deborah Newton
Featured in Interweave Knits, Weekend 2009

As you can see it is highly patterned but I think that it compliments my current stockinette stitch Gooseberry Cardigan.  I cast on for the sweater last Wednesday and have made some serious progress...

Not a bad pic for a cell phone camera, eh?

What you see is the the left front (or right back if you wanted to wear the buttons in the back).  I thought it would be best to start of easily into the pattern by working on a front first.  Though I honestly could have started with the back.  It is super easy, you just have to have markers along with pencil and paper to keep track of repeats and decreases and increases.

As you can see from the photo I'm already done with the waistband and have about 2 more inches of knitting before decreasing again for the sleeve.  The pattern isn't difficult and I can still watch tv or movies while knitting it.  However it does keep the sweater interesting and I don't like to put it down :)

What I also love about this is that both of the sweaters I'm knitting I using yarn that I already had in my stash!  What with my purging and all this was a big PLUS in my book.  I am actually putting to use that which I already have.

The yarn I am using for the KAL sweater is Knit Picks Gloss.  It is a sock weight yarn that I am carrying double thus allowing me to knit the sweater on US 8s as opposed to rewriting the numbers and all to accomplish this on US 4s.  I love the yarn as it is a merino and silk blend and if you've never knitting with double yarns do not fear it for it is not difficult.  In fact I wound my ball double so that I'm only working from one ball of yarn and not two.

I promise I won't blather on anymore about this (well for today).  I wish you all a happy Tuesday!

{{hugs}}
Buffy

So what do you think of my pattern choice?  I love the color!  It is sooooo me and will be perfect for Autumn.  Are you working on anything ambitious?  Do share!  Grab some water and let's chat!