WIP: Spring Tops, Tanks, and Tees KAL 2013

Last month I heard about the Spring Tops, Tanks, and Tee KAL started by Shannon, and I instantly knew I wanted to participate. And since I was feeling ambitious (you know, that beginning-of-a-KAL ambitious, when you think you are superhuman and your schedule is wide open and you'll be able to knit like like the wind), I decided to cast on for two projects. One for me, and one for Lila.

For Lila, I've long admired the adorable Marguerite top, which I think would be perfect for summer. I've chosen to knit it in a creamsicle orange (Tanis Fiber Arts blue label fingering in 'Orange Blossom').

For myself, I wanted to make another Wildflower tank, since I never got the original back. I've chosen a lovely green silk, and it's coming along really well (by really well, I mean it's on the needles):

It's so weird to knit your own pattern after a long time has passed, because I feel like this is the first time I've ever seen it. I'm knitting a size up, since I haven't lost the last 5 pounds from my pre-pregnancy days and I'm feeling a little resigned to them at this point. But I still fit into my pre-pregnancy jeans, so it can't be that bad.

November KAL- Planning for Upsized Lace

I'm participating the November KALs for Tanis Fiber Arts, which is one holiday knitting KAL and one accessory knitting KAL. I'm knitting two things (one is a Christmas gift, shhh!) but the other is an experiment!

It has been raining and really overcast for 5 solid days. Good photos? What are those?

That skein on the far left is the Cobalt Colourway (Red Label) and the three skeins are the Deep Sea colourway (Green Label)

 
The Green Label is for Nashira, which I'm planning on upsizing. The pattern is originally for fingering weight yarn and a size 3 (3.25 mm) needle, but I'm going to knit it with aran weight yarn and a 5 mm (US 8) needle  for a big, wintery version. I can see how it will look in my head, and I hope that the awesomeness translates into reality on the needles! 

Mitten Update

I tweaked the chart for the mitten I'm working on, and I think I've hit on a more balanced colourwork scheme:

 unblocked colourwork knit on dpns... always looks blegh.

I only have a few more days to finish the mittens for the KAL- I think a more realistic aim is to finish one mitt! I noticed I want to make a slight change in the thumb gusset chart, so I want to fix that before I knit the second one.  I'm really liking the colour combinations, I've been wanting to inject more brights into my winter accessories, since I often go for a black or grey coat and let's face it- everything pretty much goes with black and grey. And these colours would make a basic winter coat something so much more interesting, don't you think?

Colours for a New Design (maybe)

Tanis Fiber Arts is having a Colourwork Knit/Crochet Along, May 14 - June 17th, and I'm really looking forward to participating! The goal is to knit pretty much anything, using as many colours of TFA yarn as you'd like. I'm having fun picking through my stash and leftover skeins from other projects ... I like the idea of a challenge, so I'm going to try to create a new design. We'll see what happens!

 I'm planning on doing something with the four colours above- I love how they look together. The yarns I have in my stash aren't necessarily the same weight, and the one on the far left is a single ply, but I'm interested to see how it plays out in the knitting.  I'm not too sure yet exactly what it will become- currently I'm leaning towards some mitts (maybe fingerless?), with a (yet undecided) main colour, and the four above as the focal point. I'm having fun exploring some different ideas, and I'll begin swatching today- cast on will take place officially on Monday, May 14th!