What Comes Next?

I am thinking about what my next knitting project will be. I rashly stated that there would be no more kimonos for Bean, but perhaps I lied.

I was making the Two Needle Baby Sweater from the Knitter's Almanac, but I think I will frog it. The round yoke is cute, but too girly for Bean. You understand, I haven't met Bean yet, but I am positive, unshakeably certain that he would object to that sweater. Even if I could find a different stitch pattern for the body, I can imagine Bean getting all red in the face when wearing that sweater.

In order to keep peace in Diametrag's family, and shut down my over-active imagination, I am looking for another baby sweater for Bean. I briefly considered the Surplice Baby Jacket in Vogue Knitting (Spring/Summer 2007). I'm not crazy about the applied I-cord, or the grafted seam on top of the sleeves. I have yet to finish the sleeves on a BSJ, and will need to find some directions for grafting garter stitch in order to do it properly.

I also have the little bits of cotton left from the 2 Sachiko Kimonos. I plan to knit a square, then wash and dry in the machine. Yeah, I should have done that before knitting two kimonos. I need to see if the colors bleed, and how badly it shrinks when they get tossed in the machine.

None of this is as much fun as simply grabbing the needles, casting on and knitting like a fool while the Red Wings win another game. I'm still undecided, and I may tat a bit while I think about kimonos for Bean.

One Step Forward, Two Steps Back

I started another pair of Socks for Me, this time in Tofutsies, color #807. It is actually a very nice heathery gray, but the light is quirky this morning, and the color is way off. I am knitting with #0s and my usual 64 sts, toe up, two at the same time. I read reviews that reported Tofutsie yarn was splitty, and they were right. It's not annoying yet, so I will keep an eye on my stitches when I'm working this pair.
As I knitted, I thought about Diametrag's baby shower, and all the wonderful gifts she got for Bean. He has enough bibs, t-shirts, onesies, socks, receiving blankets, sweaters....Oops! Sweaters? Tatt3r's first grandson, the one to be born in February, has No Sweaters? GASP! I will certainly flunk Grandmother's Knitting 101, be banished to the inner circle of Knitting H3ll, and never have access to yarn or needles again!
So begins my downfall, I started a project without finishing one. But I had to, right? It's for Diametrag's Bean!
Here is the yarn for Bean's sweater, after the dog got through with it. Last fall, Diametrag and I bought yarn on sale at ThreadBear in Lansing. I also bought this wonderful pale green yarn, not on sale. I put it all in a bag, in the spare bedroom, behind a closed door, and yet Kaylee somehow gained access to the yarn. I can't fault her taste. She turned up her nose at the $1/skein cheapo yarns, and went directly for the $6.99/skein yarn. You can see she demolished one skein, slobbered on a second and left the third one untouched.
I started the Baby Sweater on Two Needles from "Elizabeth Zimmermann's Knitter's Almanac". (page 28) I am using Lanett and #4 needles. EZ uses Gull Stitch for the body of the sweater, a pretty little lace stitch. I decided Bean didn't need lace, and I am alternating bands of seed stitch and garter stitch. I was concerned there might not be enough contrast between garter st and seed st, but I think it will be good enough.
I try to finish one project before beginning another, but now I have quite a juggling act going on.