Lazy Saturday Morning

Grooving to some quiet jazz trumpet on the stereo and with the sun streamed in so beautifully this morning, I was inspired to bust out the camera for photos I've been meaning to take for a while.

At the beginning of January, I went to visit my friend Michelle in Chicago for the weekend. I took in some yarn shops while I was there, which I was sadly disappointed by. The shop I had longed to visit, and that was anything but lackluster, was Tender Buttons (read an article about the store).

For this button-ophile, their selection was heavenly. They had vintage buttons of all styles, shapes, and materials that were absolutely fascinating. I was most intrigued by the full sets of buttons -- still on their cards -- from the 1930s and '40s. I couldn't wait to get home and dip my hands into the button boxes we inherited from my grandmas to see how their collections compared. In any case, I just couldn't leave Tender Buttons without making a purchase, and when I saw the perfect shanked accessory for my bubblegum-pink SitcomChic sweater, I scooped them up. Aren't they adorable? I also really like that the store designed and had them produced.

I knit a little more on the back of the baby sweater while Scott slept in late this morning. I know I could fly on this if I'd just settle in with my knitting for longer than 15 minutes at a time.

Later today I'm going to take a giant basketful of yarn over to the community center for use by the senior citizens. I got a lot of yarn from Scott's grandma that I know I will not use but that still has plenty of enjoyment left for another needleworker.

Lots of Blue and White

I started the blue-and-white striped baby sweater for my friend's little one last week. I made some fair progress over the weekend, but haven't touched it since Sunday. Something about the domestic bustle of weeknights keeps me from doing much knitting.

I did learn an important lesson about stripes, however: You don't always have to cut the yarn when changing colors. I took the sweater back into knitting class with me on Monday night to show my teacher. I knew something was wrong when she got a look at the wodge of yarn ends hanging from one side. She gave me a sympathetic look and then told me I could have carried the yarn to the next pattern of stripes instead of cutting. Now I guess it's just going to be me and the darning needle for a whole lot of hours as I weave in each of those ends. I'll take that lesson to heart when I knit the front and the sleeves of the sweater.

I should mention that, surprise!, I won't be finishing the sweater in time for my friend's baby shower tomorrow afternoon. Another fine example of how this one Miss Julie is a step behind.

I'm also doddering along quite nicely with the ChicKami. I know others out there have raved about how quickly it knits, but seriously, I've been no Speedy Gonzalez. I don't know whether it only feels like it's been forever because I haven't spent all that much concentrated time on it or whether the miles and miles of boring stockinette stitch send my mind into a stupor. In any case, I've finally split the front and the back for the raglan shaping. And if I have to say "It won't be long now..." for this little number again, I think I'll just rip it all out and forget about it altogether. (I'm encouraged about its fit, though. I tried on what I'd finished before I split the front and back and I think we've got a winner!)