Cute Initials

It's always funny how you stumble over things. I was poking around at Elann because I've recently been feeling the effects of getting bitten by the Ribby Cardi bug, probably because Mommio is just one of the latest in a string of bloggers making this cardigan. I was looking at Elann colors of Peruvian Wool (unbelievable price point). I'm almost overwhelmed by the possibilities, but I think I might have to go pink and green. (Very Lilly P, I know, or very Knit Happens. Did you see the Knit Happen's Lorna's Laces colorway. Too cool! And, by the way, I LOVE the Yarn Harlot's pink/green Baby Surprise.) After drooling over the colors, I thought I'd check KnitPicks just to see how their new line of yarns compared. They have a similar Peruvian Wool of their own. The price is a bit less (amazingly), but they don't have nearly the range of color offering - although the kind of shades I'm looking for ARE available in their same-gauged Peruvian Alpaca (hmmm). At any rate, while I was looking around, this "initial" sweater caught my eye. Adorable, huh!

It's from Debbie Bliss's new collection Special Knits: 22 Gorgeous Handknits For Babies and Toddlers. Stumbling over a Debbie Bliss book of teddy bears was what prompted me to learn to knit (pre-kids even), and I've always been a fan of her children's patterns. I have a good-sized collection of her earlier works, though I haven't made nearly as many things as I thought I'd make as a mother of little ones. Matthew ended up with several sweaters he wore as a baby - and the first project I ever finished for him was a wonderful blue moss-stitch cardigan out of Mission Falls 1824 Cotton (Spencer wears it now). But once Matthew got big enough to object, it became tough to get him to wear sweaters we made! There's a beautiful brown merino Bliss gansey Megan made that's in the closet unworn. Hopefully we'll have better luck with Spencer. For my part, my knitting for the boys (beyond hats, which both like and wear) will probably best be served by cardigans - just like their Mama!

At any rate, this sweater caught my eye.

I'll try and take some update photos today. Knitting on my Must Have has progressed nicely even though I haven't worked on it all that much. It seems to work up quickly, surprisingly. I should finish the left front today. I think I'll leave the stitches on a holder in anticipation of maybe doing a three-needle bindoff for the shoulders.