Summer Knitting Goals

Summer contest alert! Skeins Her Way is offering the chance to win her Fitted Tank pattern and the yarn to make it. Join the fun; even if you don’t win, the anticipation is half the joy of upcoming projects. This might be the first summer that I knit. When I first got started knitting, I made the beginner things like hats and scarves, so immersing myself in a big pile of wool during the hot months wasn’t too appealing. But now I’ve discovered “luxury” class cotton and lighter projects. Yea!

My summer knitting goals:

1. Finish my first lace project AND first full sized garment: Orangina. This project has really shown me the creative power of the knitblog community. The pictures shared by many others have allowed me to see the sheer potential of the design. The beauty of it all springs from the parsimony of the construction and the richness of the possibilities it yields. What fun to see the different effects of other choices related to color, sizing and gauge/blocking on the final product. We’ll see where my version goes.

Here it is at almost 10 repeats. I have a lifeline in there since I seem to be incapable of finding and fixing my errors in lace patters.

2. Make my first pair of socks. My current attempt is waiting to be frogged due to terrible laddering at the “joints” of the DPN’s. How could they betray me like this after all my loyalty? I’m thinking about switching to circulars after this YOU HEAR ME!!!

3. Start the swallowtail shawl in a fingering/sock weight yarn. As previously mentioned, lace in lace weight has kicked my butt. Fortunately I do like the substantial heft of a heavier garment, both in warmth and visual presence (a la brooklyntweed).

4. Work on Christmas gifts!