knit what? purl who?

The brown sweater is blocking on the office floor. I really wish my camera was here because the sweater is looking pretty sticking good, if I do say so myself. I even nade a trip to the sleazy local JoAnn and got some buttons. The green sweater was the first project I've ever bothered blocking, and I can can see now that I have been a fool for not blocking everything. It definaltely makes a difference but ... DAMN IT! IT TAKES TOO LONG!! I have this problem with wanting instant gratification. The green sweater, by the way, has moved on to a new home. I had it at work, and a coworker was admiring it and mentioning how it was her birthday, so I told her to take it. I have this problem with not really liking things once they're finished. I think this brown sweater will be the exception to that rule. I'm lovin' how it looks pinned to the floor, anyway.

I love the brown sweater. I keep taking unnecessary trips into the office so I can admire it. But, I don't have my next project picked out yet! I have been admiring this :

The pattern is Mabel from Berroco pattern booklet #261. Now, my thighs are not quite as small as the model's, but my dogs are definately cuter, so I feel ok about that. I'm debating on how flattering this would be on a size 8 someone.

I'm going to see my parents in June. I attempted to make a throw for my father for Christmas last year. I almost finished, but not quite, and I had to take it back home with me. It's basically just sat here, waiting for me to finish it. Now, I will brag just a little and say that my knitting skills have been improving very quickly over that past 6 months or so. I don't even want to look at the thing, it's full of mistakes I know how to fix now, but didn't then. I was trying to be economical, and my mother hates wool, so I bought some inexpensive acrylic, that has been looking worse and worse just sitting there. I don't even want to think about what it would look like after washing it. Problem is, I think my dad secretly really wants it. But I cringe whenever I touch it. I was looking at patterns the other day and found this:

The pattern is from Knitpicks, and it is made using Crayon which is 100% cotton. It's made in squares, so it would be nice and portable, and the squares are knitted together, so I wouldn't have to sew. The color pattern was apparently a free-form thing, and that is the problem. I can't have blocks that don't look exactly the same, I'm way too uptight, and I'm trying to figure out a way to make them all identical before I go ordering any yarn. I'm undecided, which is never good because I need a new project now!