One of my favorite things....

Removable stitch markers! These little babies are the best most useful ones I've found.  They are from cocoknits and come in a fun little container.  

Pros:

• Light - these are thin but strong metal and slide easily across needles. They don't add weight to my already getting heavy shawl. When I use them to mark rows they don't pull on the stitches.  These don't feel cumbersome and work on my little sock stitches and larger shawls without getting in the way of either.
• Colorful - Always a plus to have pretty decorations. It's also good for marking different stitch patterns or end of round verse repeats.
• Magnetic - I love metal accessories! cocoknits has a great bracelet that utilizes their tool's stickiness.  Also, I have some how-to's in the works for keeping track of all the little do-dads that I find in my couch cushions.  Having metal stitch markers increases how well I can keep track of them.
• Removable - The sharp end on these opens like a safety pin.  This makes it super easy to use these as row counters.  On the shawl below I put one at the beginning of every 12-row repeat.  I used six at a time because I had to repeat the pattern 24-times (Cutting it down into four chunks made it easier to handle mentally).  I was able to detach them easily and keep the extras hanging from the first one waiting to be used.  No hunting around required! Unlike the plastic spiral makers, these don't constantly prick your hands. I'm not sure how anyone uses them, they're painful!  These are sharp enough to pierce yarn or even a project bag to keep a few in waiting, but because they are like safety pins the sharp end is hidden away. 

Not really cons:

• On my set, the paint is chipping off on a few. It looks like the new ones have a double coat of paint, so they may have fixed this problem already.  And this is something that if I really cared I could fix with a coat of colored or clear nail polish.  But I feel like it's worth a mention.
• Cost, these are more expensive then most basic stitch markers.  To me me, this was worth it for the quality, the amount they truly are ingenious little things and supporting a great business. But again it's worth a mention.  I have found because I can keep track of these by either attaching them or sticking them places with a magnet I don't lose them. 

As you can see I'm still working on my sunwalker.  I started this in the fall for the Julie Asselin KAL.  While the end date was last month, I'm making slow and steady progress on it. I'm almost done with the first section and finally made it to ball #2/3.

You Know You are a Knitter When.....

.....Your cravings take the form of stranded colorwork.

I was/am very sad that I couldn't make it to Rhinebeck this year.  I just hit a point where my energy levels just wouldn't allow it to be and it was a bit hard for me to accept.  But hopefully this will make next year seem so much better.

Because I was sad and tired and worn out... I indulged myself a little.  I have had this strange (for me) craving to work on some stranded colorwork.  I really just wanted to knit with some yarn in each hand and make some beautiful patterns.  I normally get sock cravings, or mindless knit cravings, I don't normally do colorwork and when I do it's more about wanting a specific product.

Hanging out at Sit n Knit on Saturday, I was just overcome by the urge to knit this hat. It's the Baa-ble Hat by Donna Smith designed for the Shetland Wool Week.  Looking around at the shop full of colors I finally decided on Owl by Quince. The wool/alpaca mix keeps it soft and warm while still having that sticky texture to help with stranded knitting.

I think it brought together all I was feeling this weekend.  This hat gave me something to fill the Rhinebeck void, it was designed for a wool week, involved sheep and used some local yarn.  Plus as soon as it's done blocking and I stick a pom pom on it, I'll have something to chase away the sudden cold weather we are getting here.

Temp Based Texture

Since my test knit went so well, I added another deadline based project to my list.

I'm joining the Julie Asselin Fall KAL.  I love her yarns, I made a hat and fingerless mitts combo and my Connectivity gloves that are half done are from her yarns.  The colors have great depth to them.  The slight color changes really compliment the pattern I chose.  I'm making Sunwalker by Melanie Berg from her new collection, "Texture is the new black."

I just cast it on and I'm already loving the fabric it is making.

The play between the cool grays and the warm, soft touch of wool combined with the moss stitch is creating a really wonderful shawl.  I can't wait to finish this! 

The colorway is called "Shining Armour" and it will definitely become my winter armour.

Madame always sounds sexy

My knitting mojo went straight downhill this summer.  The less I knit the worse I felt about it, this continued to snowball a bit (despite the heat).  When I saw a test knit opportunity pop up, I thought maybe this would be good to jump start everything. The lace edging caught my eye, the timing was great, and what better way to get mojo back then knitting something sexy?

Thus began the Madame Leota test knit.

Starting with a large swath of stockinette I began September knitting only one project.  I bought new yarn, Bare Swish from Knit Picks to continue with the clean slate.  Surprisingly, I actually stuck to it.  Within one month of getting the yarn, I have a great and comfy cardigan.

I feel like I got my mojo back and I'm ready to knit some sweaters this fall.

Swatch Fest

Confession time. I haven't always been a swatcher. I used to figure if I was going to make a big swatch I might as well just start the arm or some other piece and then check it every so often.  And this isn't necessarily bad if you are ok with ripping or planning to felt it or something else drastic. As I keep knitting and I want to make perfect sweaters this isn't the best method.  Between starting to use Customfit and Amy Herzog's sweater methods plus learning about the power of water, it started to become clear if I wanted a great sweater I would have to swatch better.  

Water isn't just the universal solvent it is also a changer of wool.  At some point in the life of your sweater you are going to get it wet.  If not right after knitting to even out stitches then later when it needs to be washed.   When that happens, the fabric is going to change.  Natural fibers have a tendency to bloom, some fibers shrink, other grow, but no matter what it does usually your fabric will look so much more professional and even that you can't help but give it a bath.  

I generally fill up a container, either a dough bucket* for small things or my top loading washing machine for larger things, with cold water and bit of wool wash.  I really like Eucalan in the wrapture scent. Let is soak for the length of a tv episode (really scientific) and then squeeze out the excess water by rolling it in a towel. NEVER ring out the fabric; this will cause too much strain and stress out the fibers. No one likes to be stressed out, fiber included. I then lay out the fabric on a towel. If this is the finally product then I will shape the sweater pieces to fit my desired end measurements and pin the corners.  As you can see below I just let the swatches lay there. I don't try to block them to specific measurements; this would defeat the purpose of swatching.

After a few snow days and over the last month I have been collecting swatches so that I can put them all into Customfit and get my sweaters ready to go.  I have two more swatches in process and more that I need to start**.  As for the ones I finally gave a spa day to yesterday my plans are:

Capretta - Amy Herzog's Afterlight

Sliver Moon DK - Customfit basic v-neck 3/4 sleeves

Silky Wool - Amy Herzog's Coracle

Jill Draper - Customfit mashup with Wool + Brick's Whiteleaf

Owl - Amy Herzog's Charlie's Cardigan

Chickadee - Customfit mashup with Gudrun Johnston's Empire

* A dough bucket even comes with a lid to keep curious cats out.

** Hopefully this method of prepping a bunch at a time will mean I will knit my stash down and  not be tempted to buy any more sweater quantities this year. Cross your needles for me.

VK Live Wrap Up

What a whirl wind of a weekend.

I drove down to my parents' house Friday night, took the train into the city with mom Saturday morning, did it up at Vogue and we went home Sunday afternoon.



Vogue Live is no Rhinebeck but Rhinebeck is no Vogue Live. There are far fewer vendors at Vogue but they are different from the ones you see at Rhinebeck, plus there are a bunch of other things going on to check out.  They had lots of cool exhibits and fashion shows to check out. Add in some yarn tasting and a ball winding station, it was knitter heaven.

I normally don't take classes at Rhinebeck because I'd rather be out at the fair but Vogue is really the prefect venue for sitting down with great knitters and teachers and soaking in the tips. I took "Through the Looking Glass" by Amy Detjen and it was fantastic! This class was a wonderful pick and perfect if you want to improve your knitting skills.  Knitting backwards is a skill you can use for lots of different applications plus I learned a bunch of other tips including the German short row method. I can't wait to work on my Hue Shift Afghan and not have to flip the blanket after every row.

Of course there was also lots of yarn. It was a wonderful mix of old and new vendors to me and wonderful set ups.  My mom loved all the samples knit up in wonderful mini skein packs. She ended up buying two different bunches to start her stash of good yarns. She actually bought more yarn then I did.

My haul included a little bit yarn and some books plus extras. I was able to snag a skein of bacon yarn from Holiday Yarns and a souvenir sock yarn skein from Dragonfly Fibers.  My extra special purchase was a little skein of super soft cashmere that came with a great finger-less mitts pattern that will be perfect for work.  After seeing the Classic Elite fashion show I bought both of their new independent designer books, Artistic Differences and From Folly Cove.  Both are wonderful collections that make you feel transported to another place, either center stage of a music festival or a summer retreat to the sea.  I can't wait till I can start knitting those patterns.

Twas the night before VKLive....

And all through the land, not a knitter was stirring not even one hand.

Ok that was a lie, of course we are stirring, we are so excited!!! And really what short of an act of god would stop us from knitting?

This is my first Vogue event and I will be live tweeting and hopefully taking tons of pictures to share.  Please follow me @anxiousknitter to get to see what trouble I get into. 

Wanting to knit all the things

As soon as I said I was going to finish off some WIP's, I had the urge to knit all the things!

It was in the negatives this morning and I would have loved some legwarmers/boot cuffs to top off my boots. I started thinking about the stash yarn I have that I could use and how quick they would knit up.

It was like my knitting is trying to distract me.... from knitting.

Sometimes I feel like I think more about knitting than I get knitting done.

WIP Wednesday - A week later

One week later and I feel like I haven't made progress on anything.  I did finish off the striped baby hat and started working on the chevron one.

This week I can blame my lack of progress on my weekend adventure. The first weekend of November is the New England Fiber Festival in Springfield, MA.  I'm lucky that I also have family in the area (always a good excuse to drive to a fiber fest).  I headed out Saturday morning in the cloudy gross weather.  I'm a fan of audio books in the car (you can see a list of what I'm ready at Goodreads).  My current book was Agatha Christie's And then there were none.  It was perfect for the weather and a good mystery to keep my entertained while driving.

NE Fiber Fest is much smaller then Rhinebeck but it's all inside one of the expo centers at the Big E.  There are plenty of awesome vendors to check out. I did my "snap a pic" plan so I could remember all the awesome goodies I saw and stick them in my budget to save for.

  

Here are some cuties to go with the goodies!

One of the things I did buy was a Kumihimo Kit.  It's a Japanese braiding method that uses a disk, it reminds me of making i-cord with those little plastic hoops for kids.  I have lots of seed beads and I thought it would be a fun way to make some bracelets or maybe even figure out some cut stitch marker ideas. The kit came with some practice silk rope.

Still to come: Swatch-a-palooza and what I got at Webs!

WIP Wed - Baby Hats

Baby hats for everyone! Or at least a bunch of my coworkers/friends that are pregnant.  I know four pregnant ladies at the moment who are all due this fall/winter. So, I have been working on some little baby hats.  I wanted to do something simple, that would be good for all of them (two girls and two ?'s, plus various mommy style's), and still not be a complete bore to knit. I have priorities!

In the Loop had some of the wonderful Swans Island Organic Superwash Sport (Snowy Owl, Edgecomb Grey and Truffle) and people were talking about making the Little Fair Isle Baby Hat by Purl Soho.  This yarn is absolutely scrumptious.  It is super super soft and squishy. You would think it was a match made in heaven, except I am not a big color work knitter.  It's something I would love to be good at but I hate practicing.

I didn't want to do stripes or solids for all four.  And, I think I can get four hats out of the three skeins.  I decided to try some simple color work in between the stripes on the first one.

I found the site tricksyknitter.com and was able to make my own charts to use. The chart maker is incredibly easy to use.  It includes a bunch of different colors that you can customize, plus you can change the number of rows and stitches.

I made two charts so far:

I finished this ombre-like stripe hat and it just needs to block.  The parts with the color work do pull in a little. I'm hoping it comes out with blocking.  If it doesn't next time I'll going up a needle size.

Now I am working on a simple stripe pattern because I was able to knit during a business lunch but needed something simple. It's five rows dark taupe, four rows light taupe, 5 rows cream, 4 rows light taupe, repeat.

The third one I'm going to do is a chevron inspired pattern for one of the soon to be mothers that has chevron curtains in the baby's room. I'm hoping I can figure out 3 colors in a row or I might have to change it to be white/truffle chevrons then white/light taupe, then truffle/light taupe, we shall see.....

Sweaters and Sheep and Yarn, Oh My!

Another Rhinebeck has come and gone and it was wonderful. Nothing beats spending the weekend outside surrounded by the fall leaves, tons and tons of yarn and people wearing amazing knit stuff.

I was able to finish my Aislinn, at midnight the night before driving to Rhinebeck at 5 am... But I finished it and made it there safely! I absolutely love it and can't wait to knit some more sweaters.

The weather was fabulous, perfect sweater weather on Saturday and a bit cooler but sunny on Sunday.  We filled up on lots of fall goodies, including the awesome cider donuts.

One of my favorite parts of Rhinebeck is the community. Knitter are absolutely awesome people.  I lost one of my mitts and when I went to lost and found there it was! They also said that someone had lost a cash pouch and someone turned it in full! Also knitting celebrities are awesome to meet and super nice.

I bought a bunch of yarn that I will talk about later but here are some pictures I took to remind me of awesome stuff to keep my eye on in the future.

I will get it done... I will get it done...

Only two more sleeps until Rhinebeck and I'm still working on my sleeves.  I got to the shoulder shaping last night at SnB and I'm thankful I'm doing them two-at-a-time so I don't have to consistently go back and forth to make sure they match.  Maybe during lunch today I can finish the sleeves, block tonight, finish the collar and sew it up tomorrow night!

Last night I hit a little bit of a burn out point after doing the bind off rows for the armpit. I decided to have a little fun. Nothing like some little sheepy nails to get you in the mood for Wool-a-palooza.

List 2 and 3 The Frog Pound and The Never Ending Story

Only a few more days until Rhinebeck and I still haven't finished my sweater. I expect to finish the sleeves and the collar ribbing tonight at SnB. Hopefully I can block the sleeves afterwards and have them ready Thursday to seam on. *Keep your fingers crossed*

I feel like my list keeps growing bigger hopefully I can get everything I want to done without making myself crazy.  So instead of focusing on the lists for this weekend, I'll continue with my WIP lists. Yes there are multiple lists.

I posted my 10 current WIP's the other day. Now for the sweaters I started but might not finish until after I frog their current state.

1. Empire
2. Nadi Coat

The projects that are getting worked on ... slowly.... The will get finished at some point.

1. Peking
2. Featherweight Cardigan
3. Hue Shift Afghan 
4. Vesper

What have I stuck my needles in? List 1

I feel like I'm hitting the half way point in my knitting this year. I feel like more of my knitting is done in the fall then the rest of the year, even though I am a year long knitter.  And the countdown for Rhinebeck has begun! How cool is this year's Rhinebeck logo? Kudos to the designer! I pre-ordered project bags this year because I'm sure they will sell out fast.

Since I am reaching a halfway point I wanted to do a round up of my knitting this year. I want to see where I am with FO and WIP.  After finishing my Rhinebeck sweaters I can start going through all the WIP that need finishing.

List 1 - More Current WIP:

1. Not so fair isle baby hats 1 out of 3 done
2. Connectivity Gloves I want these done for this winter 
3. F ootie Socks 
4. Sophia 
5. Color block wrap
6. Cowgirl Cowl I just need to block and finish this thing!
7. Togue Pond Being a summer top this is def on the back burner
8. Clapotis 
9. Penny Candy Tee
10. Customfit Sweatshirt

The Cape and Rhinebeck Prep

Finally had a few days off of work and a mini vacation to recharge the batteries.

Jer and I headed to the cape to enjoy some quiet time and off season pricing. We went to Seaside Cottages.  It was a great place to have a quiet relaxing vacation of board games, snacking, napping and catching up with friends. I felt almost human by the end of weekend. And had finished the fronts to my Rhinebeck sweater! Nothing like wine, bacon smores and sea breezes.  Less then two weeks until that becomes wine, cheese, cider donuts and the smell of sheep!

Hotel Blocking

Better late then never I started this a while ago and it's finally getting finished and posted:

Started 6/9/2014:
My 4 week trip to TX has started.  I packed a bunch of WIP's that have been hanging around awhile to help with my #stashdownsummer as well as some of the projects that I am making from yarn I bought in Texas.

The first WIP is done! I finished my Zilver shawl as we taxied into the Hobby airport gate.  It is in Malabrigo sock that I bought on my last trip to Texas.  It is a wonderful springy colorway that I bought to brighten my spirits.  Even though it's over 90 degrees here (holy moly!) I think it will be great for wearing in the heavily AC-ed office.

I prepared for travel finishing by packing a small bottle of Euclean and my blocking pins.  I even planned out my room, booking a 2 queen room so I would have one bed to pin to. But did not seem to get a picture of the shawl all blocked out. I might wear it with a strapless dress to a BBQ and hopefully will get a good picture. (I can wear strapless stuff!!!!)

So one more #stashdownsummer project down, my next work it till it's done project will be Jer's socks. I am just starting the gusset on the second one.

#Stashdownsummer

I made a pledge to knit down my stash this summer. I have lots of wonderful yarns I have picked up on trips and from sales or just because I wanted to try a new project. These wonderful yarns have been languishing away in our other room, it's time they became something.

In November it will be 4 years of paying off my student loans. I have hit a point where I really want to have a bigger chunk of them paid off. The amount of interest I am paying and accrue every year is just ridiculous and my spending isn't anymore responsible.  It's time to make a change.

And so begins #stashdownsummer.  For the summer, memorial day to labor day, I would like to not buy yarn and try to limit yarn related purchases (books, needles, notions, etc).  I would like to use my stash and get creative with it.  I have sweater quantities and small projects and lots of sock yarn waiting to be used.  It's time to start using it.

In addition to wanting to limit my yarn spending, I want to get real about my budget.  Jer added me to his household account for You Need a Budget (YNAB).  I am all set up on it and I think it's going to be a really great tool.  It's already shown me how out of control and thoughtless some of my spending is.  One of the four rules is to give each dollar you have in your account a job.  I want to really think about what I want my money to do.

I feel I am a part of some problems our culture has about money.  To start, there is out of control spending and rampant consumerism.  The other problem is that we don't talk about our own money situations. Money is part of the big taboo topics that you aren't allowed to talk about even with friends and inner circles.  Unless you are making jokes about being bad about handling it, then it's ok to guilt yourself.  On Ravelry, people make jokes about going on yarn diets and being addicted to buying yarn.  Addiction is a serious illness and not something to be taken lightly.  We need a better way to describe this consuming need to buy more and more.

My blog name is "pretty yarn makes me happy." I need to change that need in myself.  I need to remind myself that the real joy and happiness I find from yarn is the creating and not from buying yarn.  I'm not dieting, I'm not denying myself anything.  I want to change my lifestyle and really think about where my money, time, energy and love is going.  I want to become more creative and smarter about what I have and what I am buying. I want to stop collecting things that don't lead to a happier life.

Welcome to #stashdownsummer and my journey of finding lasting happiness.

Chevron, lace and cables, O My!

**Pictures coming soon**

I have been working on some fun patterns recently.  I finished my Silverberg sweater in all it's stockinette glory and have been balancing that out with some patterns that have fun details to their stitching.

The first is a sock pair that I've been working on for a while and posted about before. My Jaywalkers are coming along slowly but surely.  I think it's the perfect travel project. The pattern is easy enough to do without paying too much attention but when I'm in a waiting room bored it's interesting enough to keep me from fidgeting the whole time.  Plus the yarn I'm using gets tons of ooohs and aaaahs from people. 1st step to an awesome project is use awesome yarn.

I'm taking the interest level up one more notch with the Vesper Cowl.  It's a beautiful flowy cowl with a wavy stockinette center and lace edging.  It looks amazing but is based on 10 row blocks that still make it travel friendly.  Last for my stitchy patterns is my Peking, which I have also already mentioned.  I'm almost done with the front panel but this one really requires me to sit with my knit-companion open following each row.  The flame pattern isn't as predictable as a leaf pattern and requires my attention.  These projects are inching their way towards completion while I finish my Rhinebeck Sweaters.

I'm loving my Silverberg, it needs to be soaked to get rid of the smell still but everything is woven in and finished off.  I love how fitted the top is and the elbow length sleeves.  It balances the bulky yarn and cowl neck well.  Now that it is completely done, I brought my Collins out of hibernation.  I finished the last sleeve (cross your fingers they are even), blocked everything out and started seaming the body.  I seamed the front pieces to the back so that I could pick up stitches for the collar and front tie section.  I could have seamed on the shoulders as well but I figured it would be easier to maneuver without them on. I tried on the body and it looks a little short (which is how it's supposed to wear) and maybe a little tight, hard to tell without the ties and thick collar band.  This might be a sweater that will fit better after surgery but I think will still be wearable now with a longer shirt under.

I need to learn to trust the designer.  I have ripped out and start over this neckline twice now.  The first time I thought I knew better and did half as many short rows as written.  I ended up with a collar that stood right up.  That was my own fault.  So was the second time where I stopped the short rows on the wrong side so one side was two rows wider then the other........ At least both times I was able to rip back to where the mistake started and not have to pick up all those stitches again.

Less then a month till Rhinebeck and I still can make it, onwards and knit-wards.

Back to Knitting

Now after all that ending, it's time to start new and fresh.  I have some projects I started recently to talk about.

I think I mentioned Nora Gaughan's new booklet from Berrocco.  I fell in love with Vol. 13 as soon as I saw it. During Web's Summer Sale I ordered some yarn to go along with two of the patterns.  The first one I've cast on is Silverberg out of Valley Yarn's Endfield.  It's a snuggley cowl neck sweater and it's knitting up fast in the chunky yarn. All of the full sweaters I have finished so far have been bottom up and I'm really excited about top-down no seaming.  I've been able to try this on easily as I go and change the placement of the waist shaping without having to do any math.  I'll have this done in time for Rhinebeck, so hopefully it will be cool enough to wear it.  My only complaint is that this yarn has a very odd smell, it's both woolly and smokey. I don't know if this was something in shipping or storage or what but it's odd.  I will definitely be washing it in my Euclean lavender when I'm done.

You can see my kitty right behind me, she decided my tail would be fun to play with. There is only decreasing written in the pattern but I think I'm going to do some increases for my hips and tummy.  I like that it's form fitting at my bust and comes in right under but then I want it to flare out a little bit more.

I still plan on getting my Collins done in time too but now that I've tasted the ease of top-down seamless, all the pieces are looking more daunting.  I'm on the second sleeve and ready to start the shoulder shaping...... I think. Every time I count the rows or lay them next to each other the length changes. My plan is to pin down both sleeves as if I"m going to block them and try to get a good measurement there. I really need to start knitting sleeves two-at-a-time, they always seem to give me trouble getting them to match.

Maybe this will be something I try out next week when I'm on vacation.  (That's right VACATION!)  Jer and I are heading up to Vermont for a wedding and then taking the rest of the week off.  We plan on bumming around relaxing then going to Cape Cod on for two nights.  I got a Living Social deal for a nice looking inn with an in-room Jacuzzi. This is our first real vacation just the two of us and I'm excited to relax.  Other then PAX these will be my first days off all year and I'm sooo ready for it.

Knitting Update

What's better then a knitting update? It's so nice to have tangible things to share. I started a bunch of things lately and even finished something.  The past few projects have been a combination of jumping on the bandwagon and trying to do some stash busting.

The first project is something I started and finished! At my LYS summer cotton tees have been popular and I really wanted to make one.  There was a shop sample of the Lucia Tee, which a friend also made, that started my inspiration but I just wasn't feeling the sleeves.  I wanted something that covered my shoulder more and came down a little farther.  And as much as I hate putting in set in sleeves, I do like the look and wanted to practice a bit more.  Set in sleeves are a bit magical to me, I feel like it's taking a square and trying to put it in a round hole.  The math shouldn't workout right. I applaud designers that figure it out and make it work. I decided on the Mie Pullover from Knitscene 2011 Summer edition.  I made a few mods to this.  The original is knit in reverse stockinette but I'm not really a fan of purling that much and I like the look of regular better.  I also got a slightly bigger gauge but I really liked the drape so after decreasing for the waist, I didn't increase at the bust at all.  The last thing I did was make the sleeves a bit longer.

My second "bandwagon" project, is the Jaywalker Socks.  Chevron is really big right now. A bunch of the new Knitscene patterns feature this bold print. My LYS even blogged about chevron patterns.  I was planning on using the self-striping yarn I got at the RI Sheep and Wool Festival for a 3rd pair of vanilla socks, but those are getting boring and it's the perfect yarn for the Jaywalkers.  I'm over half way through my first one, using a size 1 needle and the 9" size for my 9.5 foot. It's working out great.

I finished up my Owlie Socks so I could use the needles they were on for this pair.  The small differences in fingering weight yarn are really crazy sometimes.  My Owlie socks are much thinner and looser then these.  Partly it's because the cheveron pattern but it's also because the yarn for the Owlie's was just a little bit thinner then this stuff.  You can't really tell before it's knit, but afterwards I probably would have done my Owlies on a size 0 with more stitches around. 

I'm still chugging away at my Featherweight Cardigan, Peking Tee and have some Berrocco Origami that I want to use up. Also, I'm thinking of pulling my Collins back out and finishing up that for Rhinebeck! (The count down has begun.........)