New Sweater! FOR ME!!!

Ahh... This is nice. Knitting for me. ME ME ME ME ME. Ehem.



Pattern: Mystique by Zia at Per Amore. I first saw this sweater posted on Craftster and have been wanting to make it for a while now.
Yarn Sierra Aran (80% Wool/20% Alpaca; 83m/91 yards) from Elann.com in "Jasper", color 795 (the color I used seems to be gone from the page). I used just a smidgen over 10 balls, so approximately 910-920 yards for the sweater. The color of this yarn is almost impossible to pin down. It is green. But sort of teal. And sometimes it's got more of a bluish tinge. And sometimes it's really really dark green. And sometimes it's not that dark at all. I've given up trying to photograph the color accurately.
Modifications I used a heavier weight yarn than called for and went up a needle size to US7/4.5mm. I used a different lace panel for the center of the body, but for the life of me I don't remember why I did that. I like the original on the pattern, so I'm not sure why I changed it (I like what I ended up with, it's just different than the pattern). I also changed the lace on the cuffs to be a repeat of the lace panel on the sides. I didn't know how I would like having 3 distinct lace patterns on the one sweater. I do like it on the original, but decided to use the same for continuity.

I have a feeling this sweater will become a staple of my wardrobe. If it gets cold again. Ever. (Um, maybe I should take that back. I like the constant chinook weather. Honest. It's just a little strange to have all this wool and sweaters and hardly ever NEED them.)

I have a couple of other things going, but I've been good and only have 2 projects (and a sock)(socks don't count as a project)(right?) on the go right now. My camera batteries died so I don't have in progress pics for you but I do have this:



Ahh... Spinning. This is 190g of 85% Wool/15% Mohair dyed by Erynn at Twist of Fate Yarns in the "Grass is Greener" colorway. It is beautiful and so lovely to spin. The colors flow from a grassy green through a teal and a blue. Totally my colors.

Also pictured there is one of the boxes my friend Julie gave me for my birthday. (if my camera batteries weren't dead etc...) She painted them and decoupaged (sp?) beautiful leaves on them. There is a set of 3 in different sizes. Oddly enough (ha) one of them is a perfect size for "in progress" projects; one is perfect to hold the roving while I spin (so I don't have to keep picking up the pile of fiber to move it around in my cramped living room) and the smallest is ideal for odds and ends for knitting and spinning. So thoughtful! (I'll show you when I have batteries)