New sweater begins

As promised, an in-progress shot. I....actually didn't swatch this one, I just decided to start knitting (the published gauge is over the main stitch pattern). I have gauge as it is (I very rarely do wash-and-block gauge for a swatch, I tend to figure that blocking can be directed to stretch or keep as-is as you need).

Took a little risk, but got gauge. So I can carry on.



It's the recommended yarn: Spud and Chloe "Sweater." The color is called "Bloomsberry." This is a part-wool, part-cotton yarn, which means (YES!) I should be able to wear this sweater in heavily air conditioned areas in the summer as well as through the fall, winter, and spring. Also, it's a cardigan, so it's easy to put on and take off as room conditions require.

(Pattern: Belvedere Cardigan from an old issue of KnitScene.)

I also bought a little more yarn. Because I had to have this:



"Tiger Carla" sockyarn from Simply Socks. (The yarn is a Regia product). Because I neeeeeeeeed a pair of pink and black tiger striped socks. These will be my next "simple sock" project once I finish one or more of the pairs of socks on the needles.

Also, a happy thing: I discovered yesterday that a pair of cardinals have a nest in my American Holly. Smart birds - it's a very, very spiky holly, and they have the nest kind of down in the "crown" of the bush, so it's totally surrounded by the spiny leaves. It's also well hidden - I only spotted it when I was standing looking out my dining room window and the male cardinal flew up to the nest with a bug to feed the babies. (It looks like there are two babies). It's fun to watch out the window and see the babies being fed: the parents can't see me so it's totally safe, I won't upset them. I've seen both parents feeding and the mother cardinal sitting on or near the nest to watch the babies.

I don't think their eyes are open yet but they're not tiny-tiny. I mentioned it to my colleague the ornithologist, and he first expressed surprised that they were unharmed by our recent cold snap, but then changed his mind and said, "Well, cardinals are pretty tough little birds, that's why there are so many of them."

I hope the nest is successful; it will be fun to see the babies big and learning to fly.