One Thing. Two Things.
Three Things. Blue Things.

Things Which Are Not Blocked:

I have issues with this. Serious issues, I am afraid. Perhaps I have a subconscious need to display my flaws and solicit criticism, but I simply cannot stop myself from photographing and posting pictures of yet-to-be-blocked objects.

Or maybe it's just unbridled enthusiasm -- look! It's done!

Don't worry. Blocking and a re-shoot will occur in time, but because I may have other things coming off the needles soon, I need to display my rumply Finished Objects quickly, for your viewing pleasure, before other things are photographed.

Below is a blue DK-weight cotton vest for Mom.

The lace hem stitch pattern is borrowed from a Knitty tank top pattern, but I wanted a "vestier" look so Mom can wear it over a blouse, for a little extra coverage in cool weather. I worked out my own sizing, shaping, neckline, slip-stitch vertical motif, and armscyes. I added I-cord borders for the neckline and armscyes. Once blocked, they make a firm and appealing edge in lieu of ribbing, which almost always looks sloppy in cotton yarn.

The yarn is vintage Unger Plantation Cotton, and is the last of my stash in that particular shade of faded-denim blue, which reproduced quite accurately on our camera.

Once this is washed up and is blocked, the drape will be fantastic and the neckline and hemline will smooth out. Trust me, it will. I know this yarn.
























Next in line for the blocking pins and wires is the alpaca scarf for Barbara, my Mom's friend (and mine) who especially deserves a nice holiday gift this year. The yarn is Classic Elite "Inca Alpaca" in a shade of blue not captured quite as accurately by our camera as the blue in the cotton vest. The alpaca is the exact color of a Siamese cat's eyes.

Actually, this is only half of the scarf. The other half, silly rabbit, is on the other side of the door.

I sure wish I had a mannequin or something for photos like this.

Or a crash-test-dummy.

Gotta get a model. Maybe I'll check E-bay.

The scarf design is my own, a basketweave lace pattern, really simple and mostly reversible. The stockinette basketweave pattern reverses, and the wrong side of the lace panels look like garter lace, so it passes the galloping horse test for reversibility. However, because alpaca is heavier than wool and it will want to s-t-r-e-t-c-h under the influence of gravity, I plan to block it more firmly in the width dimension than in length.

I used ribbing for the bottoms instead of fringe. It suits Barbara better, I think. And she has blue eyes.
























Also, in an unblocked state, I present our youngest cat, Blue.

Blue is not a Russian Blue. He is a Stray Blue.

But blue nonetheless. He is the exact color of a chinchilla and his coat is divinely soft.

He will remain unblocked.





















He doesn't like getting wet, anyway.

But isn't he just the mellowest creature? Sleepytime eye-boogers and all?

--Mambocat