I’ve been doing a lot of browsing of books and blogs on bookbinding lately, but I haven’t quite got to the point of settling on and starting a new project. My days have been full of planning, making appointments, legal and tax stuff, so at night I just sit and knit and knit and knit.

I finished Safire:

I love knitting from the top down. I was able to stop at the start of the waist ribbing, knit the arms to the length I wanted, knit the neckband, then continue with the waist until I ran out of yarn. I made it a jumper rather than a cardigan, because I couldn’t be bothered with buttons and buttonholes, and I suspect a garment that’s structured the way it is will tend to pop open or strain at the buttonhole.

There has been some Socks For Others Sock Club knitting. I actually started this pair before New Year, but changed to Bean’s socks. Now I’m back enjoying the Kaffe Fasset sock yarn again.

There has also been more swatching:

For the Argyle Vest (in cushy blue and brown Cascade 220 with a touch of lime green for the lines – I can see why this yarn is so popular) and the Bramblewood Vest (in leftover Naturally Natural).

I thought I’d also swatch for the Jo Sharp Origami Bolero pattern, which I’m knitting out of small lots and leftovers in blues and greens, but I wound up deciding not to bother. You start with a cuff then move into the sleeve, which gives you a sample of the moss stitch and lace patterns to measure.

So far it’s coming out a little tighter than the recommended gauge, but it seems that every time I wash a swatch it loosens up the stitches anyway. It’s a gamble I think I have good odds on. If I don’t… I’ll give it to someone a bit skinnier than me!