On a more positive note..

All the pieces for Peek a boo are blocking; they should be dry tomorrow sometime and I'll seam it this weekend hopefully, leaving early next week to do the last finishing bits and about a week to mail it. Yea! I'll post pictures when it's more exciting.

In the meantime, I've picked up the Blue Willow Cardigan and even though the rows seem impossibly long, the larger gauge means that inches get added much faster than just about anything I've knit lately. Progress pics as of last night:



The patterning is a diamond slip-stitch with yarn to the right side sort of thing and in all honesty, I'm not quite sure of why they did the slip-stitch patterning instead of a purl stitch which I think would result in a fairly similar design and, in my opinion, make it easier to see the pattern from either side of the knitting. But I'll knit it as written since I have about three or so inches of it done already.

I haven't really read through the entire instruction sheet, but my understanding is that the main body is knit first and then the fair isle border is added. Not sure yet if it's picked up and knit on, or knit separately and then sewn on, but I'm sure I'll find out.

The yarn looks like it should be scratchy, but it's really not. I expect this sweater to be quite warm and soft, though maybe not next-to-the-skin soft, which wouldn't really ever happen anyway as I usually wear cardigans over another shirt.