The sweater I started at the beach (cast-on photo is also my new blog header) couldn't be simpler. It's actually called the simplest sweater on Ravelry and it is a great, straight forward pattern if you're searching for an easy top-down raglan sweater. I didn't have much of a chance to work on it last week but it's getting there. Here is a sneak peek showing what I accomplished at the beach. The funny looking loops at the bottom are stitches held for pockets--yes my first go at pockets! My Ravelry notes are here.
This sweater also help me reach a significant milestone (to me) with my knitting--knitting while reading. That may sound crazy, I know. And I'm right there with you. Actually, the pre-knitting Sandra is right there with you. Because pre-knitting me thought reading a book is best enjoyed with absolutely no other mental demand. But hear me out.
If you have an easy project on your needles (like this one--inches and inches of stockinette in the round), you don't really have to look at it. Well, okay, maybe once in awhile to slip the round marker. And of course you have to stop knitting to flip the page. But it's really doable. And this is how I can happily report that I read two books while also knitting about 80% of a sweater at the beach. My disclaimer is that the books were total fluff, chick lit reads and that a teensy part of me was motivated to have something to show for my time investment. I don't see knitting while reading something by, say, Mark Helprin.
Now, the sweater. I wasn't too sure about the colors. But I took it to a girls night out and my friends made me more confident that the colors do indeed work. I'm doing short sleeves instead of long and am nearly done. I hope to finish and block it this week and will post more details then. Happy Monday!
Sandra