Okay, done with the lace for a bit.

Pattern: Swallowtail Shawl by Evelyn A. Clark [Ravelry link]
Yarn, etc.: Alpaca with a Twist Fino, Silver Belle (0098); KnitPicks Options needles, size US 4 / 3.5 mm
Mods: None

Once I got past the main chart of this shawl, I loved knitting it. For some reason, even though it was the easiest chart in the pattern, it gave me all kinds of trouble and I ended up tinking back many, many times. This was my first time knitting nupps, and I have to say that I really enjoyed it. Following the advice of others on Ravelry, I kept those yarn overs nice and loose and used sharp needles, and had no problems at all. I'm looking forward to knitting Clark's Baltic Blossoms shawl someday, another one including lots of nupps.

Since I know I could have these babies any day now and I feel like I'm in a holding pattern, I'm going to keep things nice and simple for a while - simple hats and socks, lots of stockinette, practicing my spinning. Also, I still have Wicked on the needles and may actually get back to that soon. When I put it down last, I wanted to rip and rework the waist shaping:



Since I won't be able to try it on for a couple more months at least, perhaps I will put the body on some waste yarn for now and start on the sleeves. Here's hoping that I actually get my waist back at all after the twins are born!

Nupps!

Though I had originally planned to do some extra repeats of the Swallowtail's main chart to enlarge the shawl, I decided instead to knit the pattern as written in the interest of finishing it sooner so I can give this as a Christmas gift. I figure that lace knitting while trying to take care of two newborns is probably not going to work. I see lots of plain stockinette in my future!

I've made it through the section that includes the nupps, and surprisingly, found that knitting them was much easier than I had expected. I kept my yarn overs very loose and used good pointy needles (Knit Picks Options) and had no problems. I love the way they look and can't wait to see them blocked!

I have two charts with a total of 27 rows to complete to finish the shawl, and while I wish the twins would hurry up and get here already, my fingers are crossed to finish the shawl before finishing the babies. Wish me luck!

February Sweater for him.

Pattern: Baby Sweater on Two Needles (February) by Elizabeth Zimmermann [Ravelry link]
Yarn: Brown Sheep Lamb's Pride Superwash Sport in Lichen (SWS18), purchased at Natural Stitches; buttons purchased at JoAnn Fabrics
Mods: Used kf&b to increase in yoke (k1, kf&b, repeat across) instead of EZ’s suggested m1 to avoid holes; worked yoke to just before the sleeves before switching to stockinette instead of gull lace pattern; worked six buttonholes; knit sleeves in the round instead of flat, after completing the body; worked decreases for sleeves similar to bottom of body (k5, k2tog around)
Recipient: Baby B

Now that the baby sweaters are finished, I think it's high time that I get back to the lace!

Cutest. Sweater. Ever.

I probably say that all baby sweaters are the cutest sweaters ever, but I seriously mean it this time:





Pattern: Baby Sweater on Two Needles (February) by Elizabeth Zimmermann [Ravelry link]
Yarn: Brown Sheep Lamb's Pride Superwash Sport in Cinnamon Twist (SWS197), purchased at Natural Stitches; buttons purchased at Yarns By Design
Mods: Used kf&b to increase in yoke (k1, kf&b, repeat across) instead of EZ’s suggested M1 to avoid holes; worked only two buttonholes; knit sleeves in the round instead of flat, after completing the body; worked decreases for sleeves similar to bottom of body (about every seven sts)
Recipient: Baby A

Despite my trepidation over attempting an EZ pattern for the first time, I enjoyed this one so much that I headed back to Natural Stitches yesterday to pick up some more yarn to make a second February Sweater for Baby B:



For this one, I'll continue the garter section a little further than the pattern calls for, then knit the remainder of the body and sleeves in stockinette rather than the gull lace pattern. I think I'll also work buttonholes for the entire length of the sweater.

I'll probably be continuing to neglect Swallowtail until this sweater is finished. We're not sure if the twins will make an early appearance or not, but I'd like to have the second sweater finished before they arrive, since I know that my knitting time will be drastically reduced when they do. It's hard to believe that I "officially" have less than two months left to go until my due date!

Not a shawl, but still lace.

I'm taking a little break from Swallowtail in favor of another lace project:



That is, of course, Elizabeth Zimmermann's Baby Sweater on Two Needles, aka the February Sweater. I've always thought that this sweater was so cute and have always wanted to knit it, but was a little intimidated about trying an EZ "pattern", because I usually require a little more hand holding than she provides. Happily, I really haven't had any trouble with the instructions, and have even deviated from them a bit (I used kf&b for the yoke increases rather than her suggested m1 and am knitting the sleeves in the round instead of flat before the rest of the body). I'm really enjoying this knit, and am looking forward to seeing it on my little girl someday!

I've made a tiny bit of progress on the Swallowtail Shawl, and have now completed 11 repeats of the main chart, the last one using my new Knit Picks chart keeper. As promised, the chart keeper is wonderfully useful and I do love it. I only wish that it had a plastic pocket to slip the chart into, or maybe that the magnets provided were a little stronger, because they don't really hold a folded piece of paper on the keeper very well. No problem, though - the paper can be cut or I could always buy stronger magnets if I wanted to keep the pages with the charts on them intact. In any case, I am looking forward to getting lots more use out of the chart keeper once I resume work on the shawl and for future projects.