Making actual progress, people.

So I finally have gotten the skirt started properly. Here it is so far:
Purdy. The color is actually much darker than this, but the flash makes it look lighter. I think this is what it'll probably look like after I wash it and the extra dye comes out. Speaking of extra dye coming out...


This is what my hand looks like after about an hour and a half of knitting. But it can get much worse. The blue dye comes off on my computer, on Shannon's kindle, on books, on everything, pretty much. It washes off pretty easily from most things (but not my skin-- that takes a few scrubs). I love knitting this skirt-- except for the blue hands! It's really annoying. If I ever knit another one I will use a colorfast yarn. And maybe a wool fiber. The Rowan Denim was recommended because the skirt needs to be knit in a fiber that will hold its very fitted shape, but there are a lot of other kinds of yarn I could use, probably. I think it's going to be really pretty. I don't end up wearing a lot of stuff that I knit, which really bugs me, and EVERY time I make something else, I always say, "I might actually wear this!!" And I usually don't. But I really hope I DO wear this.

I also realized something about knitting tops for me: the standard sizes will not fit. The reason why I can't wear most sweaters that I knit is because I always knit them in the smallest size since knit stuff has a tendency to come out big, but my chest will NOT fit into a standard small, so the yarn always gaps apart over my chest and looks awful. So I don't wear it. My boss Shannon recommended that I get the book "Big Girl Knits" (adding, "Not because you're big or anything!") because it gives guidelines for revising patterns to fit problem areas such as butt, belly and bust. I don't have a problem butt- (seeing as I have none) or belly-wise, in general, but bustwise, well, it's not always easy finding shirts that fit, considering my relatively small frame and disproportional bust. Soooo . . . I am going to find that book, because it would be REALLY nice to knit a top that fits across my bust without gapping or stretching, but also isn't times too big on me!!!

And then maybe I'll make a sweater or top that fits.

In the meantime, working happily on my skirt and the Noro scarf which is sooo pretty-- the colors are coming out beautifully.

Still haven't started the socks (shame-faced look) because I don't have the right size needles. Gotta pick some up asap, because the beautiful Malabrigo is begging to be knit up!!