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Man, knitting sure slows down in the summer, doesn’t it? Like, to a crawl. Wool is just not that enticing when it’s 85 degrees and humid. I have a feeling there will be some sewing going on very soon. But I do have a couple of things to finish up first (ahem)…

Oh yeah, it’s the crochet dress. Crocheting is a little more palatable right now for some reason. Maybe because it’s going to be a lacy thing and not a heavy, fair isle sweater. Plus, I actually read ahead in the pattern (something I really never do), and now I’m even more excited to finish it. I’ve got the back done and started on the front - the skirt is crocheted separately and then apparently joined to the bodice with elastic.

I could go on about how confusing these old-timey directions have been at times, but I think I’ll save it for another post (when the frustration has built a little more).

Also, I am considering shortening the skirt. I mean, I *love* the length it is in the pattern, and the overall evening-dressness of the pattern is a big part of why I was attracted to it in the first place. However, unfortunately I do not have many occasions to wear evening dresses, and I’m afraid I’ll never put the thing on if I make it ankle-length. What to do?

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Next up: Ursula is looking forward to her bag *finally* being finished. So am I.

Ok. My friend and I decided to make socks with our beautiful tweedy yarn. He’s gotten a little side-tracked with another pair of gloves, but I’ve gone ahead and started - here’s the little rib on size US 0 needles. We’re going to share our colors - the heel and toe of my socks will be mustardy-brown, and the heel and toe of his will be blue. Awww. How cute. Anyway, before I get going again on my Norwegian Stockings, this will be good practice to figure out the whole knit-sock thing.

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Went up a few hook sizes and started working again on the crochet dress - it makes my left hand tired to crochet, though, so can only do a little at a time. Here are the two sides of the back in progress…

and joined together:

The lace is VERY stretchy, and apparently the point is to stretch it out when blocking. (Maybe all lace is like this? I don’t know, I’ve never made lace before.) So while the back opening may look small here, it’s going to open up and show a little skin, for sure. In case you were wondering, this pattern is from 1934, and it’s officially called “The Kingston.” Sounds quite formal, no? I guess I’ll have to find a formal crochet-dress ball to attend in order to wear it.

I’m on such a roll starting new projects that I have not one, but TWO to report today. Yeah, dig it. First of all, after the post office lost my package from Knit Picks a few weeks ago, they kindly replaced it (Knit Picks, not the post office, silly) and I just got the yarn I needed to keep knitting Eunny’s Deep V Argyle Vest.

I had a little of this yarn before, and had started it weeks ago, but have since frogged it and started over - just ’cause. The colors are more muted in real life, and they are close in value so the argyle pattern isn’t going to be dramatic, I don’t think.

And I started the Irish Crochet Evening Dress. I know what some of you are thinking - I got the Color Your Own yarn from Knit Picks (a.k.a. spaghetti) and I’m not even dyeing it. But I WANTED the cream/natural color. So there. Look how pretty it is! I think it will look great for this dress. I’m sure I’ll dye at some point but hopefully not in the immediate future (ahem).

Oh, and check it out, ’cause this little bit will be frogged soon - the gauge will make it WAY too small. That’s what’s fun about vintage patterns - there is little to no gauge information, the yarns they call for are no longer made, and sometimes the needle sizes are even different. So you just got to figure it all out from a little blurry black-and-white picture. I’m loving it.

I’m still working on C. Black Roses. I think I have enough done so that when my mom comes to visit tomorrow from California (yay) she can “try it on” to make sure it won’t be too small. The sweater still looks boring right now, so here’s a pic of the yarn that came in the kit. Pretty!