overdue update

So much has been going on since I last posted. Apart from Ravelympics happening last month, I was working furiously to revise and get my dissertation defense draft finished (all done! defense at the end of the month!). I planned two projects for Ravelympics to help me through the writing --knitting helps my sanity (or what's left of it!)--so this seemed like a good idea. I finished one project (Star-Crossed Slouchy Beret) and got about half way through the second one (Blooming Cotton Scarf).




The hat was knit in Garnstudio DROPS Paris and the scarf is being worked in KnitPicks Comfy Sport. I like the way the hat turned out but, despite my love of hats, I don't think these slouchy ones suit me well. This one's going to a cousin for her 18th birthday--she's hip enough to pull the slouchy look off I think. I LOVE the way the scarf's turning out! Can't wait to finish it and start wearing it.

Also on the needles is the Heather Hoodie Vest but, since I'm still working on the scarf, it's hibernating at the mo. Once this scarf's done--which should be in the next few days since I'm not writing!--I'm going to start working on a thank you gift for my dissertation advisor, A's Manly Scarf which I'm planning to make in Cascade's Eco Wool. I think the Blooming Cotton Scarf is actually somewhat good practice for this since they're both knit lengthwise. Here's an early project pic for you:



I thought the colorwork on this would be harder, but since you only work one color at a time, it's not that bad! The only annoyance is having to unwrap whatever color's being worked from the other yarns being carried whenever I need it again. Being a colorwork newbie, I'm sure this is probably wrong, but since I didn't want to cut and rejoin whenever the color was needed again, I decided to carry up at the beginning of the round. I figured this would be ok since that's where the knitting will be cut to unravel and create the fringe. *shrug* So far so good though!