Adult Surprise Jacket - as worn

Here it is on an actual body. I'm long-waisted, so it looks very cropped. Ty, who's about 5'2, was in yesterday and tried it on, and it hit her right at the waist.

Nikola - it's a 10

This is a GREAT little top. Didn't work steadily on it, but in terms of straight knitting time, it took less than 10 hours. Worked on size 10 needles in the lovely chunky cotton Chacabuco, it was quick to knit, and is lovely soft to wear. I'd wound 4 hanks, but it ended up taking only two. Wow! I'm already planning another one with the lace detail at the bottom.

Adult Surprise Jacket --surprisingly cute!

As you know from the newsletter, I've admired Erica Raspberry's version of this jacket for some time, so I had hoped that mine would come out as nicely. Since I had chosen Taiyo, a delicious Noro blend of cotton and silk, I wanted a cropped style that I could wear all summer.

After the decreases were complete, I knit only enough increases to get me back to my starting number. Then I did the neckline and continued for about an inch. Then I picked up all around and worked for another inch. Finally, I picked up around the collar, worked one round, and bound off all the stitches. I'm very pleased with the way it came out. It hangs off the hanger in this photo, so I'll try to post a photo that shows how it looks on an actual body.

Movie night

My husband and I are huge fans of Clint Eastwood, and we've been introducing his old movies to the kids. Okay, so they're not exactly high intellect, but they're fun and they're part of our family culture. We started with some really old ones: Every Which Way but Loose and Any Which Way You Can. These are the ones where really young Clint plays a street fighter who owns a gorilla named Clyde. The kids think they're hilarious. For me, they're a fun way to spend a few hours with everyone together enjoying themselves - and I get to knit.

We've seen Heartbreak Ridge, Grand Torino, Dirty Harry, and tonight we watched about an hours worth of The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly. I finished my Adult Surprise Jacket, and even wove in the ends. I LOVE the way it turned out. I had admired the cropped version Erica did, and I'm pleased that mine came out the same size. I wanted something really colorful for summer, that I could just throw on over a cami and go. Noro Taiyo, is just the perfect fiber - a terrific blend of cotton and silk. I'll try to get photos tomorrow.

Adult Surprise Jacket - ASJ

Maybe it's the fabulous colors in this yarn that jazz me so much. Maybe it's the simple garter stitch over long rows, but for whatever reason, I feel like this project is going pretty quickly. I didn't work on it at all the first week after we started, but tons last week. The double decreases are done, and I've started the double increases, so that's probably a third of the way finished.

The yarn is Taiyo, but we just call it cotton Kureyon. I love, love, love this yarn. The colors are spectacular, and it has a nice smooth, soft hand. Seems the perfect yarn for the ASJ because mitered decreases really show off the colors, and no matter how the colors go in the yarn, it's perfectly symmetrical. And did I mention the colors? This color way has fabulous, clear jewel tones. It's so exciting to see them come along. Cathy chose a beautiful caramel, beige, and pink colorway that is beautiful as well. Mary, who was the first of the Leonardtown group to finish chose the gorgeous pink, black, and white colorway.

Can't wait to wear this fun colorful jacket!

My Blossom

Blossom is a spectacular design by Elsebeth Lavold. Love this pattern, but for some reason it's going very slowly for me. I have just a few rows to work before the armhole bind off, but just can't seem to get energized. The fabric is stunning, though. Louisa Harding's Mulberry Silk is the nicest silk yarn I have ever seen or knit (no kidding), and the pattern is easy but not boring, so it should be going faster. Maybe after I get the armholes bound off and do the decreases it will get me going. Everyone else is just zipping along with theirs - Lynn, Susan, and Ginni are nearly done altogether, and Evelyn, Sandy, and Marilou are going great guns. Maybe what I need is a movie night where I can just knit all evening.