summer sweater kal progress update - week 1: miracles do happen

we are gearing up for a week long vacation away from home and what will be the babes' first very first camping experience. naturally, the wife and i figured it would be an appropriate time to rearrange our bedroom, play musical chest of drawers,  and overhaul our entire storage system. this means that our bedroom feels a bit airier; the girl's chest of drawers now lives in the hallway with the winter accessories; our chest of drawers now hold the girl's entire wardrobe in their room; the secretary desk that also has a chest of drawers now lives in our room; the linens have been moved to our bedroom closet, and the rest of our collective wardrobe now lives in what once was our linen closet. 

did you get all that? small spaces are fun. 

did i mention the 8 loads of laundry i did over the weekend? oh yes. all that. amid the usual housekeeping and home cooking and parenting and packing.

suffice it to say that with all that activity (necessarily) centred away from the boy and the girl, it's also been feeling like the toddler wars games around here. and i'll leave it at that. because the days. have. been. long. 

but there has been knitting - there has to be knitting. very late night knitting. and today, park knitting. 

ever the optimist, i never go to the park without some knitting. even though i know that at least 80% of the time, i'm pushing 2 swings, negotiating someone's right to be next, surveying for hazards, and practicing the art of keeping one eye on each kid at the same time.

my knitting basket usually sits lonely.

and as i go about the of business carrying out my mothering-at-the-park duties, the knitting basket and i cast furtive and longing glances at each other. then, my hands begin to itch - at which point, i finally give myself a talking to and force myself choose to be present.

but today, a small miracle happened. today i brought the sweaters i've been working on for luvinthemommyhood's summer sweater knit-along. and the babes - they agreed to try them on at. the. park. AND let me photograph them! 

see?!

they are little sweaters for little people so i really am speeding along.

the girl's sweater is called ms. marple and i'm really enjoying the pattern. there's some lace going on and its streamlined sweater construction makes me feel clever. 

as you can see, i can easily just call it a vest and be done with it. but i've got some more yarn and i really should get those needles off the back collar. also, that would defeat the purpose of participating in a sweater kal.

yarn: madelinetosh tosh dk in nutmeg

i really love this colour on her!

now the boy - he asked for a purple sweater. here is my answer: the wonder years cardigan. the pattern is simple, speedy, and straightforward, with a bit of a vintage vibe. 

i really like how this sweater is knitting up in my chosen yarn but i think that were i to knit this again, i would go with plied yarn in something tweedy or heathered. 

yarn: malabrigo worsted

both sweaters were inspired by my friend ava who has knit each of them for her adorable daughter. (thanks ava!)

just the sleeves, neckband, and button bands to go, really. so, i may just squeeze in another sweater or 2 as part of this kal. we'll see. 

oh! and the wife (finally) joined ravelry and is knitting away at her sweater: slowly and surely (see opening paragraphs).  maybe i'll get to show you her sweater progress soon, too. 

anyone else knitting along with us?