Ingenue in progress

Meet my red-orange Ingenue, the sweater I started at the end of December in a fit of knitting enthusiasm - I'd just discovered Wendy Bernard's (of Knit and Tonic) new book called Custom Knits, which seemed to answer all my questions about top-down knitting. I had no idea you could knit a set-in sleeve from the top down, or how you could make a big scoop neck from the top down. This pattern is actually really easy, and has a simple garter lace pattern to make it a bit more interesting. I haven't yet decided if I'll roll the neck down and stitch it in place, or leave it as a funnel. Did I mention that I *LOVE*LOVE*LOVE* how there is virtually no seaming, and being able to try it on as I knit?

After holding onto the book for as long as possible from the library, I decided this was worth ordering. Thanks to my brother for the exciting box of craft books that arrived in the mail yesterday: along with Custom Knits, I got the Well Decorated Cake, Denyse Schmidt Quilts, and Kitchen Confidential! Yippee!

It's almost done, but as usual, finishing is taking me forever. I gave it a good soak and blocked it last night since the bottom hem was creating this ballooning effect near the hip decreases. What's left is the sleeve cuffs...it's meant to have 3/4 sleeves, but since I am running out of yarn (what else is new) I am planning to knit the cuffs separately and join them on with a Kitchener stitch. I think the short sleeves will look cute.

I'll probably jinx it by saying promising when it'll be done. Let's just say it'll be done when it's done, and hopefully that doesn't mean next year!