Blue, White, Cool Cotton and No Sleeves!

I started the Imprint Tank from the Summer 08 Interweave Knits. The yarn is Mission Falls 1824 Cotton. My colours are White, Dark Blue (not as purple as it looks here) and Light Blue. The more muted ones in the magazine capture the retro vibe of the Marimmeko pattern better than mine but these are colours I'll wear more happily.

I started on the weekend (after getting Bonbon back on track). This is my first time using bobbins and I was pleased with how quickly I got the hang of it. The cotton of course slips easily past itself and the other strands which helps keep the bobbins all hanging straight and ready for use. This is handy as there are only a couple of rows in this vest that don't use them all.

Taking the next colour from beneath to avoid holes at the colour changes is also working well. Why am I always amazed when the prescribed technique is one that really works? The intarsia is too fun. The progress is quick and the cotton, while tough on the hands is cool to work with in the summer heat.

This week I haven't been able to knit before fairly late in the evening. Fortunately the Blue Jays were playing in Seattle - the games starting at 10:00 here so that kept me up and working for a couple of hours each night rather than just passing out. It never occurred to me that baseball was great for watching on TV while knitting until I read Margeaux' reports on the "tentenknits" blog last year about doing just that. (Ravelry is an amazing tool but the intangible or peripheral things I learn about knitting on blogs never ceases to surprise me.) Things are looking up for the Jays since Cito returned so it was even pleasant being able to cheer for the winning team! (If you've ever followed hockey, the Toronto Maple Leafs have a terrible record but for some reason we love and watch them nonetheless so watching the losing team is often the norm around here - watching the winner, a pleasant change!

Bottom line on intarsia is the back of the work right?;)

Tonight's knitting goal ...finish this side - 5 more inches on the armholes (another circle and a half or so of the graphic ) then its onto the stitch holder and cast on, set up the bobbins for side two. There's a softball game that as mom I will be "watching" with knitting in hand so this is doable - I just have to find a spot to sit alone without distraction. I can knit and watch the game, OR knit and chat OR chat and watch. Oh did I mention the prospect of no sleeves to knit is nothing short of thrilling?!