Given that I have been babbling extensively about the Ariann cardigan and the Pea Pod Baby Set, I figured that I should probably post a few pictures to convince all of you out there that I have been working away diligently these last few weeks. The pictures didn't come out as well as I'd hoped, especially in the case of the close-up shot of the Leaf Lace detail, but it's hard to photograph a piece of knitting that seems to go on forever. Okay. I've stalled long enough. Here they are:

For those of you unfamiliar with this pattern, the Ariann cardigan is made up of a 12-st repeat of 2 - mirrored 6-st sections. The eyelet pattern is easy to memorize, and is a nice introduction to lace work. It certainly gives the cardigan a level of sophistication without being too complicated. I am knitting this sweater using Selkirk wool (Light Gray). I've been pretty pleased with this wool overall as it has some nice undertones.
It will definitely make a lovely sweater, although getting it finished is a serious challenge for the Serial Hobbyist! I do feel, though, that things will go a little faster now that the sleeves are joined to the body. The downside is that I'm now stuck with a pile of heavy knitting in my lap. Oh well. There are trade offs with everything.

I'm really enjoying the Pea Pod Baby Set pattern. Generally I find knitting large areas in stockinette stitch rather boring, but the moss stitch and the lace work definitely adds interest to the piece.


I am knitting the cardigan using Elann Super Cable Aran (Elm Green). I had originally intended to use the yarn for a baby blanket, but quickly realized that the 100% mercerized cotton would work better for a garment than it would for a blanket. It is actually nice to work with, although it can get a little slippery at times. I also am forced to experiment with new types of joins as a way to avoid weaving in ends -- I typically use wool, so I always use a felted join when I switch to a new ball. I tried the Russian Join and that seemed to work, but I'll see what else is out there. I'm about halfway through the body of the cardigan at this point. I might need to put this project on hold while I work on other things. Fortunately I have time on my side: it will take the recipient about 6 months to grow into this sweater.