Look! Actual knitting content!

Yeah, it has been a long time, hasn't it?? Almost forgot it's called the KNITTING Penguin, didn't you?? Well, it's almost time for a WIP-Wednesday anyway, so wait no longer, I have knitting updates :) Let's see what I've been working on...

For starters, I've just about all caught up with the Monthly Dishcloth KAL. On the top row, from left to right, we have the April cloth ("In the Meadow") and the mid-April cloth ("Dots within Stripes"). On the next row, again from left to right, we have the May and mid-May cloths ("Wedding Hearts" and "Any Day, Everyday"). The first June cloth is currently OTN ('on the needles,' for those unfamiliar with knitting abbreviations).

"In the Meadow" was OK. I liked having an excuse to learn to bobble (seeing as I'm NEVER going to have them on a sweater unless I absolutely LOVE the effect - simply not a fan of how it looks on sweaters). It was the same designer as the March cloth ("The Empty Tomb") and she rather likes those pictures with the rays - the sunshine, the rays from the tomb. She likes them... I don't. Personally, I think it's a little obnoxious during the knitting, for an effect that just isn't worth it. But that's just my opinion. Still - I know how to bobble now!

"Dots within Stripes" was also just OK. It was a similar effect as "Finders Keepers" (from February) but took longer to get into my hands. Had to watch my rows more carefully, and that just defeated the purpose of using the dishcloths as nice mindless knitting. If I'm making another dishcloth and want this effect, I'll do "Finders Keepers" again - heck, that was the pattern I started in the DMV line! :)

"Wedding Hearts" was alright, might make it for a gift for a friend at some point, with kitchen gifts or something for their wedding, but not really my aesthetic. Not obnoxious, like the sun rays, but I just am so over the hearts-and-wedding themes. My own wedding was only 6 months ago - ask anyone who went - not a heart in sight! :)

"Any Day, Everyday" I reeeally like, though! It's a nice dishcloth, a good and bumpy cloth that will be good for scrubbing, and it's a very easy pattern. It's a variation on a basic lace grid, some changes on "yo, k2tog" alternating across rows. If you're not a knitter, don't worry; you're not supposed to understand that :) Anyway, it's very easy to get into your hands, so it's easy to remember and then just fly through the project. A good instant gratification project. Two thumbs up, as far as dishcloths go :) I'm not sure if I like this one or "Finders Keepers" better yet, though. Can't wait to see what the rest of the year will bring!

In non-dishcloth related knitting news, I've almost finished Square Cake! I've got one handle piece (of 4) all finished, and I'm about halfway up the second one. It'll be all off the needles soon, with any luck, and then all that's left is to line it!

And finally, in upcoming knitting news, I've been commissioned for a baby blanket!! My best friend in high school (Ben) has a little sister my own sister's age, and Julie (his sister) got married about 3 months before I did. Yes, she is old enough to be getting married, but it still makes me feel old - I've known her since she was in middle school after all!! ;) Anyway, Julie and her new husband are expecting their first in Oct! Very exciting! They know it'll be a boy, and Ben and Julie's mom (the grandmother-to-be) saw my shrug from the wedding and commissioned a baby blanket for the little one on the way! I'm so excited!!

I've already picked out the pattern I'm going to use, and ordered the yarn. For the pattern, I'm going with a little bit more unusual pattern, a blanket knit in the round. It looks really neat when it's all done (side note: Thank you, Ravelry - you made looking for a pattern so much easier!!) For the yarn, I'm going with Tofutsies, nice and warm and washable, but the cotton and chitin will make it not swelteringly warm in the FL summers. The color I'm looking at is this one, called Foot in the Door, variegated blues and greens and yellows. Julie is looking at pale blue and pale green and yellow for the baby colors. I thought this would be a nice yarn to use, still fitting in with the color scheme, but bright enough that he can still use it as a toddler play-blanket or something without it screaming "BABY," the way pastels often do. I've already ordered the yarn - had to special order it, but it's nice to have connections (i.e. a sister who works at a yarn shop - thank you Anne!!). Soon it will be forwarded on to me, in time to have a nice big blanket knit up for the little guy by his arrival in Oct. Did I mention I'm excited?