My 4th Filatura summer top has begun in earnest. Here's the progress from the first skein:

Yep, I know, it's very exciting 18" x 7" of stockinette (I've actually managed to get a few more inches done since the picture was taken a couple of hours ago). So far, so good, however. This stuff doesn't knit up too badly. I have to watch it a little more than non-boucle type yarn, but I still had no problem cruising around the blog ring and working on this piece. I do like the drape of the fabric as it is knitting up. It's not a terribly elastic fabric, however, and even though I am knitting to gauge, I have a feeling that the top will end up a little looser than it looks on the model. I'm thinking I've got a good chance of getting the back finished this weekend and having a good start on the front by the time Monday rolls around.

I am beginning to tire a little of cotton-based yarns, however. Which is not so good, given that I have two more of them to go before the summer's done.

I got a chance to duck into a Borders on Wednesday night, and I was hoping to find the new Interweave Knits or Vogue Knitting.

I pretty much struck out on both counts with the magazines, but I did finally decide to pick up Nancie Wiseman's The Knitter's Book of Finishing Techniques. This is one of those books that I've picked up and put down a number of times, mostly because I kept telling myself that I already knew how to do mattress stitch, and I had a copy of the Vogue Knitting Bible. But after paging through it again I decided I liked both the illustrations in the book and the author's attempt to provide hints about when -- and when not -- to use a particular technique. It goes way beyond mattress stitch. It also has the extra added advantage of being a lot more portable than the big Vogue book.

Julie and I are heading off to Flying Colors in Clarendon Hills tomorrow to check out another Chicagoland store that we haven't visited yet and to engage in a little retail therapy (we'll be there around noon for anyone who might like to join us). My goal is to be good and not indulge in too much (or any) new yarn, but I know I will probably cave in over something. I've been thinking that I might like to try Julie's felted bag pattern in some fall colored Kureyon, and I need some US size 4 Addis...