Summer Doldrums

I am just feeling sort of deflated right now. Perhaps it is the the low barometric pressure brought on by yet another rain storm? While many of you are suffering with really terrible summer temperatures, Chicago is running a bit hot (high 80's/low 90's) and humid. All in all it's been a relatively mild summer except for the almost weekly torrential downpours. Very strange, it is. And not much fun when you have to walk home in one of them, even when you did remember to bring your umbrella. Note to self: wet linen really does not work well in a skirt.

Anyway, with my first batch of Sloopy finished and the idea that I thought would be neat for showing of the stripes not working out the way I want it to, I decided to go back to my WIP pile and see what might make for good, simple summer knitting. The Kaleidoscope vest very politely reminded me that it had been some time since I had picked it up and made any progress. And didn't I have a very nice father who could really use a new fall vest?

Halfway Up the Back of Kaleidoscope

This picture represents roughly the halfway point up the back of the vest. While I find that it takes me quite some tme to get through 1 twenty row repeat, it is very satisfying to watch the fabric come together. The presence of some garter stitch rows helps to make the fabric lay quite flat and the combination of color and texture are engaging. The knitting is very simple, over all, and even though there is a reasonable amount of color changing, the number of ends that will have to be woven in is not overwhelming because it is possible to carry the colors up the side. And I must say, the thought of not having to deal with knitting a pair of man-sized sleeves is also quite pleasureable.

So I will work on Kaleidoscope while I contemplate socks. Amazing that relatively small sock projects can require so much thinking.