So yes, I got tired of wrangling 4 balls of yarn, especially after finishing the back and starting on one of the front sides which is of course half as wide and therefore requires yarn wrangling twice as often...
I decided I needed to cast on something nice and simple and gratifying that most importantly used only ball of yarn at a time (never mind that I have many WIPs I could have picked up). Having been recently reminded of my Oceanwind Knits stash, I decided it was time for the baby bell bottoms (ravelry, pattern) and it has been the perfect break from the baby sweater, not to mention that it also will match the baby sweater (well, not match, but go really well).
I have totally fallen in love with the Oceanwind Knits merino ii (sport weight), a little surprisingly so actually, as it's not a particularly hyped or much talked about yarn. I forget where I heard about it even. I think it might have been a Ravelry ad actually... and I was really drawn to the colors. And even though the colors are a little different to how my monitor shows them on the website, now that I am knitting it up, I can especially see how gorgeous at least this first colorway is. The subtle variations are so pretty and somehow do have a beachy feel to them. They are somehow also not quite what I was expecting from seeing the yarn in a skein, but I totally love it!
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I am also loving the tactile quality of the yarn, which is similar to 80/10/10 merino/cashmere/nylon blends that I love, although not quite as soft of course. The twist is very tight, which I like, both to work with and for the firm fabric it gives. The pants almost have a denim/cotton feel to them, but more springy, and stitch definition.
In fact, I love this yarn so much, I'm now planning on a matching baby beanie (ravelry) and Elijah (ravelry, pattern). I love the idea of a soft toy that matches an outfit, and I think the firm fabric this yarn creates will be perfect for soft toys.
The baby bell bottom pattern itself is simple, quick and fun - I've joined the two legs now and am knitting the butt/hips/waist section. I should be done by the end of the weekend, apart from the elastic waist band (as I don't have any elastic). I'm adding some short rows for diaper shaping... don't you love it when people casually mention that they threw in some short rows? That has always sounded very advanced to me, but having recently followed EZ's instructions for short row shaping in tomten jacket, I was a little less intimated and as I read that at least a couple of other people did that with the baby bell bottoms, I decided to give it a try. Doing the short row shaping itself is not a big deal, it's deciding where to add the rows, how many to add, and how long they should be that is a bit more of a mystery. I'll see how it comes out.
I'm hoping that creating my own knitting photography eye candy will a) fulfill my need for knitting eye candy gratification and make me less likely to covet new yarn based on the eye candy of others and b) will make me more likely to post FOs sooner. Of course, I have a whole bunch of 2008 FOs that I still haven't written up, and I think it is in large part because I have in the past been frustrated with the photos. Last year, I didn't have my 2007 recap up until March 1st. I'm going to try for Feb 1st this year... which means I had better get a move on as I have a total of 11 FOs to write up.
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