Merry Christmas

This year has been the most important year of my life.









I'm overwhelmed with love and happiness and tenderness everytime I look at Juanma.

Thank you all for sharing it with me.

Let me share with you an Irish Blessing I love:

The light of the Christmas star to you
The warmth of home and hearth to you
The cheer and good will of friends to you
The hope of a childlike heart to you
The joy of a thousand angels to you
The love of the Son and God's peace to you

MERRY CHRISTMAS

FELIZ NAVIDAD

Cote d'azur

Sunday morning, baby is taking a nap - so many things to do and so little time....
I have started a new sweater for Juanma, heavily inspired on a Phildar pattern. It's really easy and quick to knit. I wish I had a little more time.

The problem is Juanma has been fighting sleep. Once he falls asleep everything's fine. He naps for an hour during the day, and usually sleeps quite well through the night (waking up twice - at 1.30 and at around 4.30 or 5) to be nursed. And then he wakes up at around 6 or so. Not bad for an almost five-month-old.
But getting him to sleep had turned into a battle - me usually the defeated one. It would take maybe an hour: walking around, rocking, lullaby, silence, whispering, nursing him - you name it.
But lately not even nursing him would work. He would fall asleep while being fed, only to wake up screaming a minute after being put in his cradle.
The doctor had told me to read a book about how to put a baby to sleep. The book describes the Ferber method. When I read it, it was too cruel... letting the baby cry out....
But now that Juanma is having so much trouble falling asleep I kind of tried it out. I'm a rebel, so I didn't exactly follow the exact directions on "progressive waiting"...
Believe it or not... it seems to be working!!!!!! Instead of carrying him around for over 45 minutes, I put him in his cradle, he cries for a minute or two, I pat him, tell him I love him, cries once or twice again... and MAGIC!!!
Of course, at first Husband thought I was crazy - "he will NEVER fall asleep like that, let me try", he said. He held him and walked and rocked him. 10 minutes later, I put him to bed, let him cry for one minute, and he fell sound asleep. Husband couldn't believe what he saw!!!!
I hope it continues working!!!!!!!!!
On the knitting area, have a look at the Cote d'azur sweater. I don't know what's wrong with my camera - the sweater is white:

back - 80% done








And this is a beautiful light blue vest my mum knit for Juanma. He looks yummy in it!!

Introducing the Lime Green V-Neck Vest

I've finally finished it!!!!!

I'm really really happy with the result. It's the first time I've totally designed something.

Of course my mum gave me directions for the V-neck (I had never done a V-neck before).

And now I'm looking for ideas - any summery baby boy designs you can think of??

Vaccination Time

Juanma is four months old and that meant having him vaccinated again... Three different vaccines - two of them were injectable.

He was an angel - didn't even cry. It broke my heart though to see him pulling faces in discomfort.

The day after he was not quite himself. Cried a lot, complained a lot, didn't sleep well.

Fortunately yesterday evening he completely recovered and mum and grandma took him out for a walk. OF course, we couldn't resist buying him some clothes and some toys to reward him for having been such a brave little boy!!!

Anyway, in the pics you can see him wearing a light blue vest my mum knit for him.

My lime green vest is about to be finished - it just needs sewing!!!! You'll see it in the next post.

Ravelry + Vest for Juanma

Well, finally I got my invitation and joined Ravelry on Nov 2.

Seems to be great, I still haven't had enough time to do much.

I'm still working on the V-Neck Vest for Juanma.

I have finished the back, and am working on the front. I have to start shaping armholes and neck.

I just hope I finish it before Juanma gets too big to wear it!!!

Mother's Day

On Sunday I celebrated my first Mother's Day as a mum...

The pic was taken at midday, at my mum's, just before a delicious B-B-Q.

The white blouse I'm wearing was a present from my parents. They are just so generous to us.

And this is a pic of what I'm knitting. Yes, this blog is supposed to be about knitting... It's a lime green vest for Juanma. This is the back, the front will have some cables I think.

Weekend Away - Las Gaviotas

What a wonderful weekend!!!!
We had a lovely time!
Friday 3pm we started our trip. My dad decided to drive us to the beach - we knew EVERYBODY was leaving Buenos Aires, so we wanted to avoid the 6pm exodus.

My mum and sister couldn't get their hands off Juanma - and I was happy to rest a little bit. I lay in the sun by the (empty) swimming pool, I walked along the beach, I even got to knit a couple of rows - I'll show you in my next post.

The air in Las Gaviotas and Mar de las Pampas is wonderful. Every step you take, you smell something different - lavender, pines, eucalyptus. I couldn't get enough of it.
We also enjoyed the total lack of pavement. Everywhere sand and earth. Speed limit is 30 km per hour - and most people do respect it. Children running and playing around with no worry. Unbelievable.
We also loved being there without the men (except for Juanma, of course). Don't get me wrong. I love my hubbie and my dad, and my mum loves my dad, too (my sister has just broken up after an almost 2 year long relationship). But since they were not around, we didn't cook, we didn't need to clean up after them, we didn't need to ask them to take us to Mar de las Pampas, we didn't need to hear them trying to give orders or requesting anything!!!

Women bonding was fantastic. My mum and I really get along. My sister is a little bit more complicated than us, but she was terrific - she had a wonderful time too, and I guess it was good for her after her breakup.
We had such a great weekend we even started thinking of renting a house there for the summer holidays...

Anyway, we returned yesterday, early in the morning, because we didn't want to get caught in a 4-hour-long traffic jam with Bichi Boli.

Long Weekend & Juan Manuel's Cabled Cardigans

My Mum is the greatest knitter.

She knit this cabled cardigan for Juanma in no time.

She needed no pattern, no measurements, nothing at all.

Next Monday is a national holiday in Argentina. My mum, my sister (who's recently broken up with her boyfriend), Juanma and I are going away to Las Gaviotas (http://www.lasgaviotas.com.ar/). We booked a house in http://www.medanosapart.com.ar/, just 50 m from the sea. We can't wait to get there!!!

This white cabled cardigan was also knit by my mum. In this pic, you will fully appreciate why I my baby's nickname is "Bichi Boli" (short for Bicho Bolita -woodlouse in English).

Oh, and just in case you haven't noticed, I'm SO IN LOVE with my baby boy!!!

Meet Juan Manuel

Hi everybody!!!

I'm back... or I'll try to be....

Juan Manuel was born on July 16, 2007 at 8.30 am.

He's the most precious little boy.

I haven't had much time to update the blog, or knit, or pretty much anything else for that matter.

Juan Manuel - 2 hours after he was born.

His first bath!

Beautiful Baby & Proud Mum

September 26. Baby & Mum wearing matching cardigans knit by Baby's Grandma.

It's A Boy!

It's official: it's a boy!!!!
Today morning we saw our baby again!!!! I am still in shock.... we saw his legs, and his heart... we saw his face!!! I mean his nose, his cheeks, his mouth, we even saw his tongue swallowing!!!!!!!
I am now 6 months pregnant - and look at the bump!

On knitting news, this is the cardi-circus tent my mum knit for me. She's the greatest, it only took her one week to knit this giant coat for me!!!

I am still knitting the never-ending blankie. I haven't been knitting too much, autumn seems to never begin. On Thursday the temperature reached 35°C and I had to turn on the A/C!!! Today it's raining so I'll try to knit and make some progress.
And THANK YOU all for your kind comments - gracias por sus felicitaciones y sus lindas palabras!!!!

Baby Wrap and Look at My Bump

It's official - the baby wrap is never-ending.


As usual, I have changed the pattern. The original is a triangle - which didn't seem big enough, and which my mum and I decided was not what we wanted...


So now I'm knitting a square wrap. And instead of knitting the lacy border, I will probably crochet it.


That's why I don't have much to show you... I really want to finish this, so I haven't started any other project.


My mum, however, is knitting two or three things right now (sorry I have no pics, but two of those things are for me, so I'll show you the FOs!). Last Thursday, Mum, little sister and I went yarn shopping in Berazategui - Mother has lived there for 27 years - this means she has been buying yarn in the same two yarn stores for 27 years. First we went to one of the yarn stores, and we bought some violet yarn for sister. Then we went to the second yarn store, where we bought some darkish gray yarn for a warm cardi-poncho for me and my bump. The owner of the shop, who has know us for a long long time congratulated me, and the baby's Grandma and Aunt. That's when we saw some skeins of a baby boucle in the sweetest colourways. We asked the owner to show us, and we chose one yellowish-lemony skein to knit maybe a onesie for Baby. When we asked him how much it was, he told us that the gray yarn is $50, and the baby yarn is a present from him!!!
And now, let me introduce you to The Bump.

That's me and The Bump. Close-up.

It's not too big - let me remind you I'm 5 1/2 months pregnant... though I already feel I am a WHALE!!!!!

And now I have to run- I need to buy a present for baby Ulises who was born two weeks ago, and whom I'm going to meet later in the evening, and I need to buy some chocolate eggs for Easter!!!

A Weekend Away

Well, not exactly a weekend...

Last week we left for Mar del Plata on Tuesday and stayed there till Friday.

Husband and I waiting to see the Sea Lions Show

On Tuesday, the weather was wonderful, so we visited the Aquarium. It was a shame, though. I mean, I wasn't going to compare it to Sea World (I visited Sea World in Orlando, Fl some years ago), but this Aquarium is embarassing!!! Don't get me wrong, the animals look healthy and well taken care of. It's just that the shows are pathetic - children were bored, adults were embarrassed at the lousy script. The shows with the animals are pathetic - sea lions did whatever they wanted, not what the trainers asked them to - but I have to admit I rather enjoyed this!! The electricity went off every hour, every show started 10 or 15 minutes later than scheduled, the 3-D movie was 20 years old and the movie theatre smelled like 60 years old. However, Husband and I really enjoyed the day out. The sun was shining, we laughed a lot at all these mishaps and enjoyed being together.

I did knit a lot, I was thinking of showing you a pic of the baby wrap but I can't find the batteries for my camera. It's not finished yet - not even close. Right now every row has 320 stitches and 2+ per row. It's getting heavy!!

On baby news, I'm currently 5 months, 1 week, 3 days pregnant. I saw the doctor on Friday, everything is wonderful, baby is healthy and mother is not gaining thousands of kilos (only 4 kilos so far). Next ultrasound and appointment with the doctor is on Fri April 20 - I CANNOT WAIT TO FIND OUT WHETHER IT'S A BOY OR A GIRL!!!!

Baby Blanket from Katia Magazine!

Maybe I haven't told you this before, but I am quite a determined lady.

Having tried to work out the pattern for almost 3 days, I woke up on Saturday and picked up my needles.

One, two, three times... the ranting against the magazine started again...

SHAME ON ME!!!! I had misread the instructions all the time!!!

Instead of doing slip 1, knit 2, pass slip stich over, I was doing SK2P.

So, please forget everything I said about the Katia magazine. It was all my mistake.

Here is what I've knit so far.

Baby Blanket

Remember yesterday I told you I was starting a new project???

This is it. I fell in love with it the minute I opened the Katia magazine. We even had a fight with my mum to see who would knit it.

Well, yesterday I got my needles, I got my yarn and I cast on. So far, so good.

Row 1, fine.

Row 2, not fine. "I must have made a mistake, 2 stitches seem to be missing. I should concentrate harder."

Frog.

Row 1, fine.

Row 2, not fine. "Can I be THIS stupid??? Let's try again."

Frog.

Row 1, fine.

Row 2, SHOOT ME!!! What the heck is going on????

Well, my dear friends, I don't frieking know what the problem is!!! But chart A is WRONG WRONG WRONG and I am not as talented as to discover the mistakes. So if any of you can see it, please do let me know.
Sorry for my ranting... but I HATE IT when they make this horrible mistakes. I mean, I bought this mag because I loved this blanket... and now it's downright impossible for me to knit it!!!
I know I'm not alone in this... it's happened to all of us, hasn´t it? But don't you think they should knit the things they print before selling you the magazines????
Anyway, I have an appointment with my ob/gyn tomorrow, so maybe I'll be able to tell you whether baby is a girl or a boy!!! I can't wait!!!!

I always considered the International Women's Day to be rather sexist...

But this year's theme seems worth it.

For more info, visit http://www.un.org/events/women/iwd/2007/background.shtml

On Hold

I don't like these two colours together... I'll wait till I find out whether Baby is a boy or a girl (my next appointment is next Friday and maybe the doctor will tell me then!) and use blue or pink instead of white...

And... there's something else wrong there. If you look at the pic on the right, you'll see how the knitting is slanted!

So, current project is a white baby blanket.

Pictures Galore

First, let me show you what I received from Paula

Three sets of circular needles and a "Tejer la Moda" magazine with lots of baby knits!!! Thank you dear Paula for your generosity!!!!

Second, lots and lots of mags - a gift from one of my students. When she got pregnant, her friends and family gave her all these. She cannot knit, and when she found out I was pregnant she offered me her mag stash!!!!

Third, my mum finished a baby set for Ulises, my friend Melania's baby. I told you how talented my mother is... I think Mel and Ulises will like it.

Last but not least, this is what I've knit during the weekend. I know, it's not much, but I had a busy busy weekend visiting friends and family.

Long Time No Blog

Hi everyone!!!!!!
It's been a long time!!!
First of all, let me tell you everything is wonderful here! I'm 19 weeks pregnant!!!! I'm so excited!!! I haven't started showing, it just looks like I've been eating too much pizza and pasta...
I haven't been blogging mainly for three reasons:
1. I haven't been knitting - ever since I finished the baby's sweater, I haven't touched my needles!
2. I haven't touched my needles because it's been horribly hot in BA...
3. It's been horribly hot and I've been feeling terrible... nauseous, headaches, tiredness... all those things I always said I wouldn't feel when I became pregnant.
In addition I´ve been working like crazy - lots of students, lots of translations and proof reading.
To sum up, when I got home I just felt like going to bed!! We bought the A/C so I turned it on and immediately fell asleep!
Anywhoo, today is my free day, and I decided to start knitting again - it's high time, I guess. I wanted to start knitting a baby blanket, but I'm afraid it might get hot hot hot again and I'd have to leave it on hold. So I finally chose a baby sweater from a Katia magazine.

By the way, the Katia baby knits mag I found has gorgeous designs and patterns. However, it's impossible to get hold of another issue here in BA. I have been stalking visiting news agents for the last month and they keep promising they will get them for me.

Well, enough for today... otherwise, I will never cast on!!!

Tomorrow I'll show you all the presents I've got (mags & needles!) from some wonderful friends.

Secret Project Revealed

So this is my Secret Project...
First sweater for my first baby!
I'm pregnant (16 weeks - baby is due July 27th!!!) That's why the bed rest.
Thank God everything seems to be fine, the baby seems to be healthy and growing.
The pattern is from a Katia Magazine I was lucky enough to get in the yarn district. All the other baby knits mags I bought are HO-RRI-BLE!
It took me exactly 2 weeks to knit it - while I was at my mum's house all I did was knit!!! It was my first baby knit, so it was a little confusing at the beginning, until I got the hang of it.

And by the way this is my 100th post!! and it's about wonderful news, isn't it???
Congratulations are in order!!!

Obsessed With Circular Needles

Remember I told you I bought some needles on my trip to the yarn district?

I inherited most of my needles from my mother and my grandmother. They're a bit old, some of them have blunt tips, some of them are bent. That's why I'm trying to buy new ones.

While shopping, I asked for circular needles everywhere. Most shops didn't have any at all. The shops that did carry circular needles, offered me the ones made in Argentina.

Come on! They're impossible to use.

Fortunately my Secret Project doesn't require circulars...

But I was so aggravated I even dreamt I was buying circulars!! And you wouldn't believe the ones I was offered in my nightmare dream... they had a rubber tube instead of a cable...
Can you even imagine knitting with something like this???

I would like to thank everybody for their kind words. I am still staying at my mum's - I can't move till Tuesday afternoon. Fortunately I am feeling much much better, everything seems to be going back to normal.

Yesterday Husband came and brought my knitting bag! Whoopie!! I've resumed work on my Secret Project. I can't show you any pictures because a- Duh! it's secret and b- I haven't got my camera here and I don't know how my dad's picture software works. Anyway, it's about to be revealed... if I can go home on Tuesday I will take pics and show and tell.

Remember I told you my mum is a tyrant when it comes to knitting perfection?? Well, she had knit about 60% of Ulises' Sweater when she realized she didn't actually love it. She asked me what I thougth. I told her it was quite nice... No no no she said, I don't love it. RIP RIP RIP. Three minutes later she was casting on a different Ulises Sweater. I´ll show you pics when I've got my camera...

Secret Project Interrupted

Unfortunately I am having some health issues I need to take care of... Being the childish squeamish person that I am, and considering the doctor told me NOT TO MOVE from bed/chair, I moved to my mum's house for a couple of days - more like a week - till the doctor sees me again.
Once again, my mum is my heroe, you see...
The bad news is I left my knitting at home, and Husband won't be able to come see me until tomorrow I guess... so I'm sitting/lying around all day with nothing to do!!!!!

All your prayers, good thoughts, positive energy will be appreciated!!

Yet Another Shopping Spree

Today my Mum and I went to the yarn district!!!

We had a great time - I always enjoy hanging out with my mum.

However, sometimes she can get MEAN!!! When I showed her Ulises Vest she looked at me and frowned. I immediately knew what she was thinking...


"This is way too big for a newborn - more like for a 1-year-old. And, you should have used smaller needles, the gauge is all wrong."


And then.... rip rip rip... without blinking, Ulises vest was gone.





After that we went to the yarn district.


I bought some Aero Needles - I'm trying to get them in all size numbers. Today I bought 2, 2 1/2 and 3.


And I bought some yarn to start working on my Secret Project!!! I'm still swatching, I'll show you when the swatch is big enough to be shown.





My mum bought some orange/peachy summery yarn and a ball of mathching orange/peachy/reddish ribbon yarn. I saw it and knew it was perfect for her. And of course, she couldn't resist the temptation when I showed her both things together (too bad I didn't take pics).

When we returned home after having lunch, she looked at the yarn I had bought for Ulises... and she sweetly offered to knit something for him herself so that I could start working on my Secret Project right away. I couldn't resist the temptation either. Like mother, like daughter.

Ulises' Vest

My very good friend Melania is pregnant, and I've started knitting a V-neck vest for her baby Ulises.

She asked me not to use blue or light blue yarn - she has zillions of garments in these colours! So I chose this gorgeous beige that will look beautiful with something blue or light blue underneath...

In the pic you can see my own design (as usual I can't follow one pattern from one mag - the rebel in me needs to start changing things around) and the swatch.

It's the first time I've knit something for a baby... I can't wait to see Ulises wearing it!!!

Ribbing Is Boring and It's TOO Hot to Knit!

Not much progress in my Verena Mag Cerise Cardi.
It's too hot to knit - in fact, it's too hot to post, too hot to move, too hot to think! Right now the temperature is near 36°C...

I thought it was just me - but today I talked to my mum and she has two Works in Progress she hasn't even touched for over a week. Then I talked to a friend of mine, she's pregant and knitting for her baby boy - she can't seem to finish a cardi for the baby... I've been thinking of knitting something for her baby - I need to buy some knitting magazines for babies - in the meantime, any suggestions?

Cerise Cardigan from Verena Magazine

Finally I've been able to start knitting again.

You see, January 1st was THE HOTTEST DAY - temperature reached 44°C. Temperatures were really high until yesterday. And I've felt horrible ever since New Year. Yeah, nice way to start 2007: too hot to even move + really low blood pressure that makes you feel you're about to faint any minute.

It was so hot and I felt so bad that Husband told me PLEASE GO AND GET YOURSELF AND AIR CONDITIONER. Bummer, when I started feeling better to go out and buy myself one, the temperature started to fall.

Fortunately, yesterday the temperature went down to around 20 or 25C, so today I was finally able to get my knitting needles back to work.

I hope I can show you some real progress soon!!!

Buenos Aires Covered In White

Let me tell you the temperature in Buenos Aires is around 30 / 37° C...


Of course it is not snow.... It never snows in BA, not even in winter...

It is a long-time tradition in the city to throw the diaries and agendas of the ending year on the last working day!!

I Got Mail!

Thank you Arianwen!



Gold and Silver Card




Noni Bag Patterns! and a lovely Merry Christmas letter from Arianwen and her family!

Swatching & Christmas Ranting

This is as far as I managed to get.


It's a pattern from Verena magazine, I'm using straight n.4 needles (though the neck requires a circular oh no)


It's almost Christmas and the past few days have been busy busy busy. Meeting people, buying/knitting last minute gifts. After lunch today I'll devote myself to cooking dessert. Husband and I are celebrating Christmas Eve with Husband's family, and I was asked to bring some dessert. I decided to go for a Brownie / dulce de leche / meringue cake. Super easy and super delicious. After toasting at 12 midnight we're probably going to meet my parents and some friends - that's when the party begins. Lots of laughter and fun there.

I want to wish you, all my dear blogfriends, a very merry Christmas.

An Irish Christmas Blessing
The light of the Christmas star to you

The warmth of home and hearth to you

The cheer and good will of friends to youT

he hope of a childlike heart to you

The joy of a thousand angels to you

The love of the Son and God's peace to you.

Happy Birthday and Anniversary!

First of all I would like to thank everybody for your wishes and kind words for my B-day and Anniversary!

The truth is I had a very nice birthday party on Friday. I celebrated it at my parents' because my apartment is a little small... Just my family and some close friends of ours, but I really enjoyed it. Unfortunately my husband had to work that night, but then he was free all weekend long so I can't complain.

My Dad and I

Saturday was impossible in BA. The temperature reached over 40°C. I couldn't even move it was so hot.

And yesterday Husband and I went out for dinner to a pizza restaurant we used to go when we first met, around 10 years ago (Husband and I dated for a couple of months 10 years ago. We were really young, and neither of us wanted any kind of commitments back then. So I didn't see him for 5 years, until one night I ran into him at a disco, and 3 months later we were living together!!)

Today I gave some of the Xmas gifts to my students. Everybody loved them!!! I'm so relieved!! Even one of the guys said he really really liked it and that at home he has lots of candles. Wrapped Votive Sleeves with Glass Candle Holders!!

I still have to knit 4 more, but I have run out of wire!! I'll try to get some today or tomorrow.

In addition I have already chosen what to knit with the cerise yarn - a pattern from Verena magazine. I haven't knit the swatch yet, so I don't know whether it will work, but at least I have already found something I like!

Votive Sleeves

7 out of 15.

I still have to knit 8 votive sleeves.

In the background you can see our Christmas Tree. I decorated it last Saturday while listening to Luis Miguel singing "Santa Claus is coming to town" and all the songs in his latest album "Navidades".

Next weekend is full of celebrations around here! My birthday on Friday, Wedding Anniversary on Sunday! I have threatened Husband: I must get one present for each. And of course another present for Xmas!

Talking about presents I have almost finished Xmas presents shopping!!!! I have bought gifts for my mum, my dad, my sister, my husband. I asked him if he wanted me to buy presents for his family and he said no. His family is not used to giving presents... He only told me to buy something for his 5-year-old niece, this is the only thing left for me to buy, shouldn't be hard she's into Disney's Princesses these days. Anything Princess will do.

I have to get back to the wire and beads - I'd like to give these next Monday and Tuesday, and

I'd better finish them before Friday before the party begins!

Argentina's Next Top Model

Yeah! that's me in my Principessa!

Isn't it lovely????


Today I managed to finish it: first I did the picot edge around the sleeves.



When I finished I had to some shopping and I thought I would try to find the buttons (today is a Holiday here so I wasn't sure the shops would be open, in fact the first place I went to was closed, but then I saw a small, dull and rahter darkish haberdashery that was open, they didn't have a great selection of buttons but the ones I found aren't too bad).



When I returned I resumed work. I sewed all the loose threads - I didn't dare to count, but there were over 30 for sure.

Finally I sewed the placket and the buttons and Ta Da! Meet the FO.


What's next?
Well, around 12 or 13 votive sleeves.
A summer bolero for my goddaughter (her asking me to do it is a huge compliment, she's a very strict and classy teenager).
A sweater for me with my cerise yarn.
And I'm also working on a secret project. I cannot tell you anything, it's secret. I'll tell you more, but not now... And I can't show you the yarn yet, I haven't bought it yet. I guess you'll have to wait a little for that one!
Have a nice weekend everyone!!

Hooray for Circular Needles

After my first ordeal attempt at knitting with circular needles, I cursed and promised myself thought I would never try again.

When the time came to start working on the collar of my Vogue Knitting Principessa, I read "cast on xx stitches on your circular needles". I was screwed in trouble.

Of course, being the stubborn determined person I am, I immediately grabbed my straigth needles.

I cast on maybe 60 or 80 stitches when I realized I wouldn't be able to make it - I had no room to maneuver. Oh, F*ck my...

I reluctantly decidedly took the Aero Circular Needles Paula brought from Chile. I started casting on.

So far, so good.

I started knitting the collar.

It still is hard took a while for my hands and fingers to get used to knitting like this. I guess it takes me three times longer than knitting with my straight needles.

Here's a picture to show you my circular knitting!

Today I finished the collar, but I still have a little sewing to do (the placket and the loose threads of the intarsia, and the buttons, of course), and I still have to crochet the sleeve edges.

I won't show you the complete picture until I've finished it and it's ready to wear, but in the meantime have a look at the collar:

Coming Soon...

Today I finished the worst part of the project: the sewing!

I have to tell you I didn't understand the pattern until this afternoon. You knit the sleeve together with the front and back, and I had never done this. I wasn't even sure what I was supposed to sew...
The result:

Sorry about the blurry images - apparently my camera sympathizes with me and my blurry vision post-pinkeye!
Close up of the shawl-collar-to-be:
And the sleeve:
Now I need to study and figure out how to knit the collar. There's something called "Short Row Wrapping" which I have no clue what it is. I hope it's not too hard. I really want to wear it for my B-day!!!