To the Elbow

The knitting gods must be smiling on me. The Rebecca sweater's first sleeve made it to the elbow last night and I still have one skein of yarn allotted to that sleeve.

I started decreasing also, so I should have enough for the sleeves and turtleneck if the planets stay aligned as they are now. It looks all poofy at the cap, but it needs a good blocking - I couldn't get it to lay flat. The short rows make a neat and tidy sleeve cap - it really looks like a genuine set in sleeve!

Rapid progress should ensue from here - the rest of the sleeve should be done tonight, and I'll pick up the stitches for sleeve #2. (the worst part - I seriously need lessons in picking up stitches! I can never seem to do it neatly!) If all goes well, I hope to be able to wear it next week when the weather is supposed to turn quite wintry around here!

The Stranded Colorwork Challenge group posted a few questions for the KAL to get us started tomorrow:

What are your projects for this knitalong?
This is a tough one - I have multiple projects in mind that I have been thinking about. A pair of fingerless mitts (I think the stranding would make them extra cozy), for sure a pair of socks (I may start the KAL with either Laila's Socks from Folk Knitting in Estonia or Mamluke's Socks from Folk Socks both by the sock master Nancy Bush. I'd also like to make a pair of mittens with some nice colors.

Is this your first colorwork project? If it isn't, what was your first, and has it survived the test of time?
My first colorwork was done last winter for MJ's Norwegian KAL. I did a hat for my sister that I designed myself. I took a pattern I liked out of a book and made it into a hat.

Not too bad for a first attempt. I finished it at the end of last winter, so it hasn't really seen active use yet. Time will tell!