So, intarsia...

My "learning knitting technique" technique has been to pick projects I really like and learn whatever skill it is I need to know to complete that project. Perhaps I should be more orderly about learning new things, but it's worked pretty well so far. Ezra's chosen vest pattern is a sweet argyle vest [Rav link] in blues and grays, with a bit of red showing up as well. I didn't look far enough into the pattern and assumed that because I'd done a bit of stranded color work I'd be fine. Then as I was near the finish line on the back and had to put that red diamond in I realized what it was...


Turns out it's intarsia, baby, and I was a little more than scared- another unknown skill I hadn't planned on acquiring!


I went straight to knittinghelp, and watched the intarsia video there. It didn't seem *too* bad- keeping track of a few colors at a time would be okay in such small patches, and those hanging ends that seem to bother everyone else so much don't bother me.


Then it was into the thick. I cast on for the front and wow- slow going. Not difficult per se, but between trying to make sure I lock the previous color before switching plus working with 7 (!!!!) different yarns in one row, it's not fast progress. Add to that that I didn't really like the color arrangement I thought would work so I ripped back to the ribbing...


It's going to look great, but it's times like this when I consider learning continental knitting just so I can knit with both hands and maybe speed up a bit on color work.


Other than the intarsia invasion Christmas gifts are shaping up nicely. I have only the yoke and a bit of grafting left on Ender's blue sweater, the Kernel scarf is finished and still on blocking pins. The only bits left to start are the elf slippers [Rav link] (a pair for each of the boys).


And why no pictures of all this glorious progress you might ask? A certain 3-year-old may have misused a cord not intended for little boys so there will temporarily be no pictures until said cord is replaced. So photos of our beautiful rainbow fish paintings from last week, my finished Kernel scarf, nearly finished and seriously in progress sweaters for 2 little boys are out for now. I promise we have been making plenty around here!