who would have thought, cats like bamboo !

It seems a long time ago, yet was only a few months, that I set out to find a kimono-style jacket to knit out of bamboo yarn. Amid all the whoopla of Madrona Fiber Arts Fair and Knitting Olympics, I was able to complete this little gem!
It has become one of my favorite pieces of knitted wear. Sorry that the pictures are dark. We'll wait for a sunnier day to reshoot the photos for our website, but I could not resist posting a few. Here's me in all my silliness, showing off the front and back of this sweet jacket. (photos edited to omit my goofy facial expressions)

It is a pattern from summer 2005 Knitters Magazine, called "sunset wrap". I knit it on size 8 needles with a double strand of bamboo yarn. The pattern itself was not a challenge - rather just miles and miles of lovely draped goddess-ness to complete. It was one of those projects that appear to never grow, despite hours of knitting.. you know, the old stop and measure, am I there yet syndrome? then suddenly, viola! complete!

It is essentially three knit rectangles, sewn together at the top and bottom of the arms, then hooked together in front with a pin or button.

Alright, now to the question I posed in the beginning... who would have thought that cats love bamboo ? bamboo needles, bamboo yarn.. my cats aren't picky! the biggest challenge in this entire project was that my cats (still kittens really) would attack and chew this yarn to shreads. There are more hidden knots in this jacket than any other project I've ever knit! funny. If I sat down my knitting for even a moment, I would find it strewn from one end of the livingroom to the other - and they hardly ever attack other random balls of wool that lay languoring about the house.
Even to this day I carefully close my bamboo jacket in the closet, shutting out that tasty aroma of bamboo... kitty lovers be forewarned ! :-)
And now - FINALLY, I return to finish Bloomin' Feet - I have about 3 inches knit on the second sock, and am excited to get back to it. What a difference .25mm makes in knitting. The lacey socks I knit for Knitting Olympics breezed along on a 2.25 needle.. and now the 2.0mm seem just eenie-weenie! Good thing I love the yarn and the pattern!