*shrugs*

Well, the shrug is finished, and I think its name pretty much sums up how I feel about it (although it does look nice on the lingerie/yarn chest we inherited last weekend). Everything went according to plan and it was incredibly simple to make, but I'm just not in love with the color or the ruffles on the sleeves, which are the very elements that sparked my enthusiasm for the project to begin with. I keep imagining it in black with nice understated cuffs, which I think is just proof that I really do have a fashion sense as boring as my younger sister always says it is -- as if I need another black layer in my wardrobe! But the ruffles were fun to make at least, and I did come away very impressed with the Lamb's Pride yarn, which feels soft yet substantial against the skin. As you can see in the sleeve detail, even the simple 1x1 rib in this pattern shows up well, so I can imagine more complicated stitch patterns would look really sharp. If I make any interesting (or unbloggably boring) scarves next winter, I will probably use this yarn again. In fact, maybe I should just sew up the rest of the shrug and keep it as a nice tube scarf...

Anyway, the shrug is done, long live the shorts! Luckily I seemed to have coordinated my knitting projects so that I am never without something in pink to work on. Last night I finished the crotch increases on my shorts, divided the round into the two legs, and did the cable cast-on that forms one side of the crotch seam. This was my first encounter with the cable cast-on, and I have to say we did not exactly hit it off. For some reason the plys (?) of my yarn kept coming apart as I was making the new stitches. But I muddled through and now I think I could finish these damn shorts in one or two good TV marathons, which is exciting but also a little unsettling because I have no idea what I want to knit next. Perhaps something that will make me look cuter in pictures...?