Seabreeze - how I love thee. Less than a week before my due date I found myself without a knitting project to really sink my teeth into. I wasn't sure what I should do. I was looking for something that would distract me during that last week of pregnancy when I was getting quite impatient about meeting my baby. I didn't feel up to tackling a new design, a baby knit would be too quick. I decided to cast on for a sweater for myself, but give my mind a bit of a break by working from someone else's pattern. I've really loved Norah Gaughan's Beatnik pattern ever since it came out in Knitty Deep Fall 2010, but there were a few things about it that weren't quite right for me. I love the shape, the neckline, the sleeves, the heavy texture. But I wasn't crazy about the specific cables used. I picked a few new cables that still give the high contrast texture that I liked from the original version, but are a bit crisper and neater, more in keeping with my personal style.
I managed to finish the body and block it before I went into labour. Now I just need to knit two sleeves and a collar. I haven't quite figured out where my knitting time fits in since bringing Rowan home. I seem to spend my free time snapping photos or simply snuggling with my boy. But I can see the time coming when I'll be antsy to pick up my needles again. As you can see from the photo below, this is a fitted sweater with quite a bit of waste shaping... just the motivation I need to get back into shape post-baby. I've been living in cardigans for the past 9 months, it'll be nice to have something a bit more trim to wear... wishful thinking? Maybe.
Oh, and this colour! I just can't get enough.