FO: Some Cloudy Day and Roxxy's Wristees

Simple little wristees for a friend

made with love

and nice and stripey

I also finally finished my Some Cloudy Day Legwarmers.

These took a month to knit, which was a really long time. I think they took so long because I finished the first one and realized I was going to have to cut it later on to lengthen it. While I was knitting the 2nd one, I kept remembering that when it was done, the pair wouldn't be done. I think that was what kept me from finishing for so long. When I finally went back to it, it was just because I wanted my 4's back for hexipuffing.
I tried to take some pictures with some decent lighting today but had some problems...

Taking a picture with a self-timer doesn't work with children ;)

taking pictures of your own legs doesn't really look right either.

I ended up getting my SIL to take a few pictures.

So I was really glad to get those projects out of the way, and free up some needles for other things.
Then I got to work and swatched for my new sweater.

The DROPS pattern suggests size 7 needles and a gauge of 17 stitches per 4 inches. My swatch on 7's was uncomfortably tight, and had a gauge of 20 st per 4 inches so I bumped it up to size 9's. 9's yielded 15 stitches per 4 inches, so I had to swatch yet again on size 8's.

I'm also swatching with Garter Stitch, just in case I end up deciding to make the vine yoke cardigan instead.That is still a possibility.
I'm starting to wonder, though, as I'm swatching, if I really need an alpaca sweater. I live in California, and though we're not going to have a heater this winter, it doesn't get extremely cold. I could always use this yarn to make adorable softy toys for the kids in my family.
This bear from Erika Knights Simple Knits for Cherished Babies has really captured my heart.

I don't know. I'll just keep swatching and see if I can manage to get gauge for either of those two sweaters. I've heard that Berocco Ultra Alpaca grows, so they swatch will be getting a wash as well.
that's all for today.
I know I missed my Super Stitches this week, but this upcoming Sunday I will have some swatches to share, for sure.
Happy Knitting!