Casting On and Off

I've been making progress on some knitting projects.

I finished the left front of the cardigan for my mom. 

My post-it to help me keep track of where I did decreases/ increases and armholes so the two fronts match up. 

I quickly blocked the left front, back and two sleeves so I could start putting the cardigan together. Above I am doing the side seam while my son watched Sesame Street this morning.

My seaming trick (although I'm sure others do it, I came up with it on my own). I do a really, really long-tail cast on leaving enough yarn to be used for seaming later. I knot it into a little bundle while knitting that is easily untied at the end.

Left front and back and left sleeve sewn together. I had to join a new skein just before the armhole on the front and those ends still need to woven in. They are causing the bump. 

Now I need to knit the right front and do the button bands and collar. So close to be being done that I'm thinking about buttons. Any idea what you would like mom? Black? Wood? Let me know.

Yesterday I finished the Reading Shawl which is a gift. I knew I wouldn't have enough of the purple for the whole shawl so I did the border in green. The body is all garter stitch and it still needs to be blocked. It does exactly what it's supposed to do - stay on your shoulders. I put it on after I finished and forgot about it until I realized I was getting hot with both a sweater and a shawl on. Perhaps one in slightly heavier yarn (dk or sport) would make a bigger/ warmer shawl for me. Someday.

All this finishing up caused a sever case of startitis yesterday. I got out yarn and needles for three different patterns. I started the Savanna shawl with some yarn my mom gave me 2 years ago for Christmas. I've been waiting for the right pattern to use it.

There are some eyelets in there. Hard to see right now but this shawl should look great after blocking. This one is for me and matches almost every coat I have. 

Crazy, messy desk after my startitis yesterday. Yarn, needles and patterns everywhere.