Christmas Yarn

I normally don't like it when people give me yarn.  It's usually not my style, or not enough to make a good project out of, or just uninspiring.  But over Christmas, my old art teacher RB gave me this bag:

It's got a ton of goodies! This multicolor mystery yarn:

A bag of this stuff:

A PILE of recycled Sari yarn that I spent the afternoon untangling last weekend.  It was so calming to do that, seriously. 

(Before pile)

(After cake)

And then there is this: "Flirtation."  

Normally, I would call this yarn "icky looking" but it's so soft and squishy.  I knit some of it up, and couldn't stop.  So I'm making an easy garter stitch cowl.  I have a plan and everything - the loops on the yarn are so big (because I'm working on US 13 needles) that small buttons can fit through them - so no buttonholes!  If I  put some buttons on the end, she'll be able to fasten the cowl in a few different ways.  

I'm really excited to make this!

Sweater Disaster

So, I was really really proud to finish my first sweater!

But... as you might notice... it's not really finished.  I picked up the exact number of stitches, but it looks like the button band has too few of them, because this weird scrunching thing happens.

This is probably the most unflattering thing that has ever been draped upon my figure.  All of the endorphins from sewing the last button on disappeared when I looked at myself in the mirror.  Instead of a beautiful form swathed in beautiful handknit goodness, I felt like a potato in a too-big potato sack.  I have lost weight since I started knitting it, so it might just be way too big... but I would at least like to have the bottom form a straight line!

Anyway, this thing is in time out until I get the gumption to unravel the button band, cast on with more stitches, and try again.