Still Light Tunic-- the "third heat" (so to speak) in my Rule of Threes, Veera Valimaki edition. (First: Whispers, Second: Twenty Ten). This pattern sat on my queue for a couple of years before I started working on it this past summer. I'm always hesitant when it comes to straight figured dresses, because they often tend to catch in the wrong places which just leads to annoyance and discomfort. I'm glad I decided to go ahead and cast on this project though, because despite my initial doubts the fit actually flatters.

Another fingering weight, stockinette project, it takes a while to feel like you're really getting anywhere, but it's also a pretty easy, mindless pattern that doesn't take much concentration. The deep front pockets are a nice feature that make me reminisce on the days when I lived in hoodies. The pattern recommends that you stitch them in place, but I decided not to do this and have had no problems with the pockets riding up.

My favorite aspect of the design is the boatneck - I would love to make a normal length sweater with this construction. Instead of using a button at the top of the keyhole in the center of the back of the neck, I stitched it together. My only other modification was in needle size. I had a hard time finding the US 2.5 size of needle when I was about to start the project, so I swatched with a size US 2 instead and based on my swatch determined that I could knit the Small size of the pattern to fit. After blocking, it turned out just right!

I used Knit Picks Gloss in the Robot colorway. The yarn is 70% wool, making for a warm and cozy garment, plus 30% silk. I wore it on Christmas Eve in a room full of my huge family and about burned up! It's funny looking at the pattern page now, because I somehow unconsciously chose a yarn color and styled my outfit for the photos to look pretty much the same as the model. It seemed like a good idea to make a neutral colored garment for once, so I can pair my brightly colored accessories with it! I've been a colored tights girl since college, but don't have much of an opportunity to wear them anymore so I'll embrace it when I can!

So, which designer would you pick for a Rule of Threes?

It seems like I've had a slew of "On My Needles" posts lately, but have a stack of finished projects in my studio just waiting for a photo shoot to wrap them up. One of my plans for this weekend is to work on getting images of some finished pieces, so by next week you should be seeing completed projects instead of just those that are in progress!

This is my Still Light tunic, designed by Veera Valimaki. I had never made anything she designed before Whispers, so it's funny that the very next thing I cast on was this project. It's been on my queue for a couple of years now, and I actually bought the pattern back in 2012 or 2013, so I felt like it was time.

The yarn is Knit Picks Gloss in the Robot colorway. I normally like vibrant colors for my knitwear projects, but this time I decided that I need a neutral piece in my wardrobe. Plus, I also love brightly colored and patterned tights, and this would be perfect to wear with those. My gauge was a little smaller than what the pattern called for, so I added in some repeats and length, which i will go into in further detail on my final post.

Overall, this pattern entails a ton of stockinette. It's knitted top down, a really simple construction, and is great for mindless/meditative knitting (my favorite kind!). The space above the pockets sort of balloons out, and then comes back in. It looks like a flattering fit in the pattern photos… we shall see. As long as the form turns out right it will be a perfect, cozy layering piece for the fall and winter months with a soft blend of wool and silk.

I just have a few more inches of stockinette stick along the bottom to go, then the ribbed edge, sleeves and pockets. Maybe by Halloween there will be something to show for it...