This is mostly a knitting blog. Sometimes pictures of things I've made, sometimes not. I'm a guy who knits, I usually attend a men's stitch 'n' bitch on Monday nights, and I prefer natural fibres to artificial ones. I have a love-hate relationship with bamboo yarns: I love what they can do and how they look, I hate how they are made. I've been knitting since about 2003, though I really didn't get into it until 2005, while convelescing with a broken leg. I must have discovered something good, 'cause I'm still knitting years later.

Monday, July 29, 2013

After Hiatus

I took a little hiatus from writing, both this blog and another one I maintain. It's been a good rest, but I feel the need to get back to writing, writing about knitting, and writing about buying more yarn. I have not stopped knitting, however.

So much has been going on. One of my favourite stores, Mind's Eye Yarns, closed, was sold, and has re-opened under a new owner. The feel of the store is very different, and I like it. I've shopped there once, and look forward to going back. Wild and Wooly, another store I liked, has closed. I only found out about the closing a week after it shut its doors, and I'm sad I didn't get a chance to walk in and say good-bye.

I completed a sweater that I'd been working on for a long time. Well, actually, it was put aside for a long time. I began it about five or six years ago, got involved in grad school, moved, and only rediscovered the pieces of the sweater in a bag while unpacking. The front panel, back panel, and sleeves were all done, it only needed to be sewn together. With the help of my friend Claudia, the disparate pieces of knitting became a sweater. Of course, this was in June, during a heat wave, so I haven't actually had a chance to wear it, but it's done!
Above are the disparate pieces of the sweater, before Claudia worked her magic.

Apersett, knit in Rowan British Sheep Breeds yarn, blue face Leicester.

At Claudia's suggestion, we did the collar in the round, rather than on straight needles as suggested by the pattern. If I were to make this sweater again, I would re-write the details about the shoulders, collar and make the sleeves shorter.

The pattern came from this book

There is other knitting going on, I've got a bulky sweater in blue on the needles (Cascade 112), and the front and back are done, joined, and the collar in process. The arms need to be added, and  it needs to be blocked. I don't have a picture of it yet, but it's coming along swimmingly. But we have been in the midst of a heat wave, and I don't have an air conditioner.

Other projects include more scarves than I can manage, a baby sweater, the plans for Elizabeth Zimmerman's Baby Surprise Sweater, and some hats. I've got two cowls going, and they're going to be the death of me. Why are yarn overs so hard? Okay, they're not, but sometimes I don't count right. A mathematician I am not.

I'm heading to Seattle in nine days. I am planning on some major yarn carnage. The friends with whom I am traveling are unsure how I'll get there, but if I have to, I'll rent a damn car and buy YAAAARRRNNN!!

Worse things have happened to nicer people.