Katzundyarner Bits

I have such an appreciation for small pleasures because my life is balanced between a pair of mittens that can take 3 days (if I didn't have to go to work)



and the UFOs bursting from bags at the end of my bed:

EPS sweater, Debbie Bliss Cashmerino Astrakhan:



I bought this yarn at Nana's after a night of two-color knitting. $4 a skein! This is almost finished because I got VERY FIRM with myself and forbade myself from starting anything new until this sweater was DONE! An adventure because I didn't use a pattern - read KWT, measured, figured, swatched, cast-on, knit, became fearful and put it down, then got brave again because I re-read KWT, and have almost finished. I had in mind a v-neck, casual (as casual as merino, microfibre and cashmere can be) drapey sweater. The v-neck was too scary to attempt so I have fashioned a bit of a boatneck. Really I was following the directions for the regular crewneck but EZ also says to soldier on, it's only knitting. So true! And this fits! The 3/4 sleeves aren't just a fashion statement. I knew I didn't have enough yarn for the full length sleeve.



I was surprised when I pulled this out of the bag. First, because I had forgotten about it and then, when I reacquainted myself with Wool Gathering #76, I thought surely I had done more on this sweater. I remember being really excited about the candy corn motif. I think I am to the point where the guernsey-ness can be started but it looks kind of short. I should measure again. This is also a loose pattern by Meg Swanson - measure, figure, swatch, jump right in. I am scared by the arm gussets but maybe have worked that out through some visualization. And referring to another gansey pattern I have worked. This might be next, after Blue.



Because otherwise it would be Dale. Again. Really, you don't need a better picture. My first attempt at colorwork, I wrote about the pain already. I have been felled by not reading the full pattern first because there is the phrase "and at the same time, decrease . . ." I ripped the top solid color out 1 time when I realized my mistake. There is some interesting seed-stitch texture so unfortunately the decreases need to be absorbed proportionately. Did some figuring, knit all the way a second time and have 7 extra stitches on the left side. Not enough real estate to hide that, as they say; not enough fiddling done, as others say. Will have to rip it again. Third time's the charm. But I paid full price for this stinkin' yarn, not to mention the class fee and the cost of the book, so I plan to pay another small fee and ask Trish to tell me how to fix it. Err.

But what I really want to make is Eli's Christmas stocking.