Quote of the day (heck, of the year):
“The U.N. is cool. I got a brief tour of it yesterday and somehow managed to restrain myself from running into the Security Council meeting room and representing Angola. ” — Em, Everybody Loves Saturday Night
I’m a-gonna work on the Dude Sweater (as Silvia has dubbed it) tonight and hopefully finish it the hell up. I’ve got too many things on the needles right now, and it kind of stresses me out. I’m not a multiple-item knitter. I like one big project in the works, and socks somewhere in a basket for train knitting. But right now I have the ChicKami waiting only for straps, the Dude Sweater waiting for a bottom that doesn’t flare (aren’t we all?) and a collar, the Cromarty waiting for custom-dyed yarn from Canada, and I REALLY want to cast on for a Debbie Bliss cabled cardie from her Cotton for All Seasons book.
Last night I put the big projects aside and swatched with the cashmere from the cone I bought from School Products. I was convinced that if I worked hard enough, I could get gauge for the cardie. Nope. Couldn’t even get it on ones, and let me tell you, I tried. I did the math to see if I could make the smallest size to make up for it, and no. I can’t. Blast it all. I’m getting four stitches per inch on ones, and the yarn would honestly be more comfortable at about 3/in. Why didn’t I notice it was on the bulky side? Sigh. I want to make something incredible with that stuff, and I’m disappointed. Anyone know a good bulky weight cabled jacket/cardie? Bring it on!
Ah, well. So I’ll finish Dude. I was going to pick up the collar and just do a (k1 p1) for six or seven rows and then cast off, but do you have a better idea? I’m feeling uncreative and I realize that someday I need to invest in the Vogue knitting bible so I have it to run to when I’m this uninspired.
I just finished my writing for the day. I’m sitting outside right now, on my porch swing. I love my backyard, have I told you that recently? It’s still nothing very special, and I have several pots of dead flowers that for some reason I just keep watering, but there’s a fuschia at my right hand that is so pink and purple that it makes my heart feel good. And my tomatoes are growing (and wondering what they’re doing, it’s just not that sunny back here). And my the wind flirts with the ivy behind me and the swing is hung low so my short little legs can keep it moving, and I’m just happy writing out here. I’m doing well with the writing on my work days. It’s easy for me to be regimented on work days: I have so many minutes to write, so many to run, so many to eat, so many to shower, and back to work. Easy. But my weekend days…. I’d still like to figure out how I can fit a little writing in on those days. Maybe I have to do it the same way: Do it first thing, as soon as the eyes open, before the protestations can occur and the distractions arise. It’s also not as important to me to work on my weekends. I do, after all, need a weekend. But I have three days off a week, not two, and I could definitely do with a little work on at least one of ‘em.
Babbling, aren’t I? Don’t let me get started on the date I don’t want to go to on Saturday….. Ideas for the collar? Please?
(Bethany’s in Maine, the top edges of her trip….)
***update — Friday morning. Dude is complete and gifted. Pics tomorrow. Sleep now. Mwah!
You *quoted* me! That RULES. My creativity is tapped, so I have no suggestions for a more inspirational collar than what you have.
Hey, you know, now is a good time to look for apartments in NY. Just sayin.
Collar options: (1) Do it as you described. (2) Do it as you described but make it twice as long and instead of binding it off, fold it in and sew the stitches down to the pick-up row, giving you a double collar. This is frequently seen on men’s sweaters. (3) Do about three rows of ribbing and then about six or so rows of stockinette which will then roll over the ribbing and give a roll collar.
Y’know, I’ve *really* got to see you knit one of these days real soon. Because, 4 stitches/inch on 1’s? That’s just amazing.
Like Ann, I’m trying to imagine 4 stitches per inch on 1’s. You may qualify as the loosest woman I know.
PS – Dude Sweaters are good. Have you seen the Jaeger 28 book? Some amazing sweaters for guys in it… The Indiana Boys appear to have the book.
You have a lot of great projects in the works but you will knock them out soon. They are pretty close to finished. I am feeling a little pressed to finish things myself. I keep seeing all these entries about what people have on the needles and I can even face that truth right now. I have knitted myself a Roswell with all the ufo’s I have laying around. Oh well can’t wait to see that dude sweater. Its looks really comfortable and one of those wear all the time kind of patterns.
Date, what date? I got a little birthday idea from this post, thanks. That cashmere sounds as think as my pinky for you to knit 4 stitches on 1s. I’ve seen you knit, and tweren’t all that loose ~
Oh, Rachael, you are such a tease!!
So, I’ll do it: WHAT date Saturday?!??!?!
*giggle*
You have to let me know how you dealt with the flared bottom edge on the Dude sweater. After Rachel saw it I was talked into making her a sweater with k3p2 ribbing and now I’m worried it’s going to flare. Did you add a little k1p1? A fancy bind-off?
You have to let me know how you dealt with the flared bottom edge on the Dude sweater. After Rachel saw it I was talked into making her a sweater with k3p2 ribbing and now I’m worried it’s going to flare. Did you add a little k1p1? A fancy bind-off?
There’s a really cute cabled sweater in the last Rebecca that came out, along with a few others at 3-3 1/2 to the inch.
I’d be willing to send the mag out to visit you for a while to peruse if say…Patons Street Smart wanted to come visit me? 😉 Though the one I want from there is also, 3 stitches to the inch, or so. *muah*!
Debbie Bliss has a nice cabled jacket using her bulky yarn. Check out her patterns at the Knitting Garden (a great site for cruising patterns).
Here’s another excellent quote: “…waiting for a bottom that doesn’t flare (aren’t we all?)”
So, the date wasn’t fabulous? Or are you just coveting all your weekend time? Sounds like we all need to get filled in. xoxo