slouch

I've been in a bit of a blogging slump lately. I credit it to my experiment with "professional" knitwear designing (read: doing the blasted magazine sweater, also known as the BMS, not to be confused with, although not unlike PMS). I've come to the conclusion that using my precious and limited crafting time to produce something under a strict deadline serves only to suck the joy out of knitting for me. I don't think I'll do it again. I have momentary fits of ambition, but they soon pass and I find myself to be, yet again, a sluggard.

I mentioned in my last post that I had started a sweater for PeeWee--Well, knitting this little item was just the thing to speed my recovery from the BMS. I give you The Swirly Sweater.


I don't know if you can see the swirly yoke terribly well, but trust me, it's there.

I loved knitting this seamless yoke sweater. It was a nice, quick knit and I'm revved up and ready to knit versions for my entire family. I think it would be particularly nice in handspun for my sweetie. Right now, I'm trying desperately (What was that I said about deadlines? Heh.) to knit one for myself before Yarn School which is in 11 days. Denial: it ain't just a river in Egypt...

Some details about The Swirly...

• Yarn: Marble by James C. Brett in the color "Berries". It has a lovely marled subtle stripe, as you can see. It is 100% acrylic (gasp), but stay with me here--I'm teetering on the brink of Laundry Chaos as it is. If I were to start knitting anything besides machine washable items for my kids, I would probably plummet into the abyss.
• Pattern: Seamless yoke sweater template from The Knitter's Handy book of Sweater Patterns by Ann Budd.
• Modifications/Customizations: There are 6 rows of garter stitch on the hem and cuffs, then random purl rows in the mostly-stockinette body and sleeves (actually, the sleeves only have a few purl rows near the cuff). At the yoke, after 1 purl row, there are randomly spaced 2-stitch purl columns that shift over one stitch on every row, creating the swirls. As I neared the neck, some of the columns petered out and some reduced down to 1 stitch. If I were doing it again (oh wait, I am!) I would will regularly and more widely space the swirly columns and see if that results in a pattern that is easier to discern.
  
  The off-center one-button placket was necessary to accomodate PeeWee's gigantic melon. It was meant to be centered, but I counted the stitches wrong and it ended up where it is. Yes. It's a design feature. :}

I have more to say, but it will keep for the next post. Aw, I can't help myself; here's a preview: I went to the Great Basin Fiber Arts Fair with Kim this weekend--Wohoo! And my local newspaper got a press release from Jimmy Beans and decided that they'd better do a "local girl makes good" story on me and my knitting. [snicker] It was in today's--Sunday's--paper. I look like a complete dork who needs a makeover, more supportive undergarments, and better posture, but at least the yarn is beautiful...

I have a secret pal!

Look! This time I have a secret pal who sends stuff! Yay! (My last secret pal forgot that little detail.) Thank you, Pal! I'm tickled that you sent me "shoes". The yarn is luscious and lovely. And a knitting and beading book! I love it! Thank you, again!

I've been knitting a sweater for PeeWee. It's a bottom-up, knit-in-the-round, circular yoke pullover. When she sees me working on it, she says to me, "You netting my setter? Oh, tank you!" Then she insists that she MUST try it on. I should probably quit knitting the sweater right now and just hand over the sleeves. They make great leg-warmers.