I would like to take a moment to mourn the passing of my first sweater that I knit for myself. It hung on for a few years with cuffs that are almost threadbare in a few spots, but now the elbow on the right sleeve has developed a large hole and it is time to retire it from my wardrobe.
The purple sweater, as it was lovingly referred to, was completed in September 2003 using Berroco’s Pearl Cardigan pattern and Bernat Harmony yarn in the Mocha Mauve colourway. As a knitting project it taught me a lot, most importantly about yarn weight and gauge. The pattern calls for an Aran weight yarn and the Bernat Harmony is a Bulky weight. I ended up making the smallest size using a larger gauge and it worked out alright, but over the course of swatching and planning it clicked how important yarn weight is when knitting to a specific gauge.
The purple sweater was a staple in my wardrobe from the time I completed it until a few weeks ago. It was shapeless and not the most flattering sweater, but I wore it with pretty much everything anyways. It was comfy and cozy and it felt like putting on an old friend. Over time it became more of an around the house sweater than an out and about sweater.
One of the most important reasons the sweater was so comfortable was the yarn, it’s bulky but lightweight – like wearing a cloud. Bernat has discontinued Harmony, but I tracked down some on clearance to make a replacement sweater in Ruby Rose. It likely won’t teach me as much as the purple sweater did and it definitely won’t take it’s place in my heart, but I hope that it can become my new super-comfortable, light-as-a-cloud, around the house sweater.
I started the Podster Gloves back in October, thinking that I could use them as a purse project. However. after the ribbing, they’re a little too involved and sometimes fiddly to be kept in my purse. So I’ve slowly been working on them, more since Christmas knitting is now finished. I’m using more of my stash of Knit Picks Imagination in Wicked Witch. I bought this yarn to make a variety of matching accessories, so you may recognize it from. The Podster Glove pattern by Glenna C. is easy to follow, there was only one section that I found confusing and that was for the flip up thumb and really if I had read it through before I started the thumb I would have realized what was required.
I have finished the first glove and I am almost done the ribbing on the second. My favourite part of knitting these is trying the glove on when you’re working on the fingers and have needles sticking out everywhere. I call myself Edward Knitty-Fingers and wave them in people’s faces, from a safe distance.
The Arachne Cardi has been seamed and just needs buttons and blocking.
The Fast Baby Cardi is complete.
The Pink Bunny Slippers are finished and super cute and comfy.
I have not made any further progress on Bill’s Scarf.
The ribbing for the second Podster Glove is almost finished.
The Celtic Tote is still a bag in a bag, waiting to be picked up again.
4 more squares left to crochet and then a bunch of finishing.
The first Regia Canyon Sock is almost finished.
The Knit Boobie has been sent to the frog pond.
The Boot Covers have been frogged.
I’m calling a redo on last week. I’ve been sick with a doozy of a virus and didn’t do any knitting in the last week.
This was a week like I was hoping for when I started this goal setting exercise. I not only accomplished what I set out to do, but I also exceeded those expectations and am progressing on a number of the projects I have on the go.
My second 12 in 2012 project is complete. It’s Jan Cullen’s Fast Baby Cardi made with one of my favourite baby sweater yarns, Sirdar Snuggly DK. I used the other green ball that I used on the Baby Baseball Tee with a dark brown for the sleeves. The buttons are a basic black, and I seem to have forgotten one of the buttonholes, so it has two buttons instead of three.
This project took awhile to complete, partly because I left it at other people’s houses not once but twice. It also was put on the back burner while I was working on Christmas presents and I stalled out on seaming it up as it was difficult to see the brown sleeve stitches. Now that it’s finished, I love the way it looks.