My New Romance

Stephen West is the new man in my life.  Yes, he is way too young for me.  Way too handsome, way too creative.    But as a man to love  in a knitterly fashion,  you can't beat Stephen West.

His designs,  to date accessories only and mostly scarfy,  shawly,  neck thingies,  are creative and lovely.  He uses luxury yarns  for wraps that surrounds your neck in ethereal softness. 

Last fall at the Kitchener Waterloo Knitters Fair, I succumbed.  One of the booths had several of Stephen's Spectra scarf/shawls made up and on display along with several 'kits' containing yarns and pattern.  It was an eye-catching, crowd-stopping display.  Despite the 'ouch' price tag, I couldn't resist.

 

But my ill-informed, un-informed opinion, based on appearance only,  that the pattern would be difficult to knit caused my kit to sit on a shelf until  a day when I could devote the time to knit with concentration.  How wrong I was.  Stephen, my new man, has written a pattern of the best kind.  Easily memorized and easily knit.  The pattern  defies  it's true simplicity  with an appearance of complexity that would impress even the narrowest of knitters. Thank you Stephen.

Although mine is barely started, it's beauty is already apparent.

Worked over a mere 40 stitches, with colour progression to keep me motivated,  it is a fast and fun knit.    Have I said "Thank You, Stephen"?

Thursdays Are For Knit Group

A private function today, in our normal knitting room at Meaford Hall  meant our group was re-located to a space usually  hidden from the public.  They put us in the room used by the performers.  We liked it there!

Well lit by big windows, comfy sofas to relax on, tables to set our needles and bags on, a kitchen,  laundry facilities, dressing rooms, showers, and those surrounded-by-lights mirrors one usually only sees in the movies.  How the other half lives!  Saturday evening, Fred and I have tickets to see
Susan Aglukark at the Hall.  When she walks on stage, I'll know what room she just left. 

I suspect it is a space that normally doesn't see too much knitting.   But there was knitting today.

Wilma arrived wearing her finally-finished Featherweight. 

 

It gave her lots of grief because the yarn un-plied itself as she knit.  She thought she had discovered the cause of the problem when the  yarn behaved beautifully while knitting the sleeves.  Unlike the cardi body, which is knit back and forth and therefore has purl rows,  the sleeves are knit in the round.  'Must be my purling method', thought Wilma. With the sweater body taking her a month to knit due to the un-plying, she dreaded the thought of  the wide ribbing.   With the purling involved, another month is what she thought she was facing. But it went well. No more un-plying.  Perhaps it was simply a bum ball of yarn.  It sure didn't prevent you from knitting a beautiful sweater, Wilma.  And such a gorgeous colour.

Sandy  got a hand with her yarn winding today. 

With a thousand metres of lace weight Zen destined for another Whisper cardigan,  it would have been hours of hand-rolling a ball.  Sharon kindly brought her swift and winder and


Bonnie has a funky purple and white baby blanket almost finished.

 Less finished when she left for homebecause she had to rip back a few rows.   Hate it when that happens.

 Gail is knitting a pair of bright yellow socks for a nine year old.

Sharon and Wilma are both interested in the ribbing.  The type of ribbing - 3x1,  I overheard -  and the length of the ribbing.  And who is that hanging around in the background?  Why if it isn't my Duct Tape Dress Form.  Wouldn't you know it? Now they all want one!    I sense a rollicking good workshop coming up.

Lots of fun and the space made us feel  like the stars that we are.

Seeing Is Believing

Cinne had it's test wear on Mothers' Day. The  good news is that it is very light weight, easy to wear, not too hot, just a great summer cover up.

 

 The bad news is,  I think it needs bust darts.

Make that astonishing news.  When did it happen that little-old, tissue-stuffing me arrived at this stage in life where bust darts would make my sweater hang better?  I must tell Fred. 

I have examined the  modelled shot on the pattern cover with a magnifying glass and I see no evidence of the sweater riding up across her bust.  But it does on mine.  Originally I thought my 3for4 ratio of picking up stitches for the ribbing was the issue.  The pattern suggested 4for5.  But my pulling up seems more severe than that extra 5%.  I truly think it needs bust darts.  Something I have never done, in a sweater of mine, ever before.

To me, it also seems, despite my having shortened it about one inch, a bit long. 

 If it were about one inche shorter still, it would not 'pleat' across the hips.  To fix that,  the sweater either needs to be wider at the hips or shorter so it rests at a not-so-wide section of my body.

Having said all that.  It is not bad. After all, one doesn't stand in that modellig pose too often in real life.  Garments pleat, hike, fold and do all sorts of things in a real wear situation.  

But still, I am torn.  Is it worth ripping back for a re-do when exciting new projects await?  My advise to others is often 'sometimes good enough is good enough.'  Can I/should I  take my own advice?   Feel free to weigh in.