Etherknitter

Sweat(er)ing out the knitting

I cannot say that I am not a sweater knitter.  But the fit issues give me fits.

My knit resolutions for the year included a sweater for him and a sweater for me.  His is Grant Park pullover from the Twist Collective.

Cascade 220, Extremely Red, sleeve #1.  (Yes, I made up the name of the colorway.)  Webs' sale, $4.25/skein, made it easy.  Not only did I swatch in the round, I made him try it on just about every inch of knitted progress Just To Make Sure.  I like this sleeve-in-the-round business.  The increases are M1 L and R to follow the architecture of the knit stitch next to the 'seam'.  (Kfb looked heinous.)

Sleeve #2, cuff shown because it was frogged and restarted.  The gauge difference was obvious to me AND to him.  I had knit the first sleeve on Lantern Moon #7 dpns, then started a hat with the needles.  So I started the sleeve on Clover #7 dpns. 

I have restarted the sleeve on the Lantern Moons.  Duhhhh.

At Norma's urging, I have opened a HelpTicket on Typepad to register my complaints about the new comment-forwarding format.  There is a good likelihood I will jump ship on this issue. 

Spinning projects:  merino/silk of unknown provenance, periwinkle - done, needs plying

Felicia (Romney/Corrie X) in progress for Spin Your Fleece in September SuckLess project

Handspun by Stefania, Jacob dyed indigo, awaiting return of flyer after orifice smoothing

September also brought startitis.  Pictures soon.         

The White Heat of a Thousand Suns

I must post this before I foolishly change my mind.

I am selling three skeins of Tess microfiber ribbon yarn.  $40 plus postage.  You get three skeins for less than the price of two.  The color is bronze, 333 yards each.  One skein has a small swatch subtracted from it.  I'll send you the swatch.  That skein is wound into a reasonably stable construction.

I hate it with the white heat of a thousand suns.  Please get it out of my sight:  etherknitteratgmaildotcom.

The fat lady sings

I recognize that if I write the rant about summer that I've been thinking throughout this  hot, humid season, that I would be expressing a very lonely opinion in the blogosphere.   However, I know that we can ALL get around the return of weather where knitting wool feels normal and right.  The garden echoes me.  In the daylily world, this is the equivalent of the fat lady singing:
Her name is Hemerocallis 'Sandra Elizabeth'.  She is renowned in the daylily world for being late out of the gate.  Her bloom starts a month after peak bloom for the other girls.  When she blooms, baby, summer is OVER.

There are other signs in the garden that fall is approaching at breakneck speed.   Right outside my deck is a rampant plant that is pregnant with expectation.  It's Clematis ternifolia, Sweet Autumn clematis.  I'll flash it again when it's in bloom.  Right now, it is all about possibility:

That is what I like best about the fall.  The cool weather brings expectation and renewal of optimism. 

Marla's yarn no longer sticks between my fingers.  I've divided for the neck and am making good progress.  My goal?  Finish by Rhinebeck.  You can no longer recognize me by my crutches (they are gonegonegone). 

Melissa Leapman designed this sweater so that you knit the neckline as you knit the front.  No further finishing is required. 
I've put the Elizabeth bag on hold so I can get to Marla's last sleeve.  Thank you to all who voted "Step away from the bag.  Leave ALL the stripes."  I will continue upward to the handles.

Spinning is happening.  One day several weeks ago, roving just FELL from the sky into my mailbox.  It was labeled, "you are going to have to guess".  She was cagey about it, and almost had me fooled, but then she admitted to the deed.  It's Lisa Souza BFL dyed in perfect Etherknitter colors.  Here is the start, as I jigger with take-up (Scotch tension adjustments in millimeters) and varying amounts of sexy twist:
The nostepinde that I ordered from Grafton Fibers in July finally came.  It's curly maple.   I showed it to the DH in triumph.  He had a look of dismay on his face, until I explained why spinners need this particular tool. 

I've been thinking about Margene's post about motivation yesterday.  I think that deserves some research and a post by itself if I come up with anything interesting in the literature.