Saturday, May 31, 2008

One FO, Two WIPs and a Brush With The Kniterati

I've been a happy knitter for the past few weeks. Around the same time that I changed lace directions, I was also agonizing over my Diagonal Triangle Tank out of my long-stashed Allegro yarn. It just wasn't doing it for me, so I finally ripped that off the needles. It's just as well because once off the needles it looked frighteningly tiny - I don't think it would have fit me. The thing is, I had really grown to like the yarn, but what to make? One day I glanced up and the garter stitch swatch pinned to the cork board above my desk was catching the light just so. Garter stitch brings out all the best in this yarn.

SO what to knit? The time had come to take a crack at a top down sweater ala Barbara Walker. Several months ago I added Knitting From The Top to an Amazon order when I "needed" to add another item to reach the free shipping requirement. (C'mon, you know you've done it...) I've been thumbing through it regularly, feeling too intimidated to jump in, but suddenly I was ready.

I had a few false starts, but now that I'm solidly on my way, it feels right. It's rather hard to do it justice in a photo just yet, but I'll give you a peek anyway ...

I know it doesn't look like much yet, but I'm delighted with it nonetheless. I'm especially happy to have gotten past the "top-down" block. I knew I was going to be a convert, and I've been itching to try it on a human scale ever since I tried it in miniature here.

I had just settled on this and was working the fussy beginnings with shoulders on provisional cast-ons, short rows and neck shaping when the need for a mindless, portable project caused me to set it aside for a few days and cast on for a moebius scarf. It was the perfect take-along project for the 5th grade field trip - a catamaran cruise to Endicott Arm!

We saw whales, goats, bears and a calving glacier!! We never had field trips like this in California!

I finished it up a few days later and I'm very happy with it. I like to wear these doubled, up fairly close to my neck.

Moebius Scarf
Pattern: Basic Purl Ridge Moebius from A Treasury of Magical Knitting, by Cat Bordhi. I did 5-round ridges; next time I think I'll do3. I finished it off with 3 stitch "fingers."
Yarn: Crystal Palace Waikiki
Needles: 47" circular US #7
Best thing about this project: Wearing it to lunch to meet Evelyn Clark!!

I finished it just in time to wear it to lunch with some Juneau knitters and a special guest! The Juneau knitters are two woman, Sally and Kim, I met through Ravelry, and at the time of this lunch I'd only actually met Sally in person. Kim had done a workshop with Evelyn A. Clark a while back and when she learned she was going to be in Juneau for a visit, she invited her out to lunch. Somehow, I got lucky enough to get an invite too!! What a treat!!


I'm behind both in blog posting AND blog reading, but I know there's a meme going around and I've recently been tagged. Helen, I almost never do these (but you know that, don't you?), but I'm flattered that you tagged me .. maybe that will motivate me to post again SOON.

8 comments:

Helen said...

I never do them either, almost. I'll forgive you if you don't do it, but you have to tell us more about meeting Evelyn Clark. I did a swatch from the triangles book today so I am especially impressed.

Helen said...

Oh and I meant to say, I am gobsmacked by the whale tail too. How wonderful.

Anonymous said...

Hi Kathy,

We just flew in a cessna 185 from Unalakleet home to Montana. We came down along the coast but turned at Haines and Skagway to head into Canada. I thought of you living down in the SE. What wonderful country! So different from our tundra in the far north.

We saw so much and the pilot of the plane flies for our school district he is amazing!

Best of luck on the projects. I have knitted 2 top down cardigans and would knit that pattern again---so easy to try on and to see how it all fits!

Have a great summer,

Nancy

Helen said...

I think I would have been much the same. I met Fyberspates today and couldn't think of anything to say :)

I've got the whaletail as my desktop background now.

Anonymous said...

Helen,

I can't seem to find your email address, which is why I don't reply to you directly.

I know, I didn't give any good EC details. I was mostly star-struck and sat back and listened. We talked some knitting and some Juneau, and Kim and Evelyn talked a bit about knitting retreats and such where they might meet up again. She was lovely and totally unaware of the effect she was having on me! ;-)

Hilary said...

Very cool! (Both EC and the whale.:) And I love the Mobius scarf ... it looks great. Can't wait to see what the top down sweater actually looks like ...

Helen said...

I know what you mean: I met Fyberspates yesterday afternoon and I talked about the weather .

knititch said...

i love your son wearing his baby hat all these years after. and i will have to order that book too. it sounds so logical. especially if the one you are knitting for isn't living in your house so you can't measure all the time. that is such a problem for me all the time.
sounds like a great knitting group.