Archives: 2009 January

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One sleeve down

§ January 23rd, 2009 § Filed under BPT Cabled cardigan, sweaters § 18 Comments

This BPT sweater should be going quickly, given that it’s mostly stockinette, and I’m on a decreasing spiral, which means there’s less and less every round. I really should get cracking on this, given that I am travelling a lot this month and have tons of airplane, bus and train time, especially mindless movies to go with the long airplane journeys. But it’s taken me nearly two weeks to finish one sleeve, and am very bored with the second.

Why is this? Part of it, I suspect, has to do with the yarn, which is rather rough and annoying to work with, and I can’t seem to do more than a few rounds at a time. But part of it is, I realised, the awkwardness of working sleeves in the round on a seamless raglan. You have to move around the whole bloody sweater every round or two, and because of the small (and decreasing!) circumference, it gets very heavy and cumbersome. I don’t like carrying a nearly-done sweater around everywhere, but that’s the only way this thing is going to get done soon. Anyone else have that problem? Next time I do a seamless raglan, after I divide for the armholes I’m doing the sleeves first and then the body. Somehow it seems like two sleeves flapping merrily around will be marginally easier than the whole body pirouetting madly under the tube of a sleeve hanging by dpns.

At least it fits alright. Am not so happy with the sleeves above the armholes. I think there should have been fewer stitches to cinch them in a bit, but now the only way I can fix that is to undo the whole sweater – um, I think I can live with the tiny bulge at the raglans. It’s a clever pattern, though. I keep wishing I was knitting it in Cascade 220 instead. It’s also no-to-ri-ous-ly difficult to photograph clearly – I assure you it’s not felted, even though the photos make it seem like it is! It isn’t even fuzzy, really. I wonder why the fabric looks so matted, despite tons of focusing and adjusting in all kinds of light and angles. Ah well. Am soon going to have to wonder about two things – 1) hood or collar? and 2) pockets or not? I’m thinking hood and pocket just to go with the overall slouchy look, with mirrored cables along the diagonal pocket openings. Opinions?

Small things

§ January 5th, 2009 § Filed under Life, Simpler stuff, Socks § 10 Comments

We open the new year’s blogging with a hearty “Good effing riddance!” to 2008, and a polite request to 2009 to please pass uneventfully without any major upheavals. Travels may be included, even arduous ones, especially to see new places and old friends, but please, can we not have any emotional rollercoasters, dramatic events, or surprises, good or bad? If I could wish for one thing this year, it would be that it pass like this:

Quietly, bathed in just the right amount of sunlight, feet up on a couch with an interesting book, wearing comfortable handknits, and a cup of hot ginger tea (just outside the frame). Really, is that too much to ask for?

In the foreground is a pair of Regia Silk socks my sister has been demanding for ages now. Pune used to have a decent winter in November and December, but now you can bear to wear warm clothes only for about a week around the new year. So over a couple of lovely, lazy days at home spent gossiping with her and watching old films, I made these anklet socks. Quick, easy pair, 60 stitches, 2×2 rib, cuff down stockinette on size 0 needles. Good thing her feet are tiny and these are tight for me, cause I really don’t feel like taking them off.

I also got a delightful gift for the new year from my lovely knitter niece Gargi. A couple of years ago I had helped her make a hairband for herself, and she made one for me this year, complete with sewed elastic at the bottom. The most hilarious part was helping her through this one, joining a new piece of yarn, picking up dropped stitches, etc. while she weaved an elaborate tale about how this was actually for her best friend in school. Now, it turns out, the best friend is really asking for one after seeing mine!