A Yarny Monkey off my Back!

Much as I have enjoyed knitting my friend Nancy a pair of socks, it seemed that the knitting would never be completed. I’d like to be able to give the gift, not just “make progress.” But now, although they need a bath before giving, the knitting is complete!

Better yet, I am pleased with how they have turned out. Now, as long as they fit…

Now to get the La Gran cardigan done. I am working on the right front as I have finished the second sleeve. And I have made my first buttonhole! I don’t know why I had such trepidations concerning the whole buttonhole creation issue. In addition, I did figure out that the pattern has a major error in it, which puzzled me greatly for a bit. I assumed I just didn’t understand the pattern, but no, it was wrong. Had I made the right front as the directions specified, it would not be a mirror image of the left front. The rib pattern is asymetrical (P2K2P2K4), so you can’t really use the same chart for the two mirror image fronts, starting at the same place on a RS row. So, I just worked the rib to make it the mirror image (which, of course, is like the photo of the sweater in VK). I really tried to find a way to make the directions correct, but they were pretty specific and not open to much interpretation.

Anticipating the completion of La Gran, which is not like counting one’s chickens before they are hatched, I took a gander at the new knitting books at a LBS. I didn’t think I would like the patterns in Jackets for Work and Play from the Best of Knitter’s series, as I have a love-hate relationship with that magazine (when I subscribe I hate the patterns; when I buy it from the newsstand, I want to make several projects from each issue). But I fell in love…

This is the Brocade in Charcoal jacket designed by Jean Frost. I want it. But I don’t want it in charcoal. I want the edgings done in the charcoal, but I want the body of the jacket done in a dark (not navy or royal please!) blue. The jacket in the book was knit in Cascade 220, which is a yarn I like for jackets and outer sweaters as it is durable, can take a little weather (which is all we get here), and shows stitches well. I knit my first sweater in Cascade 220, and it turned out well, so I have a bit of a sentimental attachment to this yarn (good thing I didn’t knit my first sweater in cashmere!). I had beady reasons for wanting the blue and charcoal:

I want to make a multi-strand necklace using the tri-cut blue iris seed beads as the main portions of the strands with the grey and dark red pearls scattered at pretty wide intervals throughout. The only reason I hadn’t made the necklace already is that I had nothing to wear with it. But the brocade jacket will do, I think. I have an extreme obsession fondness for coordinating clothing and jewelry.

And speaking of jewelry, I have updated my Jewelry 2006 album (see link in Sidebar) to include the pieces I made in 2006 before I started blogging. So, here is your warning. Some of the jewelry pictures may lead the viewer into the temptation to start a new beading hobby (or so comments of my previously blogged about jewelry has suggested). If you think you may be one of those people, you probably should not look at the album. If you are made of sterner stuff, go take a peek.

In closing, just let me add, that I do take Socktoberfest seriously even though there is little current sock knitting displayed in this post. Sometimes some things can’t be shown to just everyone before certain festivities later in the year occur. But I will have something to show for myself soon.