It’s Furious Balancing

Unfortunately, not quite.  September has started off with days in the 90°F range, if not hotter.

I hate the summer with the fierceness of a thousand burning suns.   By the end of August, I’m ready to sell a majority of my possessions and take up reindeer herding.  Or a lighthouse job in Newfoundland.  Or hanging out with the scientists in Antarctica.  I’m not of a scientific bent, but I make a mean cup of coffee.

Autumn means wool.  Wool sweaters, wool vests, wool scarves, wool hats, and all manner of sheepy goodness.

Autumn, this year, also means Election Season.  I’m sure I could offer all sorts of snarky commentary about John McCain and the rumors surrounding his choice of Sarah Palin as a Vice President, but I’d rather concentrate on the good qualities of Sen. Obama.  The man has class.

Well, that and commenting on the Republicans is a bit like shooting fish in a barrel.

I’m sure many of you have been thinking, “Laiane, what’s up with that steeked Noro vest?” ¹  Cats and kittens, it is a done deal.  I used the three-day weekend to wind up some projects, and I have Finished Object pictures.  I also have a close-up shot of some kitten toes,

but I digress.

The Steeked Vest.

Pattern:  More Stripes by Amy King, Knitty (Spring 2007).

Yarn:  Noro Kureyon, Color No. 195, approx. 4.5 skeins (approx. 500 yards)

Modifications:  I used only one color of Noro (the pattern calls for two, alternating the stripes), knitting from the bottom up until I divided for the armholes.   I raised the v-neck a considerable amount.  I prefer a tighter fitting vest than the one modeled in the pattern, so I made the smallest size and in a clingier yarn than suggested.

I love it.  I think the blue in this colorway is the most perfect blue imaginable.  I can see myself wearing this frequently this fall/winter.  I want to make another using two Noro colorways like the pattern calls for, one in neutrals and the other in brights.  I need a TV Watching Project, and that sounds like just the task.²

I don’t think I posted anything earlier on this next project, except in passing.

Mr. Greenjeans, Now in Teal

Pattern:  Mr. Greenjeans by Amy Swenson, Knitty (Fall 2007)

Yarn:  Cascade 220, Blue Teal Heather, 4 skeins (880 yards)

Modifications: When I first started this sweater, my cables looked awful.  I did the sweater in plain ribbing instead of the alternating ribbing/cables.  Now that my skill with cables is improving, I would make it with cables the next time around.  I used two buttons instead of one, and made the button band wider.  I used single crochet to reinforce the buttonholes and even out the band at the bottom of the sweater.

For the record, buttonholes suck, especially when you’re making an item with slippery metal buttons.

This cardigan was part of the Mr. Greenjeans Knit-a-Long (KAL) for one of my Ravelry groups.³  I finished it on the very last day of the KAL.  Considering my poor showing in the Ravelympics,⁴ I wanted to make at least one deadline.

I’ll put a picture up of my actually wearing this sweater soon — like when the weather cools off.

* * * * *

1. Many means “more than one” in this context. [↩]
2. I have started another sweater.  It requires a tremendous amount of concentration — cables and charts — but more on that later. [↩]
3. Sleeves Off and Buttons On, for you Ravelers. [↩]
4. I only finished the baby hat and one of my gloves before my hands gave out. [↩]

This entry was posted on Tuesday, September 2nd, 2008 at 7:01 pm and is filed under Knitting. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.