I finished Relax the other week. You may have remembered that I have been working on this knitting project since early November. The stockinette knitting seamed to go on and on without end. This winter I was able to take a great chunk of time to sit and devote to knitting and through that I was able to see the light at the end of the tunnel. Now that it’s finished, I’m so happy with it. It’s a boxy fit, which it totally freeing as a knitter, because one main worry I always have when making a sweater is, ‘is this thing going to actually fit me?’ I didn’t have this worry this time. I love the drapey, loose fit. Totally worth all those months of stockinette. I might even make another….just maybe. If you are a beginning knitter or someone who loves a mindless knit (or mindful knit, depending on your mindset), you should certainly make this. It’s my favorite sweater at the moment.
(My apologies for the oh so serious self portrait in the mirror. I am absolutely am the worst at taking photos of sweaters I knit, most end up as badly cropped mirror shots.)
In other knitting news my son was playing out in the front yard by where we park our car last fall and found this in the bushes. Oh the horror! This is one of my fingerless gloves that like the above sweater I labored over for months upon months. A number of years ago my girlfriend and I took our kids up to Glen Ellen to Brookfarm Alpaca and I came home with this insanely soft alpaca yarn. And then I found this fingerless glove pattern that was insanely intricate. And knit on insanely small #1 needles. Should I ever go blind, all my blame will be placed on this knitting project! It’s no fault of the amazing yarn nor of the beautiful pattern. It was purely my fault for mixing fluffy charcoal colored yarn with an intricate pattern on a teeny tiny needle. The end result, much like the sweater above was divine. Alpaca might even be more luxurious that cashmere, those gloves were so soft. They were what I wore every cold morning. But now the left one was left as roadkill, probably fell out the car door one day last winter.
A new pair of fingerless gloves will go on the To-Knit list, but maybe I’ll either pick a smoother, light colored yarn for that pattern, or a simple pattern for that alpaca this time around.
Oh so sad. I know the feeling. But… Brookfarm has more yarns just in from the mill. Several are on the lighter color side. So call to come by for another visit sometime soon while supply is good.
BTW, love your Blog.
Debbie Emery
http://www.Brookfarmalpaca.com
Thank you Debbie!! I will certainly be coming back for more of your yarn!
Your self Portrait is lovely. Serious with a satisfied look. I love the sweater, and agree that the boxy fit is most comfortable. I am new to knitting, inspired by some of your previous posts, I took it back up. I will definitely try something like that sweater in the future. Love the colors too Kendra! 🙂
The sweater is lovely and hopefully doesn’t end up as road kill like that poor glove. I haven’t knitted in years, but I do crochet (my mom taught me both), so I’m in the middle of crocheting an afghan for my nephew’s baby boy due mid-April. Your selfie is pretty good actually. When I do a selfie, I always have an expression as if I’ve smelled something bad. LOL 🙂
Too bad about the glove. Alpaca yarn is indeed very soft-and at least where I am, unaffordable.
Your post reminded me of how much satisfaction a good hand knit sweater can bring so… I had to go out and buy some alpaca and, even though the weather is now warming, I have launched into a beautiful fair isle pattern that I have been wanting to do. Thanks for the inspiration. Probably won’t be ready until next fall anyway 🙂
Thanks a lot, May (?) –> Kendra (!) for your kind comment on my cherry blossom post. To hear your Ohhhhhs and Ahhhhs you can look at my post again and record & send me a sound file – I will link it to my post and evertime somebody is scrolling through my pictures your “sounds of delight” will enchant my readers… 😉
Though you are living in a blessed part of this planet you should already had the cherry blossom time – or are there no cherry trees around your residence?
Enjoy your weekend,
best regards from sunny Germany,
Uwe.
Yes, a good picture, excellent self-portrait!
Awhile back someone told me about a site/app where you can put in your shampoo brand and it will give you the toxicity level. I swear I remember seeing it on here somewhere too but I can’t find it for the life of me nor can I remember the name 🙁 Do you by chance know what I’m talking about? Thank you
Good Guide and EWG’s Skin Deep are excellent. For a wonderful, organic product check out Aubrey Organics…their products are awesome!
Good Guide and EWG (Environmental Working Group) both are on-line and have free apps; I use them frequently.
Aubrey Organics has a website and some stores sell their products.
Just thought I should clarify.
I hate to part with something I love- something that is comfortable.
A true self-portrait…what’s better than that?!
You’re a talented person! I’m sure you can find a way to rescue these. Darn them or come up with a funky way to add new stitches. Even if they wind up as really luxurious/funky garden gloves you can still use them!