The "lady" sweater is still moving along, though not very quickly. I need to put it on waste yarn to take a new picture and see how much more length I want in the body. I have 6"-7" under the arm (based on eyeballing the measurement) and I shouldn't need too much more. Maybe 4 repeats and then the garter stitch edging. A good length for me in the body of a sweater is between 10" and 11" so this sweater should be done if I can keep myself working on it. I did have a good run on the gull lace repeats where for four I had no issues with lost stitches, only to have the next repeat give me trouble again. That one is the only one I know what happened though, as I missed a single YO and deemed it not important enough to rip back--let's face it, Malabrigo doesn't like to be ripped back and I don't like trying to convince it otherwise. I keep looking back through the sweater and still can't figure out what happened all the other times as nothing appears to be amiss with the pattern. It's been vexing, but nothing seems to be hurt so I'll eventually let it go and get over it.
I've finally gotten around to learning a bit more about how to update the look of this blog and have added lists into my sidebars. I need to continue to add projects to my queue as I have tons of yarn and an idea of what I'm going to use it for--I have quite a few varigated sock yarns that I think will become multiple pairs of Jaywalker socks so that they stripe. I'm hoping it will help keep me focused and moving on projects even after the baby is here and the want to refill my tote starts to hit again. Have to clear it in order to make room.
I'm hoping 2009 will be the year to add a few "non-selfish" projects to my list again. This year, I've focused on me and quite frankly, enjoyed it. I can understand wanting to make presents for others, but I have a hard time understanding the mentality of feeling guilty for wanting to use one's time and yarn on herself. (Why yes, I *am* a member of the Selfish Knitters group on Ravelry.) I have lots of little bits of sock yarns left over that would make wonderful toddler socks and I'd like to make both of my children cute sweaters for this coming year.
I'd also like to make DH a new sweater, but am having an issue with it--well, him, about it. If he had his way, he'd get nothing but plain, dark colored crewneck sweaters with no details or very minimal ones on them. The Manly Maze I originally made for him had to be altered to remove more of the maze pattern from the cuffs in order to suit his taste and since then, I haven't been able to bring myself to make him another sweater. Anytime I find a sweater that I think would be fantastic on him, even a simple one, he doesn't like ANY of the details which would make it interesting for me to knit and inspire me to do so. He's asked a few times why I haven't made him another sweater and so far, he's received a rather terse, "You can have one when you decide to wear some color or something interesting," in reply.
Honestly, is
this sweater really that bad? I thought for sure he'd go for it since it's basically a ribbed sweater with one very minimal cable on it to add interest. I even tried to tell him that in a darker color and with the buttons matching the yarn that it would be even less ornate, but really, is that sweater ornate to begin with?! He won't go for it and says he'd refuse to wear it. I've been talking to him about it for months now while I wait for ShiBui to put out the pattern. I think it's so perfect for him that I can't get it out of my mind and just let it go. I'd kill to be taller and have a leaner frame and longer neck so I could wear a sweater like that. I think he'd be very handsome in it and I'm sure his mother would agree since she reads this blog.
I'd love to make him the above mentioned sweater, and may still do it anyway and make him just try it on. (he can be so stubborn only to find out, hey, he actually
likes it...like collared polo shirts...I don't know how many times I had to ask him to "just try it on" before he finally caved and then decided he liked them so much, he bought a couple. Same with less baggy dark denim jeans. PICKY PICKY PICKY.) However, the new Fall Knitty has a promising men's pattern in it and I may see if I can't ease him into the world of allegedly fancy sweaters with
Retrofit. I can already foresee his asking that it not be two different colors, but I may try to make him do just that, even if it's only a subtle difference between the two.
So if anyone has ever wondered why most of the projects I work on are for me, you now know why. I'm hoping my children will be much more gracious recipients of sweaters. Lovely, "FANCY" sweaters.
