I LIke My Needles Small

So this was going to be a Valentine's Day update, but I didn't get my act together in time, so it's just a nameless update.


This is the swatch for my newest sweater. It's the Kai colorway from Simply Shetland 2. Meg bought me the yarn for my birthday, and I've only now gotten around to finishing the swatch. Swatches in the round are a bit of a pain because of the constant loose end management. However, I think this turned out quite well.

I started the body of the sweater only to realize it would ultimately be a false start. The first attempt was a moebius strip. Damn. The second attempt, as it turned out, was also a moebius strip. Double damn. Several frogs later, Meg supervised my third attempt. The third attempt we thought was good, but then realized that it, too, was as a moebius strip. Fortunately, this time I was smart enough to only knit a few stitches before examining. After a small tink and an untwist, we now both firmly believe that I actually have the first few rounds of a cylinder. It only took four tries.

This is probably insane, but I've never knit a sweater on needles larger than U.S. size 1. Granted, this is only my second sweater, but even so... I'm not sure that I really have a burning desire to knit a sweater on larger needles. I really like size 1. I was even brave enough to admit this in front of Annie Modesitt and a group of men who came out to Arcadia Knitting a few weeks ago (more on that later). Several men gasped, and Annie thought I was crazy. It's generally my favored size for socks, so why not sweaters?


Oops, I lied. I actually knit this sweater on size 6 needles. Kind of ironic that I knit a baby sweater on size 6s but knit full-grown ones on size 1, no? Anyways, this is Jayden, my friend Michelle's 6-month old boy. He's absolutely adorable, and I've been told he loves the sweater. Michelle, who has multitudes of dwarf hamsters in her house, was ecstatic I knit hamsters into it. Thanks to Meg for actually finishing the sweater by sewing the yellow buttons on!


These were completed for Meg in time for Valentine's Day (with a day to spare, as it turned out). Happy V-Day, dear. I hope you love your Socks that Rock, Scottish Highlands colorway knit with a basket weave stitch.

Comments

Thorny said…
Wow. Those socks are great. Now I'm wondering if I can't talk Caz into stopping by Marengo next time we head down toward Chicagoville....
Anonymous said…
I LOVE the hamster sweater! Thanks for posting the final version complete with the happy recipient.
mc78 said…
I've already given kudos for the hamster sweater, but I have to give more kudos for the hamster sweater. And the baby is very cute too. Do you have a hamster chart available yet?
Well, I had done a hamster chart, but I think I lost it. I'll root around for it and let you know if it pops up.

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