Posted under Gifts and Charity & sweaters
Last night at the Aloha Knitters meeting I worked on my cardigan. Thanks to the good company and dirty jokes (you know who you are) I was able to finish most of the hem. When I came home I finished the rest and bound off the body in the morning.
Then it was on the neckband. I dove right in and with the great words of encouragement from all my great friend out her in bloglandia, as well as the fiberlings on AIM, my confidence was back. My first venture was not so successful. I was supposed to pick up 40 sts evenly along the first side of the V and I ended up with 35. I ripped it out without a qualm and started over again and met with success.
For some reason, my brain wasn’t working as well as my confidence and it didn’t occur to me to just pick up my cast on loops for the sleeve and back sections. So I had to pick up and rip a few times until the light finally dawned on me. Sometimes the moniker akamai knitter just doesn’t apply. (BTW, Swish seems to handle repeated frogging with just a minimum of fuzzing.) Finally though, I met again with success and I eventually had all the neckband stitches on the needle.
And after just 3 rows of garter stitch, it was all said and done.
Let’s not forget a gratuitous closeup picture.
I feel a little silly for being so proud of something so simple, but really I’ve never done this before. It’s way out of my comfort zone so don’t I deserve at least a tiny pat on the back for that?
In other news, there are some of you that might remember the Jayne Hat, aka the ugliest hat ever, I knit back in November. Well it’s finally landed and the recipient couldn’t be more pleased. See him modeling it here. I’m so glad he loves it for I surely cannot see what he finds in it to love. Though I do think it looks kinda cute on him.
I also need to come clean with you all for I have lied. Remember the Shifting Sands Scarf I made? Now I told everyone here and everyone else that would listen that it was for my Aunt Eleanor, but really it was for my friend Jenny. She just got it today and she loves it! Let’s hope this mention of it will nudge her into blogging about it. Am I not sly?
All my other gifts for Christmas 2006 have landed in the past week and I’m reminded as to why I love gift giving so much. I hear that the young man who got the pirate mittens wore one of them while doing his schoolwork, while his sister went to sleep with the scarf I made her. I can’t wait to make the matching hat for the boy and I’m ruminating on what I can make next for the young girl. She’s only 3 years old, so maybe I could make her a little sweater. I think some conference time with her mother is needed.
For now, it’s on to the sleeves of my cardigan where I have to pick up even more stitches and I want to spend some quality time with my spinning wheel. Have a great weekend everyone!
Kat on 12 Jan 2007 at 7:44 pm #
YAY FOR YOU!!!! That’s awesome and it looks fabulous! Yes, you do deserve a pat on the back.
How wonderful that your gifts have been so well received–that says that you know the recipients.
kristen on 12 Jan 2007 at 11:25 pm #
I’m drooling over that sweater (separate drool from the cashmere drool - this one comes out the other side of my mouth). Right now, in Canada, it’s cold. I should make a cardigan. Yours looks so nice, though.
And that Jayne hat rocks! It’s supposed to be ugly - did you see the one in the show? His mom didn’t even weave in any ends! I have to admit that I had trouble looking at it for that reason for a little while.
I see your Green Sock button in the sidebar. Mine’s going up SOON.
Sue Johnson on 13 Jan 2007 at 1:30 am #
Congratulations, Opal. The sweater look great! I knew you could do it.
Sue
Jeanne on 13 Jan 2007 at 3:02 am #
The sweater is beautiful! Great job - be proud! I really do love that color. Glad that all of your gifts have landed and are appreciated - always so nice. I’m waiting to hear if my gift has landed - I’m paranoid it will be lost in the mail! Have fun spinning!
Robbyn on 13 Jan 2007 at 4:09 am #
The sweater is lovely - you did a wonderful job! We all have comfort zones, beyond which we tend to be nervous and hesitant. You have just EXPANDED your borders! That’s a very cool thing indeed!
Alison on 13 Jan 2007 at 5:28 am #
You definitely deserve a pat on the back. The only way you’ll grow in any venture is to test your comfort zones. The sweater really does look great!
trek on 13 Jan 2007 at 1:58 pm #
Lots of progress there!
Jenny Raye on 14 Jan 2007 at 7:15 am #
Opal, it looks great!!!! I can’t wait to see it finished!
Barb on 14 Jan 2007 at 7:17 am #
Looking good. Great pattern and yarn.
Roseann on 14 Jan 2007 at 9:47 am #
Beautiful work on your sweater! The sleeves will breeze by, I’m sure and you will be wearing it very soon. You hat looks very nice on your friend and he looks very happy wearing it. I’m glad you are knitting your sweater for yourself, you are a generous knitter with all your gifts to others.
Jane on 14 Jan 2007 at 1:30 pm #
You did a wonderful job on that sweater! You should be very proud. You did something different and now you are the go-to-gal for those who have never done that type of sweater before:-) Congratlations!
lobstah on 14 Jan 2007 at 5:28 pm #
Now was that so bad? ;) It looks perfect, nice job. I’m glad to hear that all your knitted gifts are well-loved by the recipients.