oh, the sweet bliss of a clean knitting conscience

Two major albatross-like (TM wench) projects, finally complete. The first is the log cabin lap blanket:



Why only a lap blanket, you ask? Because my wrists were giving out from the sheer, stonking weight of this thing. For some reason, I bought a metric shitload of discontinued Debbie Bliss Merino Chunky at last year's post-xmas sale at John Lewis, because it was going so cheap, and such nice wool, and also, I was just really getting into the crazy knitting thing then, and didn't know any better. And then I didn't have enough of any one colour to make a jumper, because I didn't know then just how puny Debbie Bliss' yardage usually is, so it sat in my stash, silently reproaching me for the better part of a year, until I got a copy of Mason-Dixon Knitting, and decided it would make a swell log cabin blanket. And it has; it is snuggly and warm and did I mention very heavy? And did I also mention that I still have lots of it left, although not in those colours?

Some (again, wench) might object to all the mind-numbing garter stitch and the picking up of TEN BILLION stitches, but it was pleasantly mindless knitting, at least until my wrists started to quiver every time I picked it up. And yes, the picking up of TEN BILLION stitches sucks a big one, but given that picking up stitches is something that had previously made me nervous, I have to tell you, this was like stitch-picking boot camp. I got real good at it, real quick, and I am now pretty fearless about it, so it was worth it. Just. Also, I kind of like boring stitches, and they don't get any more boring than garter stitch.

And...and...and...I just got done finishing...drum roll, please...the Hateful Cardigan of Hate!



Oy. This sweater had an evil curse on it from the very beginning. First, there was the impulse purchase (sense a theme, here?) of Summer Tweed, led to me needing to do something with the Summer Tweed, which led to me buying the Summer Tweed pattern booklet from Rowan, and led me to an almost right cardigan, which I thought would make a good birthday present for my mum. Once I switched the reverse stockinette stitch to stockinette, made it longer, and changed the closure, since I wanted something schmancier than the plain single button at the top. Which was easy enough, and only required a bit of fiddling, except everything went wrong, starting with the nasty sensation of knitting with Summer Tweed, which is full of vegetable matter and feels like dirty twine. And is completely inflexible, but hey, whatever. It does soften beautifully, upon washing, and the resulting fabric has a truly lovely drape to it. In fact, I would probably, masochist that I am, use this yarn again, the fabric is so soft and lovely when done. Right after I use a whole bunch of other, more cooperative, yarns first. Then I had to frog and re-knit one of the sleeves, and gah, it was just a mess, until it came time to sew it up. I like finishing, so I go into it with a pretty good attitude, and here is where I made the great discovery: raglan sleeves? OH MY GOD, SO EASY TO FIT. It was like my reward for gritting my teeth and forcing myself to finish this goddamn sweater. They slid right into place, stitched up evenly and gorgeously, and huge lover of set-in sleeves though I am, I will cheerfully knit raglans again, because it was just that slick and smooth and easy.

To my eternal regret, my mother wears only gold jewelry, and is fussy about things being matchy-matchy, so instead of the lovely pewter clasp I wanted to order from Purlescence, I had to go with fake old gold, which I found in John Lewis' haberdashery department. It looks fine, but I still would've prefered the pewter. But that's OK; it's not for me, so my views in this matter don't count. Stick a fork in the HCOH; it is a final blocking and one trip to the post office away from being out of my life. Whee!