In our time together, we became quite intimate — long evenings spent caressing, holding, yes, even fondling; I’ve shared my desires, bent and twisted you to my whim, yet allowed you to reveal yourself to me, teach me, steady, slow, and sure.  You did not disappoint.  I’m still awash in the afterglow, blowing smoke rings.

O O o o o

I’m utterly lost in a state of sweater afterglow.  If there never was such a thing before, there is now.  I’m there.  You’ve all made me feel like we’re having an orgy a love-fest.*  It makes a person giddy — ridiculous, even.  (Ya think?)
Oh, ‘s wonderful, ‘s marvellous…  I might be over it sometime next week.  Or not.

O O o o o O O o o o

You wanna know how much I love that sweater?  I did not sleep with it last night (I was both encouraged and admonished about that), but as I gently folded it and put it away, I thought, "I wish I could wear you again tomorrow. Who would notice?", "When can I wear you next?"… "I wonder how I’d like you in cotton?"  I’ve had similar, off-the-rack sweaters made of cotton in the past — and have worn them to absolute shreds.

Hey, I have a (mostly) cotton sweater like that in the works!  Susan has a vague memory of my Cromarty in progress and wonders why St. Brigid reached the finish line first.  Heh, the brutal truth is that Cromarty was unplanned — a total fluke — and therefore had no rights at the front of the line!  I’m knitting it in Rowan Calmer, yarn that was purchased to make Audrey in my first knit-along.  I started it and made good progress, but there was a change of heart, and then a transformation.  At the time, I knew that I’d be participating in the St. Brigid Knit-Along, hosted by the wonderful Kathaleenie.

I had never knit anything from a chart before then, so to prepare for St. B, I knit the Galway hat from Aran Knitting, then a variation of the hat, and then, for some reason, decided to try Cromarty — and I used some of Audrey’s Calmer.  Just to see what it would look like…

Well, I liked it and procured the needed, additional yardage, dropped out of Audrey, made good progress, and then the St. Brigid KAL was underway and Cromarty took a back seat.  I’ll be getting back to that one soon.  Though made of cotton, it’s different than those sweaters I’ve worn to shreds — softer, more delicate and fragile.  Those others were more like dishcloth cotton, so perhaps, someday…

O O o o o O O o o o O O o o o

After sitting with a finished, folded St. Brigid on my lap for a while on Sunday night, I pulled out the DPNs and the prized alpaca and cast on the Natalya mitt for Mdd.  That ought to be finished tomorrow (she wants only one), and then perhaps Cromarty will see some action.

O O o o o O O o o o O O o o o O O o o o

*Thank you all for your wonderful comments.  You’ve made me laugh and smile and even get teary.  I’ve been touched by every single word.  And I’ll really try to pull myself together and get over this nonsense.

Okay, it’s obvious that I really can’t do The Rachael very well; I tried.  I’ve got the I’m Your Mother/Are You Doing That Right look down pretty good, though, huh?  I hate having my picture taken! (Thanks to Mdd, my photographer, for laughing with me.)

St. Brigid

My first completed Aran sweater (Cromarty was the first Aran started — and is yet to be completed)

Pattern: St. Brigid / Source: Aran Knitting by Aice Starmore (OOP, borrowed from a local library)

Yarn: Cascade 220, color 4010 (gold), purchased from The Boys at Threadbear; I ordered 12 hanks and used pretty much all of 9 (1908 yards) for the larger size without fringe, but with all the repeats / Needles: Size US 8 Clover Bamboo

Started: Sept. 10, 2004 / Completed: Feb. 20, 2005

Modifications:

1) The single line of straight stitch called for on either side of the braided cable seemed flabby, so I knit/purled through the back loop of those stitches throughout to twist it and tighten up the stitch.

2) The pattern called for 15 rows of K2, P1 ribbing to finish the top edge of the collar; I knit only 13 (and might even have preferred fewer than that).

3) As far as gauge is concerned, I was "close" with the US 8 bamboos. In the end, the pieces were blocked in the manner directed in the book — pinned to measurements given and covered with a damp cloth (in this case, a fairly substantial towel, fresh from the "max extract" washing machine cycle), and left ’til the cloth was dry (approximately 24 hours). When the blocking cloth was dry, it was removed and the pieces unpinned; they hardly budged. The pieces reached the specified measurements without any difficulty (plenty of give) and, as knit, they could have been blocked slightly larger or even a little smaller.

4) I have not yet attached any fringe; I may do that in the future; it will definitely cut into a 10th hank of yarn.

Observations:

I love looking like an idiot for you people this sweater. It was a joy to knit and put together. It’s comfortable to wear and it’s pretty much turned out just as I’d hoped.  There is plenty of ease without looking huge; it’s substantial, but not too heavy or warm. 

I started with the sleeves, then knit the back (these pieces were finished before Christmas), and finally the front and collar pieces (since Christmas). Originally, I was going to do one less repeat on the body than the pattern called for, but I changed my mind on that and I’m so glad I did.

During the next blocking, I will try to lengthen the sleeves just a bit — they could be a tad longer for me.

I’ve created a St. Brigid photo album with some WIP photos and eventually I’ll post these thoughts, and any others that might come to mind, over there.

Can you believe it? I’m wearing it. Today. Right now.

Love, love, love!!!

This is just a quickie post with a couple of tantalizing pictures.  It took all day — ALL DAY — to sew on the collar and do the ribbing, sew down the ribbing, and weave in all the ends.  Man, a lot of ends, even though I got smart and spliced while knitting the last half.  But she’s done.  Alas, by the time I was ready for photos, it was dark and there wasn’t anyone to man the camera.

Thanks for all the encouraging emails.  You all made reaching the finish line even sweeter.

More to come.

…for EXCITING!!!

These were taken at about 1:30 yesterday afternoon.  Do you try on a sweater at the earliest possible opportunity?  I couldn’t wait!!  By the time I went to bed last night, I’d tried it on at least three times and been poked by a pin at least once.  And, by that time, the saddles and sleeves had been sewn, as well as side and sleeve seams, and I’d loosely pinned the collar to The Sweater.

I’m going to go thread my needle…

That lovely, dancing, Italian woman tagged me!  Here you go, Marta!

1.  How much space is left on your TiVo or Comcast box?

I don’t have either.  We’re always scrambling for blank videotapes or one that we can tape over!

2.  Have you ever bought a DVD of a TV series and, if so, which one?

No.  I have bought, either for myself or for giving, tapes of PBS shows/series, such as The Civil War.

3.  What was the last TV show you watched before reading this message?

NUMB3RS

4.  List five TV shows you won’t miss…

Hm, I watch a fair amount of TV, but must-see-TV?  This changes with the seasons…  Right now, I’d say CSI (x 3), American Idol, and a toss-up between NUMB3RS (I love the cast) and House — I can’t decide which I like better.

5.  Name three people — pass the stick.

It’s quick and painless, grrs, really…  Ann, Katy, and Roxi.  These three seem to be very busy ladies — I don’t know if they even watch TV.  It’ll be interesting to find out, huh?

The knitting needles are at rest, the braid for the collar having been knit, and the sleeves are blocking.  I think the sewing may begin this afternoon.  I folded up the front and back and, if I squint, it looks like a finished sweater already!

It’s at the point where I don’t even have to name that sweater!

"Mom, come and look at Mdd!"  Mdd was much more cooperative at dress-up than any of our pets ever were.