We'll head north right into the teeth of it tomorrow for a day of cloud and cold sleet. We'll put up the winter window blinds, shutter the doors, clean out the eaves and pull out/winterize the boat. It sounds awful but actually its easier to walk away from the place with numb fingers and a cold nose (inside the cottage!) than on a warm sunny day with the water glistening as the blue jays scream and glide in groups from tree to tree.
I'm through the first repeat of the chart on Shearer and dead on gauge over 4 inches.
Nonetheless the 2x2 ribs at the sides are "stealing" width as they "pull in" together. I think the centre panel will block out enough to compensate but...
I don't want to add ribs to the sides for fear of running short of yarn and besides, My Beloved is fearful of a repeat of "Ranger" (although in its shrunken, fulled state he's calling it his favourite "New" sweater and wearing it every evening) so he won't hear of me going up a size anyway.
Hence I'm just plowing on. If, in the end we need more room I can always knit a couple of gussets to run between the side seams - maybe I'll need more yarn - even if I do, a perfect match won't be as critical on flat narrow panels under the arms right?
With fall maintenance being done on our vehicles this week we've booked a date for the snow tires to go on and I'm working on readying the freezer for our beef delivery (grass fed, lean and hardy from a small flock raised by a friend - local, healthy, humane and environmentally better than many other options.)
High knitting season is upon us and I've got cables on the needles at home and WIP mittens stashed in my Blue Jay bag ready to hit the road as needed! Life is good! Have a great weekend - that's what I plan to do!
(Multiple references to Jays here today - must be because I just read this. Great photos Curlerchik! Blue Jay project bag courtesy of Curlerchik too!)
Your Shepherd and Shearer looks great. The yarn must be lovely to procude such prefectly defined cables.
ReplyDeleteYour beloved's felted sweater will be the warmest thing he owns. Much nicer now to carry on with a new project rahtenr than a re-knit.
Lastly, your Gnomy Hat. Lovely colours. But sorry - I made one a few years back and it went immediately into the donation box. Ganomy looked dorky on me and mine.
Aw, thanks! The visiting blue jay made it easy to take the pictures - he was pretty much posing for us! Your cabled sweater is looking gorgeous, and I love the ideas of gussets under arms - a great way to extend if needed. It's making me want to knit cables now...
ReplyDeleteI always enjoy reading your 'seasonal' posts. I'm interested in the way your life and your activities is so governed by seasonal changes. We had such a mild winter this year that we had months of what would normally be spring or autumn weather. Now, of course, with the bush fires that have surrounded Sydney, we've seen the cost of such mild weather and are dreading what summer might bring.
ReplyDeleteYour Shepherd and Shearer is looking superb. I've been admiring your courage in making the adaptations you've incorporated. They all seem very sensible, but a challenge, nonetheless.
I am loving the cold weather- what true knitter doesn't?
ReplyDeleteYour sweater looks great. Don't worry about the ribbing, before you block it always looks too small.