A sweater done

While in Kingston, Ontario, I worked on a cardigan made out of Kauni sweater I have had in pieces for some time.  The knitting is worked in two directions: the bodice is knit side-to-side around the body, then stitches are picked up in front and back and knit up and joined at the shoulder.  The arms are knit from the cuff to the shoulder and added on separately. Both the body and the sleeves have square tops.

​The difficulty began in joining the pieces.  The picture on the pattern had the woman happily smiling in a finished sweater, but it didn't show exactly how the square-topped arms fit into the bodice.  

I put it into time out, you know, to teach it a lesson. I counted rows on the arms and armholes.  The number of stitches along the top of the arm matched the ​number of rows along the side of the armhole on the bodice.  It should have been an easy fit, but, unlike a normal drop-sleeve silhouette, these sleeves are inset. How was the armpit area to be attached to the sleeve? I could pull the sleeve top to curve around for the 1-2 inches under the arm, or, I could sew them directly in.  What would I do with the underarm area?

The time out worked.  I ran the scenario over in my mind and ended up keeping the bottom sleeve open, sewing the sleeve to both side of the vest, joining the armpit area to the bottom of the sleeve, and then seaming the sleeve together after that.  ​

I really like the sweater! However, because of the way I joined the sleeve onto the arm, I have lost 1 - 2 inches off each sleeve.​ I now need to cut off the cuff/cast-on edge, pick up the stitches and knit down just a tad more.

Book in review

There have been a variety of reviews for What Else Would Madame Defarge Knit? going up on podcasts and websites.  ​

​I just read this one this morning:

Holity's review ​

As well, editor Heather Ordover was interviewed on the Ready Set Knit podcast for Webs, America's Yarnstore and it went live just this past Saturday.  Here is a link:​

http://media.libsyn.com/media/webs/Show310.mp3

She is on show 310, for those not reading this in real time.  It is also accessed via iTunes podcast platform.​

This week, I am finishing some braiding on Sámi mitten cuffs, taking some pictures and writing an article for BÁIKI The North American Sami Journal.​ Last week was enormously busy with the first week of baseball, opening day for softball, and a multiple meets for track.  All three kids have their own sports for this season!

Track ends this week, and training for the sprint triathlon begins in earnest.  I am so thankful the weather has been cooperating and encouraging us all to get out more!​

I also finished knitting a Quetzalcoatlus dinosaur for the youngest.  I (re)taught him to knit a couple weeks ago.  Just days later we were at a knit shop and he spotted a Knitted Dinosaur book by Tina Barrett.  How is a mom to say no to such a request?  Perhaps I should have, as it quickly evolved into him telling me how and when I would knit ALL the dinosaurs for him!​

I did not agree to that, but we did pick out the colors for his Quetzy, and knitted it up. It has flapped its way into his heart.​

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​Quetzalcoatlus

​fluffy wing "feathers"

​Just hangin' out.

​Super Quetzy!

Number One on My Christmas Wish List

I totally want one.  Now.  But, Christmas would do, as well.​

​The coolest thing I saw this past trip to Canada.  Where was one with the maple leaf on it?!

But, if I have to wait that long, I might need a side chair, too.​

Welcome back

It's been too long since I posted on the blog, but, let's face it, the last post is hard to follow up.  Nothing doing, but bring the bar down a bit and just keep writing.​

Last weekend, I had a trip to Canada.  I attended university in Montreal, at McGill, many years ago.  Twenty-two years ago, in fact, I graduated.  That year I boarded with Canon and Mrs. C in their home, attached to the Montreal Diocesan Theological College, and right across the street from McGill's engineering a geological studies buildings.  You may well ask, what was it like living with a Canon?  It was a blast.

Fast forward twenty-two years.  I'm still in contact with both the Cs, but now I call them Liz and Tony.   My other housemate at the time, Val, is also an Anglican minister, and lives in the same town as the Cs. This past January, the C's eldest son died of brain cancer.  Nine days before his death, Liz found out she has several spots of cancer on her liver which had metastacized from her colon.​ This trip was to see them all, and see how she's doing, and, if necesary, say goodbye.

What a lovely, poignant visit it was. Kingston, Ontario is a beautiful town, well positioned at the NE corner of Lake Ontario near the Thousand Islands.  Queens University is in town, and several of the homes of John A. Macdonald, Canada's first Prime Minister. Kingston is well situated economically, too, with two prisons, a mall, and two yarn shops.  A nice balance of reality. ​

On the trip, I found out luggage racks make excellent swift holders.​

​Winding yarn for my Comfort of A Friend Shawl Knit-along.  Please join us!

I partook of Tim Horton's.  Often.  It turned out I had to rely on their free wifi for internet access, and I still had problems connecting.  ​

​Tim Horton's.  It's a great thing, eh.

I wandered through shops...​

​And saw some appropriate items...

The Cs and I went to see the play The Vigil.  It was a two-person play starring Brett Christopher and Carolyn Hetherington about an older lady declining and dying and an annoying nephew who has moved in to "help."  An uncomfortable subject in the present circumstances, perhaps?  Liz laughed through it, and Tony almost slept.  The play certainly didn't pull punches. I enjoyed the acting talents of the two stars.  Carolyn knitted constantly throughout the play.  Lever style.  I'm sure you wanted to know that.

​before the show