This Week in Knitting

Yes, I finished the crazy project from my previous post. The inspiration was here. Click on the thumbnails. That's what I'm talkin' about. My sister Beth wanted in on this action, so the SCARF will go in the mail to her next week.

Last weekend I completed a new sweater, the details of which I could not photograph in daylight until today. Behold, the World Series Sweater, which, aside from the very top portion, was all knit during Red Sox/Indians and Red Sox/Rockies games.

It's made from two cakes of Evilla Vorgarn, in colors A 01 and A 75a, purchased from Wollsucht. I held the wool double throughout, at times knitting with both ends of the same round, at other times knitting from one end of each round. It's a simple raglan, with the A-line shaping attained by increasing the needle size twice on both the body and sleeves. If you're interested in knitting with unspun yarn, here are some tips:

1. Knit slowly. Relax. The Red Sox will do just fine without all your worrying.

2. Keep the rounds right on the floor by your feet, so you're pulling the ends pretty much straight up toward the knitting. Too much of a diagonal and they will split every few feet.

3. Be sure to swatch first and wash and block your swatch. This will reassure you about the softness and durability of your final product as well as give you correct gauge.

4. Really, knit slowly. Big motions. Relax.

5. Spit splice when you're yarn falls apart. This is a sign that you are not sufficiently relaxed.

The positive of this yarn? Well, it has a great halo, and is exceptionally warm and light. SUPER warm and light as a feather. And it has this awesome floatiness. I highly recommend it.

Oh, and this is a faux cardigan; the buttons in front are tacked into place. Do not think you can make buttonholes in unspun yarn, since they will shred apart after just a little in-and-out button action.

I made a back pleat to match the front button detail. The buttons are antique mother of pearl, gotten from the same estate sale at which I purchased my Loom to End All Looms.

A row of single-crochet around the neck (done in Evila 2/8 in the color of the unspun; yes, I do have a lot of stuff from Wollsucht) gave some much-needed stability. I LOVE IT!

Friday's knitting was swatching: this is Dream in Color Worsted in Black Parade. Oh baby. It's going to become a Classic sweater for a Christmas recipient, which means not too much detail here until after the new year. Oh well. Go buy some of this yarn. I mean, look at it, all deep purple and bottle green and deep grey in the sunshine, how could you say no?