Swing Swing was completed, I was tired of the second sock I’ve been working on, and…you know what happened. I cast on the Ladies Jacquard Sweater Vest from Knit Picks. I have had the pattern and yarn on hand for several months, waiting for opportunity and sufficient boldness to begin. The yarn I’m using is Palette (it’s fingering weight) in Celadon Heather and Bark. 
Let me say that the instructions are clear and there is bonus information from the designer available on the Knit Picks web site. However, the chart was small and faint (to this old knitter’s eyes). Here’s today’s knitting technology tip: I took my charts to Office Depot’s copy center. They enlarged them and darkened them for me. The clerk even gave me the intermediate color copies, in case I ever needed them enlarged again. Sweet! I just looked in my copy bag, and found a receipt for $3.36, including tax. It is worth every penny, in my opinion.
On those few occasions in the past when I have knit color work, I wove all the floats in, using the Philosopher’s Wool technique. This pattern specifies not weaving in the floats, twisting only on runs greater than 11 stitches. On the needle it looks all “loopy”, and makes me a bit twitchy. I find myself stretching out sections, to verify I am doing the right thing. (I know I am.)
The only problem with the Jacquard Sweater Vest is that I lost my place if I listened to my audio books. I have two books checked out that I had to wait in line for; listening must happen. Therefore, I cast on another sweater. (Hey, knitting logic works for me!)
When the Spring/summer 2009 edition of debbie bliss knitting magazine hit the book store I saw an add for Jennifer by designer Jenny Watson. It’s in the Araucania Collection, Book 1. Both DH and I loved the picture. I didn’t find it then, but never forgot that marvelous cabled sweater that played well with kettle-dyed yarn.
Then last week I was called to bring some keys to Baton Rouge for DH. As long as I was in town, I decided to drop by Knits by Nana. I was puttering around the book room/sale yarn room, when Missy asked if I needed help. Spotting that same debbie bliss magazine, I showed her the ad and asked if she carried that pattern. Why, yes she did. In fact, she was knitting that very sweater herself. It was fate…DH had caused me to drive to Baton Rouge, and he is, after all, my official Patron of the Knitting Arts. Show me the Araucania!
Here’s where it got complicated. The colorways Missy had were more variegated than tone-on-tone. There was a blue/green colorway I could have enjoyed, but Missy fessed up she had been knitting with that one. One sweater front came out green, one blue. Oopsie! I went hunting for yarn equivalents, and found Manos del Uruguay Wool Clasica in color 19, Dove. It is pale grey with green and blush overtones. Love! 
I have completed the back and begun the left front. This is one sweater that will look much better after blocking. I know other knitters will understand that this is its “ugly duckling” stage.
Yes, I can knit this and listen to my books. I have just finished Summer on Blossom Street, book 5 in the series by Debbie Macomber. It was the usual Blossom Street book delightful character development, good knitting.
Now I am listening to The Cemetery Yew, book 3 in the Martha’s Vineyard Series by Cynthia Riggs. I began this series when I discovered the eMedia service from my library this summer. The hardest part is when I have finished one, and must wait my turn for the following book. The Martha’s Vineyard Series is that perfect marriage of good writing and good narrator.
Pre-blocking it reminded me of a woven fabric I had seen at a woolen mill in Wales. 
“But Meowmy, you said it was a Meezer Ulmus!” So I did, Torrie.
Then the difficulty was finding a contrasting color to play second-fiddle. I finally settled on Indiecita, the color the designer used for background/lace in her example.
It looks much “bluer” in person.
As of last night, my Ulmus has 22 ever-increasing rows until I get to play with the lace section. I’m happy!
When the sock is long enough, I do a decrease round on the sole needle only, a plain round, and another sole decrease, and one more plain round before I begin my standard toe. The finished product looks like a proper sock, and fits so much better.
I asked the ticket takers “What’s the name of that tree?” They admired it with me, but didn’t know.
and said she didn’t know. le sigh! But, if we could come back before they closed at 5 pm, she would find someone who knew. Alas, it got busy, and we were a long walk away from the kiosk at 5 pm.
