celestial sweater

I feel like I have not been home.  Because I have not.  My Dad's surgeries are done but he is healing slowly.  I spent an extra week with him.  When I am there, I walk when I can but he needed someone just to be there.  I did run an errand for my Beloved's business, went to a museum exhibit, and looked for yarn.

I was running out of yarn to work with because I finished this sweater while I was there.  It is a Lion's Brand kit for the celestial sweater.  Arcylic yarn which I usually do not work in.  It was very splitty and I cannot compost it.  But this is a great sweater to travel in.  I flew in it home and was warm.  I also had silk on underneath it.

I will say I do not read crochet patterns well.  I do not think I pay attention enough.  But then I really do not follow patterns when I sew anymore.  I use the pattern shapes but do not read the process.  So this is the celestial pattern but it is not at the same time.  I used a different size hook.  I made up the counts.  It did make me realize I need to take out another sweater I am working on and make the arm holes smaller.  That sweater will then fit better and be more the length I want.  

I am at the point of leaving yarn at my Dad's.  I will put a lace weight shawl in my bag but I will always have a project there.  I took the extra yarn and started to play with granny squares.  I am going to make those into lined bags and put them on my Etsy site just for fun.  It has been awhile since I have done that.

I actually washed a bit of fleece today.  I want to make more ribbon.  I am coaching a friend once a week.  I just want to be home more.  Maybe soon.

laughing at myself

While I was supervising on the mountain, I was working on the sweater I had started this summer.  One of three actually but the one that was closest to being finished.  I missed judged how large the arm holes needed to be.

Because I worked this top down.  Because I always want the sleeves completely finished because I have had problems in the past.  I had not really checked the fit for the armhole until the very end.  I was getting ready to put on the bottom binding.  I tried that sweater on and laughed!  So hard!  Way too much underarm!

So pulled out the sweater.  Until what is pictured was left.  The crazy thing was that I had many of the correct measurements written down.  I would not have had to do this if I just followed my own notes!  I am back to having one sleeve finished and the arm hole seems to be a much better fit.  But I will not know for sure until I have the other sleeve finished and more of the body done.  Slowly.

I have been adjusting to being back.  Lots of curves in this road this week but I have a feeling it will be okay in the end.  Deep breaths and being patient are what it is going to take.

slow going

One more sleeve and the bottom ribbing and then this sweater will be done.  I am so excited but life has thrown those wonderful twists and turns that are making this project slower then I might wish.  I am hoping to have it done before I go north but that may not happen. Though, even in August I may not need it.  I know better then not to take a sweater though.  If I do not take a sweater, I usually come home with a new sweater!

I am hoping there might be a small bit of this yarn left when I am done.  I will added it to  my poncho if there is.  I keep thinking I would like that poncho to just be a small bit larger.  Not large enough to get in the way of my kneading bread dough but maybe long enough to cover more of my arm.  I figure a hodge podge poncho is just right.  And if I decide to go ahead and plant dye some of the wool I am spinning with red cabbage, I can dye the whole thing to give it the same tone throughout.

I am working on more shelves for the display room.  It should have gone faster then it has but life.  Twists.  Turns.  And Koda Bear has been helping me.  That just means it takes longer because we talk through the why I do something and how we are doing it.  I should really go work on them when I get off the computer but I may take a nap.  I strained some muscles and there is more pain then I would like.  Sometimes it is better to fall then not fall.

Maybe something will be done by Saturday?  Just a slow week with eating the same things.  Lots of fish and veg with bread.  I have not tweaked my bread except I keep using up all the leftover oatmeal from breakfasts.  It is what I do to make my porridge bread.  I might make a few more cinnamon rolls too.

a gift of yarn

My best friend and I are both pretty well addicted to yarn.  We both crochet.  She has been working on a blanket for a certain someone for years.  Her crocheting has gotten better.  She decided to change the yarns and pattern.  Someday he will get it. 

But she also buys yarn.  Bits that appeal to her.  She bought the yarn in the sweater above.  Not sure what she was going to do with it.  It spoke to me.  She tracked down a couple more skeins and sent it to me.  I am making a sweater.  A boxy (on purpose) sweater to be worn with skirts and jeans.  Or over dresses.

I have other yarn that is supposed to become sweaters.  I have other sweaters in process.  But I looked at this yarn for a couple weeks and then just had to.  It is coming together quite well.

I am making it top down and writing down measurements so I can repeat the process.  I find I like a lot of the same shapes over time.  Most of my clothes are similar shapes.  Very classic.  I look at my sweaters, they had stayed over time.  I am not very trendy.  The most I can do is try not to wear black all the time.

I am excited to see how this sweater turns out.  The angle of the sunlight during the day is starting to change.  It gives me hope that it will not be 90 plus degrees for months on end!  Sweater weather should arrive in November or December.  Oh well.

changing my mind

I know months ago, maybe even a couple years ago at this point, I had crocheted myself a cream cardigan.  I like it.  Kind of.  It does not really fit correctly and I really need something less structured.  And I truly wanted something more lacy.  That is what I get for trying to reconstruct a thirty year old memory.

I had a couple skeins of that same yarn left, so I decided to start another cardigan in a different pattern.  Pretty but based off a granny square.  When I really wanted lacy.  It was not holding my interest as I was making it.  I think the directions were hard for me to get my head around, plus the granny square pattern. versus lace.  

I pulled out that start.  I still love the yarn but I really want lacy.  Since I have been playing with motifs, I decided why not.  The fabric of the motif is soft.  It will be lacy.  I can make the sweater more unstructured. 

It also travels better with me in this shape.  The boyos have plans for me which will require more portable projects.  After I do all the carpentry they are plotting.  The display room.  The truck cabin for sharpening.  Remodeling the kitchen.  The dining room shelves.  The.....  I was purchased tools.  The funny thing is a lot of times I do not have the physical strength in the upper body that they have but I get the projects done.

Saying that, I really need to finish my yarn box.  Blue's cradle got in the way.  Then Blue arrived.  Building a sweater this way also gives me chance to have quiet.  Meditate.  Quiet is very hard to come by.  Space is hard to come by.

Maybe I will have pictures of the finished yarn box soon as well as a sweater!  I have a dress to lay out as well.  Fabric on the way for fancy dress.  Life is always busy.