Learning

Today post is a bit of a basic update, I've finished Feathweight, made a little progress on the Gladys socks, and realised that overthinking is my weak point and at times creates more challenge than I need. Over thinking results in me abandoning projects all to soon. Having had what might amount to a knitting epiphany - I now conclude that a loose gauge might not be such a bad thing.

Feather weight is done, and blocked and worn and worn and worn. The light spot isn't a hole, just bright light I think, really I'm not sure, I didn't notice it until I posted the photo. We finally got a summer days that lasted more than an afternoon or a day - we had almost a week of the kind of weather that made us wonder if we should buy a fan just to keep cool. This has been perfect for those days over a sleeveless dress. I was cautious with the length, given the fine gauge I kept the sleeves just below the elbow so when writing or working I wouldn't wear them to shreds or felt them. I've also realised that long cardigans can be frumpy with shaped dresses, my current wardrobe is mostly dresses, so kept it short. I had 100 grams and was worried I would run short ... Ended up with 34 grams left. Oh well it could have been a little longer ... But now it's done I'm not going back - besides it grew three inches when blocking so perhaps it's best I kept it short.

What I love is the filmy see through nature of this, and it floats when I wear it - I love that and realize that firm gauges don't do that. Now I have a dilemma - as in the past I opted for firm gauges so my knitting had durability, kept it shape and held fast. That's all very well - and this won't wear as long as a cardigan knit with thicker yarn or on finer needles - but it will drape better. And I can knit another - besides it might surprise me with how long it lasts.

With that belated realization I rethought my approach to Slanted Sleeven. Late last year i swatched for Slanted Sleeven and decided I liked the swatch with a tighter gauge than the pattern called for, so I attoted to size up the pattern to suit a firmer gauge. Now this cardigan is constructed using a modified contiguous method - so I got lost in the sizing up, and the extra numbers of stitches and how they relatd to the increases and the unique shaping. I abandoned the project. Headed off to knit Featherweight. With Feather weight done and my new appreciation of the gauge in play ... I started sSanted Sleeven again. Three nights in and I'm already working the sleeve caps. This time around the shaping is making sense, and I'm loving the fabric. Way back in October 2013 - that wasn't how I felt.

And with being all excited with my slanted Sleeven redo .. The Gladys sock has't made much progress, but I do like the way this blue works with the gansey patterning.

Na Stella

 

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