Good Morning Everyone!
You'll be relieved to know that I completed the colorwork on my Avena sweater AND successfully divided the front and back, slipping the sleeves onto stitch holders, phew. The stitch count is correct and now I can just cruise around for 13" providing myself with hours of mindless knitting. I really thought that once I removed 106 sleeve stitches from the cable, the body would move a little easier, nope...this sweater is so heavy, it hangs like a lead balloon. The stitches need to be forced and pushed around the needles, it's a total workout and honestly just annoying. Aside from having to knit the entire body, there are sleeves, this is not going to be fun. What can I do to make the situation more tolerable? Order a new set of IC needles!! I've been wanting to try Chiagoo for awhile, I've only used the 9" circulars. I'd read an amazing article in Laine magazine (thanks, Wanda) about the owners of the company and the innovative design behind the flexible cable and the method of engineering for the tips, got me hook, line and sinker. They will be here this week, so for now, my Avena is waiting...
I'd been telling myself I couldn't cast on my Fleurine sweater until the color work was completed on my Avena. I wanted to be able to just pick up that sweater and knit without having to think about which row I was on. I get the pattern printed and notice that you knit the back first, hmmm interesting. I'd already wound up two bobbins in anticipation of diving into Intarsia and considered just knitting the front first, but decided to follow the directions. The first thing I notice is just how wonderfully my stitches slide across my needle, I LOVE REMIX LIGHT!!! This project is a complete 180 from my Avena in every way possible. There is nothing drapey or fluid about my Avena, it feels like I'm knitting a suit of armour. My Fleurine moves effortlessly, especially after I switched it from my Addi needles (which was the only #5 I could find) onto my Royales (which I pulled off of my Sipila), 3 sets of #5 isn't enough? Seriously?? First world problems I know...
So I'm knitting away on the back of this sweater, it's so pretty without any pops of color. I start thinking ahead to the front and embracing this technique called Intarsia (I've never been a fan of). I remembered I have a book called Building In Color, I grab it and begin reading the Intarsia section. It hits me right between the eyes, the whole point of Intarsia is to NOT carry the colors, you work EACH bobbin separately, oh @#$%&?!!!! This doesn't mean 2 bobbins, this means 7 FREAKING bobbins for 3 stupid colors, UGH!!!! All I can think about are the strings on a marionette, then I remember how much I loved the scene from the Sound Of Music with the marionettes. Why didn't we have a puppet theater in my house? What's wrong with my parents? Now I know why they innocently have you knit the back first, we'll see just how many flowers end up on the front of my sweater, stay tuned....I will be channeling The Lonely Goatherd as I make my way across each row, however, the yodeling may sound more like a primal scream.
My BIG BOX OF BERROCO YARN IS SHIPPING TODAY!!!!! I will let you know when it arrives, Carrie and I will be doing a video which you can see on Instagram and Facebook. If you haven't already liked my Facebook page(s) please do so and follow me on Instagram, both pages are listed under What A Yarn. We will be meeting tomorrow evening from 6-7:30 for Stitch and Bitch, I hope you can join in the fun! This Saturday is KAL from 9-11:00, my sweater will not be finished, oh well...Make it a great day and I'll see you soon!
Katy