It was Sunday night.. the shop closed at 4:00, I bailed on dinner plans, John was in RDU, there was nothing good on TV (unless you like Football) and I could stay up as late as I wanted.
I was a knitting machine and I had my little Barn Wood Yarn Buddy keeping me company.
I keep my current UFOs (UnFinished Objects) in a laundry basket in a prominent place in my living room. It is full of possibility and good intention but it sits there taunting me. Last night, I figured that I'd visit the "UFO Mothership" and line up the UFO's that needed really some attention and just plunge in.
I started with the first Christmas Stocking of Christmas Stocking Season. I had started it a few weeks ago and tried to knit the heel in traditional sock fashion instead of following the pattern. I ripped out the heel and knit it flat as directed. An hour later, Viola--I was binding off the toe! That was easy.
Next up was a sweater called Aidez that I started knitting at the shop earlier in the day. The sweater is a slightly fitted cardigan that is cozy, cabled and knit in Chunky Yarn AND a possible KAL. I was researching a Cabled Pullover in Chunky weight yarn for a customer when I stumbled across this pattern--it's nothing like what I was looking for but it is the perfect cozy, comfy, weekend, throw-on cardigan that I could wear as a jacket since I don't like coats. More importantly, it has all of the makings for a good KAL- multiple sizing, plenty of yarn options, engaging and slightly challenging.
I started knitting the swatch (which was also the Left Front Panel if all was on track) at the shop and I had finished the 3" of ribbing ready to start the Aran patterning. Let the fun begin!
I did three pattern repeats and decided to measure my swatch. When I looked at the sweater schematic, the measurements for my size said 9" across the bottom. My "swatch" read 7" unstretched. Better do a little mini blocking to get a better measurement. I drench the bottom of my "swatch-igan" into a little Soak solution and do a little wet blocking. I pin my knitting to a blocking board and hope for the best.
While "Swatch-igan" is drying, I went back to Christmas Stocking #1. I have a hot mess of hundreds of yarn ends and seaming to do. Since I taught "Seams Like Fun" the day before, I tackle the seaming first. Perfection on the first stab--I taught myself well. Since I'm on a roll, I knock out the weaving in of yarn ends in record time. It's not a FO yet, but I've made some serious progress.
It was time for some Junko indulgence knitting. I started a Purl Bee Sweater Shawl last week after seeing our friend Mary's. Not a sweater and not a shawl, this Half Sweater has fake sleeves, a back and the most fabulous collar to keep you toasty warm without the bulk of a full sweater. This is the garment I want to wear over my pajamas when I have a knitting night.
You start with the back panel and 4" of ribbing. Next comes 10" of an easy brioche pattern. The brioche pattern is an easily memorized 4 row repeat, but it's slow going. I got 3" knit when the redundancy started to get to me. Back to the "UFO Mothership".
Next up, this week's Scarf-A-Long sample. Of course, this is the UFO with the most pressing deadline--Wednesday night. Elizabeth started the project last week after I frogged Plan A. Plan A was an "A-Long" of my own design that spiraled and curved---it looked much better in my head. I'm not going to blab the details of this week's project, but its easy, beautiful in it's simplicity and yarn choice and quick to knit. I knit until I got sleepy.
Wow, I knit from head to toe last night and really enjoyed my visit to the UFO Mothership!
Signing off to get back to knitting.
Feel free to e-mail me at the UFOMothership, ufojunko@gmail.com.
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