theknittyvritti

careful with that axe, eugene

(in case you don't know what I'm talking about.....go here)

I had a ninth grade art teacher who used to play Ummagumma for us and ask us to draw what we saw. She didn't play Eugene, thankfully, as even the lackadaisical parents of those days might have thought about protesting. I guess I'm thinking about this because next weekend I have an unofficial but very large junior high/high school reunion, and in a strange coincidence, since none of us are in touch any longer, all four of the people whose deskes were adjacent in Mrs. Pittle's art class will be there....and two of us are knitters.........

 
..... it could also be that my loose associations have taken me here via the Windowpane coat, which I have been thinking about in the context of Paul Bunyan. You get it- lumberjack>axe>eugene...... 

As for the sweater, I don't love it. I had the fantasy that maybe I would really want and need a very outdoorsy sweater, and this will be very nice to have upstate for a cool fall day, but it was more work and yarn money than I really want to expend or spend for a look that isn't my favorite.

Still, there are a few really nice details on this one.

A shapely neck enhanced by natural wood buttons from the fabulous M & J Trimmings. The buttons are most fitting for this ecologically correct (all yarn making powered by windmills) all-natural yarn, handspun and dyed with natural dyes.

And my favorite detail, the back vent.

I've not been able to resist working on my next sweater, which is more my style. Feminine, cashmere, and, um, purple. It's working up very quickly, so unless I get lost in lace, or find out that I'm knitting the wrong size, which happened just last month on this very sweater, I may have another for you soon. This is number ten for Nakniswemodo, by the way. I'm starting to think I'm a shoo-in for finishing.  

Yes, I did almost knit a doormat

I went to bed last night knowing, and not wanting to know, the truth. I've knit 20 inches of back....too small. Yes, I know that looks like a mighty large piece of knitting, but although it's almost the size of a friggin' doormat, it is still too small. Why didn't I read that line in the instructions that advised four inches of negative ease until last night. I dunno. But as I tried to wrap this thing around my backside, it became clear that it was, um, snug.

I like the yarn, I love the coat, and there's only one thing to do, of course. Re-knit. Twenty inches of muscular knitting, since this yarn is chewy and rough and seems like it's almost alive as I knit it.

Heave ho.