Ok i am determined to knit a sweater for me… can you believe i have not done that? i have been knitting since 1998 (i restarted…i knit when i was in school). anyway, i have made oodles of presents and bags and shawls and lap rugs and… scarves, you name it – including sweaters for my nephews. but no sweater for me.

why?

i hate to admit this – i am scared that i wont like it or it wont fit or something. i am going to conquer this fear though – i am going to leap off that cliff – and be assured there is a net waiting for me.

so i thought of Alice Starmore's Maidenhair (i am very experienced with cables) but my original idea of using cotton fleece (Brown Sheep) was a no go – after three swatches down to size 2 needled, i said no way and then i dont think i will have enough yarn . and it probably would look better in a wool anyway.

its just that i work in IT at a law firm and my cubicle area is SO SO HOT all year round – like 80 degrees… so forget wearing wool sweaters except in the dead of winter. and i want to wear my sweater (especially my first). [well, actually its not … i knit a very complicated cable sweater in the 80s when i lived in Washington DC and loved it and wore it a lot – but has since gone to the knitting heaven]

anyway… so i decided on the Elann Lace and Cable Cardigan – you know the one that was one of the main photos for a while.. let me see if i can find it… here it is…

i bought this pattern awhile ago – even tho the photo sucks at showing the details, i really love lace and cables and thought it would be a fun summery cardigan

and so began the journey

i swatched on size 6 needles and then on size 5 needles (some of my new Addi Bamboo Circulars from Knit Happens) and gave up when i got the same gauge of 4/in when the pattern wants 5/in.  so i figured out my width and multiplied and voila the number of stitches i get is the M size exactly in the pattern.  So… off i go.  casting on 219 stitches.  in prosperous plum Cotton Fleece .  and i start the pattern – its 8 rows. four pattern and four purl on the alternate rows. 

so im going along fine – the first few rows are always a pain…so im on the cable row of the pattern and im on the subway with a friend and my stop comes and i put my needles and yarn in my bag and get off.  the next morning i take them out of the bag and about four inches of the stitches are off the needles — grrrrr.  so i tried to sort it out – but its too little of the pattern and too much pulled out

so

i take a trip to the frog pond and ….. then last night during one of the intermissions of the NYC Ballet – started all over again.  this time however, i am going to do the body in the round with steeks – no more purl rows of 219 stitches for me… ugh.

and if i buy my digital camera this weekend i will start posting progress photos. 

ps – i had started a MISSION FALLS cardigan several winters ago – i forget the name KITT i think? but its only one third of the way.  i will have to revisit it.