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09.16.2006 :: She knits
Sometimes it is clear to me that the day that I started blogging was a good day indeed. How else would I have met such a wonderful, supportive, caring, cheering-on kind of crowd?
A heartfelt thank you to each and every one of you for holding me up. I know that the diagnosis is not an easy one and some days are more of a struggle than others, but I am worth it. And I have all of you to push me in the right direction.
Thank you for being you.
~~~
What's the name of this blog? Sandy's Whining? NO! Sandy's KNITTING. So, without any further ado, I present....KNITTING.
First up: Mittens. What else would the hostess of the Warm Hands knitalong be knitting, really?
Okay. Truthfully, that picture is put there just to get a sky shot in.
These are the Aran Island Mittens from the book, Folk Mittens by Marcia Lewandowski. I have a love/hate relationship with these mittens unfortunately. I especially love this side of the mitten. The cables, the bobbles and moss stitch. Intense love. The cuff? I could marry it!
But.
The palm side of the mitten is pure hatred. See the line going down the middle and a line of stitches heading upward from the right? Yes. There is supposed to be a matching line on the left. Missing. You want to know where it is? On the inside of the mitten. Apparently I had a bit of trouble mastering the Purl through the back loop stich PTBL. My nemesis. No lines where lines should be. I could overlook that. I'm good at overlooking. But you know what bothers me more than anything? All that reverse stockinette stitch. I tried not to pre-judge it, thinking that the overall look of the mitten would make it worth it. No. It's not worth it. I hate it.
Hate IS a strong word. I hate it. Say goodbye to the Aran Island mittens. Perhaps someday I will take that cuff and front pattern and create a backing for it. Not now, though. I have bigger mittens to fry!
More?
One sleeve is almost done on the Knitting Pure and Simple V neck cardigan. The yarn is Vermont Mountain Spinnery, mountain mohair in the colorway Moss. I love everything about this sweater. The pattern is wonderful. The yarn is heavenly. I had a dream that this would be the sweater I would wear to RHINEBECK! (aside: who's going?) but I don't think it will happen. It doesn't fit quite right. Yet. heh. The new and improved future me will have a kick ass sweater waiting in the wings. Which is a good goal, don't you agree?
Well, what am I doing going on and on here for when I have a house to clean. It's not going to clean itself. Believe me! I've waited!
Posted by Sandy on 09.16.2006 AT 09:31 AM
Comments
Rats! I'm so sorry about the mitten. I love that pattern and have been meaning to give it a try myself. (Really, that whole book is wonderful.)
I'm trying to finish a KP&S cardi for Rhinebeck, too! We can both do it, buttons and all. :-)
Posted by: Beth S. on 09.18.2006 AT 09:05 PM
Hmmm . . . Mountain Mohair. The LA Times travel section had a piece on Vermont this weekend, and I got all wistful about fall in New England. Your sweater is NOT helping. But it does look lovely.
Posted by: Theresa on 09.18.2006 AT 01:20 PM
Bummer about the mittens, though better to throw in the towel now than half way through the second one, knowing you'll never finish... Like me and my 6-hour sweater that I started 20 years ago, and only just this summer started turning into a lap blanket intead. LOL
Your sweater is beautiful so far. I love, love, love that color.
Hm. Maybe that's why my house is such a mess. It's out-waiting me. LOL
Posted by: Laura on 09.18.2006 AT 11:57 AM
I like the cuff of the mitten too. Although I do agree about the palm.
The sweater is looking good.
I hate it when houses refuse to cleam themselves. Maybe someday I'll win the lotto and hire a crew to do all the cleaning for me.
Posted by: Dorothy B on 09.18.2006 AT 10:11 AM
What a mitten!!! Love the pattern!! I also love the color of the sweater!!
Posted by: crazy for yarn in alabama: Darlene on 09.18.2006 AT 09:20 AM
OK, I read Norma's comment on the way and now I want to know WHO KNIT THE MITTEN?
Aside from that, I can't wait to meet you a Rhinebeck! Can.not.wait.
Posted by: Vicki on 09.18.2006 AT 08:16 AM
That cuff is gorgeous... That mitten was on my list to knit. I agree with Carole about usung plain stockinette for the rest of it.
Posted by: Maureen on 09.17.2006 AT 03:07 PM
Not sure if I can make Rhinebeck, but if you visit me at the Boston Knit-out, I would be happy to show you the PTB. I'll be the one at the Bloggers Table grinning from ear to ear...
=:8
Posted by: Kimberly on 09.17.2006 AT 02:23 PM
Really looking forward to meeting you at Rhinebeck, and GO YOU!!! with rocking the changes. It's not easy, I know, but it gets a wee bit easier once you start to see results. Nobody can believe I once weighed 40 pounds more than I do now, but it's true. Course, divorcing my ex helped with the not feeling like eating thing...I don't recommend that particular diet ;-)
Posted by: Lee Ann on 09.17.2006 AT 09:26 AM
All I have to say is that I'm sooo glad I 'met' you and I'm here for you!! As best I can, you know.
Oh and sign me up for the mittensalong. I adore mittens almost more than socks, and before I went back to work I was planning on some kind of mittenalong this winter but time does not allow it, so I'll be joining yours. Gladly. I have to check out that pattern of yours. I have so many mitten books-oh where do I start?
Posted by: Kimberly on 09.17.2006 AT 04:37 AM
Sandy, my husband has a different medical problem requiring him to severely limit his sugar intake. He is wild about Splenda - cooks up just like sugar and available more reasonably at places like Costco. Great for an occasional treat.
Li
Posted by: Li_B on 09.16.2006 AT 10:04 PM
Hey Sandy, I am casting on soon for a sweater that will fit the NEW me too!! Let's support each other's new sweater size goal :-).
Love that Green Color!
Posted by: Kim on 09.16.2006 AT 08:19 PM
Love the mitten cuff. Totally understand your strong dislike of the palm. (The H word that indicates strong dislike is banned in my house ;)
Love the mohair, and the sky. The good stuff makes up for the bad, though, doesn't it?
Posted by: Donna on 09.16.2006 AT 08:00 PM
What beautiful green! Sorry about the mitten. That is a pretty cool cuff!
I'm counting the days to Rhinebeck!
Posted by: Kelly on 09.16.2006 AT 05:51 PM
I'm really diggin' those cabled mittens, But I'll learn from your frustration and admire from afar.
Posted by: Dave Daniels on 09.16.2006 AT 05:36 PM
Ohhh.... Sandy, I've got the same book and I've been lusting after those mittens. But do I need them in Southern California? Your KAL is just tempting me!
Have fun at Rhinebeck!
Posted by: MJ on 09.16.2006 AT 04:44 PM
I am gearing up for mittens, and was thinking about the Aran Island mittens, but now, mmmm...maybe not!
I will be at Rhinebeck!
Posted by: meg on 09.16.2006 AT 03:35 PM
Well, those are certainly good-looking mittens. I think I am giving up on my Norwegian ones in favor of the Mission Falls striped ones with embroidery and shisha mirrors! Now where did I put that yarn?
Posted by: Paula on 09.16.2006 AT 02:45 PM
Yay for goals for the new and improved future you! Damn that aran mitten. What is wrong with that pattern? It kicked my butt, too. Crap. At least one person (and only one) that I could find on the internet made it, but it didn't look much like the one in the Folk Mittens book. And that person is one kickass knitter -- you should just SEE her gallery of finished items. So I'm voting for the answer that it's NOT OUR PROBLEM. :)
Posted by: Norma on 09.16.2006 AT 01:27 PM
I'm with you on the cuff.
Know what's sad? I saw your sleeve and thought it was the world's biggest mitten. *hangs head in shame* Btw, it's your fault I've got mittens on the brain. :p Frogged back the ones I started. Wrong yarn. Hate that.
Oh, and I've very proud of you for seeing that you are worth it. It's so hard for us girlies to always see that fact. *hugs*
Posted by: Cookie on 09.16.2006 AT 12:34 PM
Love Green Mountain Spinnery Mountain Mohair! I made a sweater for a friend out of it last winter, and it was wonderful to knit with. Though I like the color you chose even better. Great stuff. Nice business too (though I'm biased - I grew up in the same town and know 2 out of the 3 owners).
Posted by: no-blog-rachel on 09.16.2006 AT 12:26 PM
Couldn't you just knit the mitten with a plain old stockinette palm?
See you at Rhinebeck. If I can wait that long.
Posted by: Carole on 09.16.2006 AT 11:25 AM
Blue sky! Beautiful mitten! Beautiful cardi, too! You and Norma will be the green grrls at Rhinebeck and I'll be there with you!!
Posted by: margene on 09.16.2006 AT 10:50 AM
oooo i love the color you picked for the sweater. and yes i will see you at rhinebeck.
Posted by: carolyn on 09.19.2006 AT 12:13 PM