Planning for Sweater Time

Clouds danced along the mountain peaks all day yesterday. They looked deceivingly cool, a reminder of what's to come.  The humidity was high (between 45 and 60%), the rain rare. We swelter...we are not acclimated to moist air, but the rain late in the day was cooling despite the humidity.

Unintentionally, the first half of 2007 was all about socks, so the second half will, intentionally, be all about sweaters.  The Phyllo Yoked Sweater is speeding along happily. Not much can go wrong with stockinette stitch, except perhaps ennui, and there is no ennui to be seen.  The back and fronts are finished and one sleeve is growing rapidly. Once the pieces are finished the fancy, smancy yoke knitting will commence.  Calmer, in an aptly named color called Refresh, is a very nice yarn and so we all spend as much time together as we can….happy together, that's us.

There is another sweater in the queue that has been swatched and is waiting for its turn 'in hand'.  After searching for the perfect pattern for the Magenta Plain and Fancy Wool, which I fell in love with all over again while swatching, I have finally decided on the Kelly Cardigan  (the link is Kris' rendition…just beautiful!) from Classic Knits by Erika Knight.  Ravelry played a very big role in my search for the right project.  It offers enough info from the pattern source, AND actual knitters and I've found it very valuable in my decision making. The info page on Kelly gave me gauge, needle size and yarn requirements, which matched my swatch perfectly. Despite the yarn differences (the pattern calls for Kid Silk Haze), I do think the pattern suits this unique yarn.  It is hard to put off  knitting Kelly (I HAD to start..isn't it pretty already?), but I’m going to stick with Phyllo until she’s finished...I’m just as excited about her and it shouldn't be too long before she's complete.  (If you're waiting for a Ravelry invite you might consider taking pictures of your finished knits, WIPs, and stash...get them set up in a Flickr account and once you're on Ravelry you'll find it easy going to set up your profile.)

Lace is also trying to wile its way into my knitting queue. I'm doing my best to hold off for now, but the Nightshade singles are singing a siren song.  Forest Canopy seems to be a good choice for the yardage and would be easy enough to do.  The Japanese Feather Stole (check Anne's catalog) is also in the near future for my handspun Oberon and, believe it or not, I might even "Free" Jóhö  in the next little while.  Oh dear, I think the "delusions of grandeur" are returning!

Comments

[Carole]

Humidity is fun, isn't it? ;-)

[minnie]

we've been "swimming" in humidity for days, sigh. i want it to rain!

[Zarah]

50% humidity? I think you'll live! =) I can't wait to see how the Kelly cardi turns out in such a different yarn. The color you've chosen is beautiful.

[Kim]

Mmmm....you have lots of good things to look forward to! I love Anne's Japanese Feather Stole :-)

[Cara]

Yesterday I barely knit three rows. I'm jealous of all your projects. My eyes are DEFINITELY bigger than my plate these days.

[Stacey]

With your skills and experience, the Forest Canopy is going to fly off the needles. It was my first real lace project and I thought it was easy. I keep pushing people who are afraid of lace to try out that shawl. You'll have time for Joho :)

[Donna]

Ravelry is really hard on my startitis, too! All your projects look good, but it's easy to think about sweaters here right now in the middle of winter! :)

[Renee]

Great advice for folks who are waiting to get onto Ravelry! I just used it to look up a yarn that is on sale and see what other folks are knitting with it. What a fantastic tool!

[susan]

That yarn is perfect for Forest Canopy. You should have it finished in no time.

[Angie]

I love to see all your projects...so inpiring! Good suggestion about setting up things for Ravelry! I better get started on that - there are only about 1700 knitters between me and my invite! :-)

[Cabled Sheep]

I'm looking forward to seeing how Phyllo turns out - it's a very nice looking pattern.

[Birdsong]

Some yummy things waiting in the queue! I do understand about the humidity, living where summers have humidity in the single digits normally; takes a bit to cope with, doesn't it? The clouds hovering on the mountains sure look enticing.

[Wool Winder]

If ennui (new word for me) sets in, you have some other great projects to work on. Have fun.

[Marcia Cooke]

Heh, note how much sympathy you are getting from those of us who know what "real" humidity is like! And, not only have you rubbed that Ravelry thing in my face again, now there's another book I have to buy. Gee, thanks. ( Kidding....that sweater is wonderful and it looks like a great book to add to the Library.) Did you spin the singles? Very pretty yarn...it'll make a great shawl!

[Kirsten]

Lovely sweater choices. The Phyllo Yoked sweater never appealed to me in the book, but now seeing other versions, I love it. I can't wait to see yours.

[Lolly]

Wow, the Phyllo will be amazing in that blue. I have some pink set aside for it... maybe next summer. I have my hands full now :)

[Carol]

Very nice! I love that shade of blue. Ravelry is just a great tool for us! I'm still getting used to it and waiting for the big layoff at work so I have time to invest in setting it all up! Can't wait...

[Chris]

That Magenta Plain & Fancy Wool is going to look great! You haven't given up on socks totally, have you???

[Margaret]

I guess swelter weather is sweater weather too. The Calmer seems much calmer with its new sweater, and the Kelly looks like a great wear-it-all-the time classic. I'm going over to Ravelry to check it out now!

[christine]

Damn, now I remember why I don't get any work done once I open Bloglines. I had to click on each and every one of your links, then I had to buy a new lace shawl pattern, and read through the PDF, and............

well, you get the point.
Your list of projects is awesome!

[knitnana]

I don't feel so bad anymore....I'm NOT alone in this starting another project with so many OTN...and yes, it's Ravelry for sure!
(((hugs)))

[Dianne]

As Always..delightful!! Great patterns and perfect yarn selection..I always feel inspired when I leave your blog~

[Dave Daniels]

It's funny to hear someone say that about the humidity. That's what summer in New England is all about, the humidity. Great cloud photo, too.

[Tan]

It dropped ten degrees in about five minutes at my daughter's late yesterday afternoon. I went home and we had some rain but I think they got hail near her house.

[Tonia]

Oooo look at that shawl. That is going to be so pretty.

I can't even think about sweaters right now. It is still too hot for me. ;)

[elizabeth]

The Kelly cardigan will be lovely! Ravelry is killing me - so many wonderful FOs that my head is swimming, I don't like anything I'm currently working on, all I want to do is cast on for something new each day!

[Cookie]

Love that blue!

What's wrong with socks all the time? :p

[Kelly]

Your sweater looks great so far. The Cardigan is going to be gorgeous and I love the name lol!

Great shawl choices can't wait to see them knitted up!

[Rachel]

This humidity in the desert is a real killer. Your sweater choices are superb, I lam waiting patiently for you to get to the yoke and I really love your yarn choice for Kelly I think she is going to look beautiful in this yarn.

[Suzanne]

The Forest Canopy will be gorgeous in that yarn. I have one blocking now and it was a fun knit. Kept me sane while fighting with lace weight and MS3.

We (CT) are getting the humidy now. Yech. I hope it ends soon.

[KarenJoSeattle]

We've also gotten much more warm humid weather and more rainy weather than usual this year. Despite its reputation, Seattle is usually pleasantly non-humid ir rainy in mid-summer. It takes some getting used to, doesn't it?

I've lined up a cardigan in Mountain Colors for my next queue item. I still have lots of socks and lots of yarns for the scarf pattern I'm developing that I want/need to knit. I hope I get the sweater done by Fall. At least I can watch yours grow.

Maybe by Fall I'll also move 11,000 places up the list and be in Ravelry.

[Norma]

Wow, that is some humidity for you! We, of course, are used to it -- ick.

[Jennifer]

Ravelry is so helpful with pairing yarn and pattern, no? The wonderful thing is it's only going to get to be a better tool with more people using it and sharing.

[Madame Purl]

Those singles are a siren song for sure.

[Debi]

That Magenta yarn is lovely and will make a beautiful cardi.

[Debi]

BTW 45 - 60% humidity? HA!! Weenie! :)

[anne]

i need to take some time to make a few sweaters (but when?!) i have several that are threadbare and need replacing . . but there is just so much lace to do!

[Beth S.]

You sure knit a lot of sweater while we weren't looking. ;-)