Wednesday, October 08, 2014

what's going on: to sweater or not to sweater?

AKA WIP Wednesday
 
Until a couple of days ago, I was in the Just Say No to The Rhinebeck Sweater camp.  a) I have enough projects going on and b) my life is full of deadlines, especially work deadlines, I don't need any "fun" deadlines thankyouverymuch and c) I might be the teensiest bit contrarian.
I could just finish this Monster Cowl, to wear to the fair. The yarn was my Rhinebeck purchase last year.  It  just needs a few more inches and a kitchener. 
I've just finished knitting and blocking my swap sweater, it requires merely a fitting,  buttons, and end weaving. Not to mention a good photo, ahem.  I like to have a sweater going on.  I started thinking it might actually be...gulp...fun to to power through a sweater by mid October.
And there's my  precious Starcroft Nash Island Light yarn.  I am  teetering on the edge of never finding a pattern good enough for it.  That's crazy time. Yarn you like so much you won't let yourself enjoy knitting it? ummm, should not go there. Time to cut bait or fish (or as my mother colorfully puts it in  yiddish: Tuchas Offen Tish! Get Your Ass Off the Table). Aside: aren't there any colorful sayings about making a leap that are knitting metaphors? Why always fishing and sports?
  I came across Audrey Cardigan (the sweater formerly known as SeaSmoke).  While a broad band of color on my widest body part isn't exctly advisable, the design lends itself to other colorblocking and striped sleeves so....

Back to the top photo:  I'm all wound and ready to go. It may not be a Rhinebeck* sweater. Or it might. But it's underway.
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*Rhinebeck is knitter's shorthand for the New York Sheep & Wool Festival. Which takes place in the town of Rhinebeck NY, and sounds like a folksy small timey thing, but attracts tens of thousands of visitors for the weekend. It's the Woolly DisneyWorld . An dthe sheep are real, not animatronics. You should come.

11 comments:

  1. Love the cowl! And the sweater pattern. Hope to run into you at Rhinebeck! I'm going but only wearing hand knit accessories, no sweater. Unless. . . .

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  2. "Piss or get off the pot" in my family. It is going to be too hot to wear a sweater at Rhinebeck, I hear. No idea really. Did you know that mid-October is next week you crazy woman? COWL!

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  3. Start the sweater and go at a pace you love. If it happens, great. If not, you found the impetus to start it!

    "quick quick like a bunny" in my family. But C thought we were saying "lick".

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  4. there is something rather liberating about finishing up some yarn you bought LAST year......of course, you will HAVE to replenish the hole in the stash....I vote for the monster cowl (which I love...great colors) and which will keep the morning chill away, but still be OK by mid-afternoon when all your sweater-wearing friends are sweating like crazy!

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  5. I have similar troubles with some yarns. Some skeins seem to be stubbornly wonderful. So stubborn they want to remain wonderful skeins.

    Little buns of scrumptious yarn begin to look like overly loved velveteen rabbits...then you just maybe take a layer off and they're good as new, especially if you can keep the ball band attached... They have their own purpose, I suppose: still life inspiration.

    Oh, scrap that. CAST ON and you'll have something to work on AT Rhinebeck!

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  6. well being a contrarian myself by actually wearing artificial fleece or an old sweater to rhinebeck depending on the weather,I say finish the cowl and call it a day.

    i hope i get to see you!

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  7. What have you got to loose for trying?! I hope you're far enough along you have half a chance, but it is the whole "idea" of the thing that makes it fun to try.

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  8. follow the whim.

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  9. finish the cowl, and the sweater that is nearly, but not 100% done. wear those. then spend a little more time perusing sweater patterns for your Starcroft, and cast on after Rhinebeck! that's my advice. from someone who is hoping to finish the Rhinebeck sweater started 2 (3?) years ago that i tried to finish last year and didn't...

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  10. I am loving all the encouragement and loving knitting this but you won't hear me stressing about finishing it. So thanks to all you cheering me on!
    (and to my contrarian friend Maryse..fleece!! gasp)

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  11. I completely understand the fleece comment - I've been there more often than not. The pattern is perfect for the yarn, the time to knit it is when you want to.

    And we aren't "quick quick like a bunny" in my family, we are "off like a herd of turtles".

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