Meet Aralia
Well, I did cast-on the gorgeous red Cascade Eco+ yarn (8511 Valentine for anyone wondering) over the weekend (Saturday night to be specific). But, I ended up deciding to break out on my own. It is going to be a combo pattern for either a vest or a sweater (I’m knitting the sweater version right now) and the neck line will be either a scoop or a cowl (I’m opting for cowl on this one).
I can’t believe how quickly 4 sts/in knits up! I’m at 9.5″ in length already! I did have a three movie day yesterday to aid in my progress - 12 Men of Christmas with Kristin Chenoweth (cute and fun holiday made-for-TV fluff), The Muppet Christmas Carol;
and Julie & Julia
. It does have me believing with a DVR full of holiday fluff movies I may have a second annual Christmas sweater (which means 3 handknit sweaters to take home to MN and show off to Grandma at the end of the month)!
This morning I popped it onto my duct tape dressform, Kurki, to check the fit. All looks good. Although I had thought that for a sweater that hits at the high hip on short waisted me that I was up to putting in the short rows. Bust short rows should occur in the realm of 1/2-1 inch below the armholes. It became clear on Kurki that I need at least another inch (probably more like 1.5) in length first.
This is the first that I’ve knit a sweater with Kurki to aid me. Wow, what a difference it makes to be able to put it on and walk all around it and view it from any angle! Trying on as I went with the top down things I’ve knit previously was a challenge for me because we do not have a full-length mirror in the house (and no place for one really either). The mirrors in our bathrooms are odd mid-70’s things with a small 6″ tall mirrored medicine cabinet in the lower part that hits me just wrong so I can never really tell how things fit unless I pull out the step stool and even then a part of me is cut off. I am now more than sold on the 2.5 hours spent making Kurki! It was totally worth it!
