Aspirational

This is the sweater that inspired me to become a better knitter. We all have those, right? The aspirational garments? For me, as soon as the Phildar Irlandais magazine arrived in early 2005, I wanted to make nearly everything in it. But I was still somewhat of a rookie knitter, and while I know that there are some people who can dive right in to something above them, I knew it would just frustrate me.

Still, every now and again, I would pull out that magazine and just stare. Enchanted by the cables, I would try to make sense of the charts; my mind slowly warmed up to the idea of cables. I cabled scarves and socks and hats, but never more than simple twists. Until now, when I decided it was time.

Phildar Cabled Crew
Pattern: Sweater #3 from Phildar Irlandais #397 (Winter 03/04), 4th size. [Also the cover pattern on Phildar #802, Best of Irlandais, which reprints many of the gems from #397]
Yarn: Shelridge Farms Soft Touch DKW, 100% wool, colorway Pussywillow, 6 skeins of 250m
Gauge: 28 stitches x 31 rows = 10 cm over cable pattern
Needles: US5 and US6. I used US5 Addi Turbo and US6 Lantern Moon until I snapped one (my fault). I finished the back on US6 Addi Turbos.
Modifications: NONE.
Comments: Love the yarn, love the sweater, love the fit. Love that I finished in time to give it a debut at Rhinebeck. Love that every now and then, something works exactly how it's supposed to.
Special thanks to:
* Chez Plum's Knitting from the French guide, which told me everything I needed to know. One way I knew I was ready to knit this sweater? I was ready to tackle translating it from the French. Oooh la la, baby!
* KnitPicks magnetic chart keeper. That thing was a total lifesaver.
* Everyone who left comments while it was a work in progress. It would have been so easy to just drown in the cables, but the encouragement kept me persevering.

I love the way the cables travel to and fro, pretzeling around themselves and keeping everything snug and orderly. By the time I got to the back, I could do everything without looking at the chart except that main cable. For that one, every row got a second glance. It was worth it - I meticulously checked after every few rows, and I don't think I've miscrossed any cables. That main cable also graces the sleeves.

The yarn was really pleasant to knit with. I was unfamiliar with Shelridge Farms before this year's Md. Sheep and Wool, where I stumbled upon their booth and realized that the DKW would be a good choice for a number of sweaters in my queue. A DK weight, the yardage is incredible - 250 meters per 100 grams, which runs $12 per skein. (Plus an amazing color selection.) The 100% wool yarn feels similar to merino when knitting, and softens up noticeably after a dunk in some Eucalan, developing a lovely drape. The color was consistent among skeins for me (I know others have mentioned a difference when going from skein to skein, but I lucked out), but it does have slight spots where it's lighter or darker, giving the garment a nice depth. A bonus: I found no knots in the 6 skeins I used. A double bonus: Buffy at Shelridge said that I could bring back my unused skein at Maryland next year and exchange it for something else. Nice!

Aspiration: Achieved. What a great feeling.

Why yes, this IS similar to my high school senior picture -- why do you ask?

***

Now, I have to turn my knitting mojo to a different sort: a sweater for Mr. Fidget, in stockinette of all things. But lest you think I've sworn off all cables -- surely you know me better than that? I present the beginnings of a Chalet Sock--in the Shelridge Fingering weight--which has captured my sock attention for the time being.

Like Las Vegas For Knitters

Sensory overload. That's the only way I can think to describe Rhinebeck. It was so fantastic! So many great people, great things to see and touch, yummy food.... it really was delightfully overstimulating - like Vegas, but for knitters. I seriously fell asleep within 30 minutes of getting home from sheer exhaustion, and on Monday, felt a little bit hungover. It's taken me until today to get my heart rate back to normal, and to start to think about knitting something more than a plain ribbed sock.

So, the pictures... I didn't take as many as I'd hoped to. Partly because there was So! Much! To! See! and partly because I was always so laden down that it was kind of a hassle to pull out the camera. Maybe next year I'll stick to cameraphone pics. More portable.

Not Rhinebeck - but we stopped on the way up at my extended family's Farm Stand where I worked one summer as a teenager. I hadn't been back in about 15 years. They'd remodeled a bit, but the apples (and homemade donuts!) were still delicious.

Arriving at the Fairgrounds. Note the glorious fall foliage. We definitely peeped the leaves.

Elspeth hugged a sheep.

Glorious yarn. I'm not sure which vendor this was, but I loved the yarn in the sunshine.

More yarn, from Maple Creek Farm.

More yarn outside another barn. Something about yarn in sunshine just delights me.

Sunday morning: Elspeth, Nickie, Sara and Sarah.

Stephanie, who is no longer a fiber festival virgin. You could say she had a good time.

My haul. I was really restrained. At the top, some Wild Apple tweed to make the Jo Sharp Bridget cardigan. Middle: 1100 yards of sock yarn from Sliver Moon. Bottom row, from left: Shelridge Farm Ultra sock yarn in nutmeg and straw, Valcaspar sock yarn and Aussi Sock.

Not shown: my SWIFT! Which I love and have already put to good use. Also not shown: The beginnings of a button stash. All told, it was a really delightful weekend. I met a ton of people I'd only known through blogs and just reveled in the fresh-air, fibery goodness of it all.

(Also not shown: My cabled sweater, which DID get finished in time and DID get worn on Saturday, but somehow eluded any photos being taken. I'll try to take some and do a writeup soon!)

Randomness

So, Niki from Nice Knits! Tagged me… I’m not sure I’ve ever been tagged before! She caught me on a good day….

Here are the rules:
Once tagged, you must link to the person who tagged you. Then post the rules before your list, and list 8 random things about yourself. At the end of the post, you must tag and link to 8 other people, visit their sites, and leave a comment letting them know they've been tagged.

1. I have a great collection of fancy shoes, but I hardly ever wear them out because I’m terrified of getting the heel stuck in Alexandria’s ancient brick sidewalks.

2. I didn’t like olives until I was in my 20s. I still remember the first time I had tapenade – I was with Erin and PJ in Rockville. I don’t know if I was just really hungry or if the tapenade was just that good – but I remember thinking, hey, where has THIS been all my life?

3. Because I skipped a grade as a kid, I was always the youngest – in my class, of my friends, at my job. Now that I’m in my 30s, I’m no longer the youngest, and that’s taken some getting used to. But a co-worker did tell me the other day that he thought I was 24.

4. I am a total sucker for a British accent.

5. When I was in college, I swore I would have kids before age 30.

6. I’m a lot quieter now than I used to be. (Hard to believe sometimes, but true.)

7. I just ordered a bunch of bulbs to plant. I remember reading something about a woman who planted hundreds of them, and then they didn’t bloom. Turns out she planted them upside-down. I hope my bulbs come with directions – there are few things that delight me more than seeing the first signs of spring after a long winter.

8. My marriage started out as an office romance, very similar to Jim and Pam on The Office. It’s hard for me to watch that show without drawing (way too many) comparisons to my own life.

I tag Diana, Dana, Dani, Jody, Amanda, Sara and anyone else who feels so inclined.... I can't count to 8 today, apparently.

***
Check back early next week for the Rhinebeck report!

Eye on the Prize

Three-quarters of the Phildar Cabled Crew is done and blocked.

The final sleeve is awaiting its final 28 rows.

Seaming to commence tonight.

I'm trying not to let my optimism get the better of me, but... there's a really good chance this will be done for Rhinebeck!

Lull

I love fall break! We didn't have it at KU when I was there (they do now!). Luckily, the Hokies appreciate how nice a mid-semester mind-rest can be. No classes this upcoming week means a little time for myself, which has been sorely lacking. (I do have a take-home final due next week, but I'm putting that off until next weekend, I think.)

My weekend became even more productive when our cable up and died. Which meant that any hint of distraction by bad tv was gone, poof! I ran a bunch of errands I've been putting off, puttered about the house and the yard. Painted more fenceposts (only three to go). Saw the new George Clooney movie, Michael Clayton. (Fantastic! Go go go!) And as I've long suspected, when left to my own devices, I knit.

Phildar Cabled Crew front, nearing the halfway mark.

And, I cook. I had a kitchen marathon, aided by Julia Child's "My Life in France" on audiobook. How delightful.

Ratatouille-- recipe from Smitten Kitchen

Fagiola Alla Toscana (Tuscan Beans)
Recipe from Leite's Culinaria (I took the suggestion in their e-mail and added sausage); Yellow Eye Beans from Rancho Gordo--decadent, as Erin wrote.

Fresh Mint Ice Cream--recipe from "The Perfect Scoop," as blogged at Serious Eats

Oof, the Back

The back, it is done! And not a moment too soon. I have started to freak out just a teeny bit about actually finishing this thing by Rhinebeck. I'd be curious to see the Vegas line on getting it done.

Here's what the oddsmakers would consider.

Working against me:
* It's a complicated pattern, and most nights I'm brain-fried or too tired to make much progress
* It took me more than a month to knit those two pieces, and now I want to do two more in three weeks? Am I kidding?
* I have a take-home final over fall break for one of my classes.

In favor of finishing:
* I've already done the back and one sleeve, so there's nothing new in the cable patterns
* I now know that I will have enough yarn, so no more worrying about that
* Next week is fall break, so 5 hours that normally would be spent in class can be spent knitting
* Next week is also a work trip - knitting time on the plane, perhaps?
* I want to finish! I want to wear it!

Get your bets in....