A new summer class schedule should be out late this week, but I wanted to let you know about a sock class that Janet is going to be running starting June 7th! Several of her newer students wanted to learn socks or take a refresher so she popped a class into the schedule. There are a couple spots remaining, so act fast if you’re interested. Four Saturdays in a row: June 7, 14, 21, 28 from 9:30 – 11 a.m. Fee for the class is $55 plus materials.
I finally finished a sweater that I’ve been working on for quite a while, due to the fact that my brain went on summer vacation shortly after I cast on. I therefore missed some crucial increases and had to rip. Then I missed the fact that I should have stopped increasing at a certain point and had to rip. Then – oh, well, you get the idea. And because the body of the sweater is worked sideways, the rows I had to rip were very, very long, with many, many stitches. I should have been making a garter-stitch scarf!
Well, it’s done and I love it, although I knew that it would be a little big for me. I wanted a size that a person of normal height could try on so it’s a bit long in the body and sleeves as you can see in this rather dreadful selfie:
The pattern is “Natsumi” from Brooklyn Tweed, available online and at the shop. The sideways cable and elliptical hem are the big features of the design, but the self-finished neckline accentuated with symmetrical increases and decreases and a shoulder-to-shoulder welt is flattering and versatile. Sleeves are picked up and knit down from the sides of the body and can be done in the round or flat. The only thing I would change in the design is to decrease the sleeves a bit more, I would like the cuffs to be more fitted.
The yarn I used is especially lovely, a blend of extrafine merino wool and yak, called “Tenzing” from Juniper Moon Farm. It is a delight to knit, with a rich, smooth feel that belies the slightly dappled look of the fabric.
The merino helps the cable and its charming little lace border to pop and holds the sweater together, while the yak makes the surface look and feel velvet-y and interesting. All in all, a perfect yarn for this design.
I hope you all are recovering from the monster hail that bombed us this past week. Our poor trees look like a horde of caterpillars descended and feasted. I don’t know whether the trees will generate more leaves this season or not – I’ll miss the wonderful shade of our lovely West Reading sycamores this summer! I’m structuring my day around getting the class schedule done and waiting for the roofer and insurance adjusters to visit. Hope your day is lots more fun!
