Steampunked

Happy Monday!

Quite some time ago, I finished a sweater project, the Steampunk Pullover by Julia Farwell-Clay.  Two weeks ago, I was finally disciplined enough to put the thing on and have The Husband take some pictures so I could share it with you.

Please ignore the ridiculous facial expression.
On both me and the dog.  It was sunny.

I like the sweater, and you can't really tell from the photo, but the yoke construction is just…well, weird.  It is knit bottom-up, and after the sleeves are attached, the whole thing is knit in the round with a series of decreases that create a rather strange shape.  In fact, if I hadn’t been able to block the odd shape into something passable, I’d have had to rip the whole yoke back and do something different.  It still feels a bit off while wearing, but the look is acceptable and who wants to rip back stitches if they can get by without?  I’m not THAT much of a perfectionist. 

I extended the sleeves because, call me old school but, elbow-length sleeves over a long sleeved blouse (which is how the sweater was modeled in Knitscene, Fall 2014) just makes me cringe.  Yarn used was Claddagh by Good for Ewe that I picked up at a yarn store in Indianapolis a few years ago.  I like the yarn and it is toasty warm.  I know this because I put it on during a cold snap here in South Mississippi.  It was exactly what I needed to stay comfy while running around that day.

My daughter's dog, Sophie.  She only
sits next to me when her master is at work.

In my last post, I meant to share with you the way I found to join a new ball of lace weight yarn.  I spent many days avoiding working on the lace shawl I shared last time simply because I was paralyzed by fear at the thought of trying to join a new ball of yarn.   I turned to Google (as usual) and found a method called “spit-splicing”.  It does, in fact, involve spit.  You can find an excellent video tutorial for it here.  You may think this is a disgusting way to join yarn, but believe me, it works like a dream and when you are desperate (as lace knitting made me), you will do what it takes. 

Current WIPs include a tunic (otherwise known as a jumper to us American mid-westerners) that only needs to be seamed, a pair of “I-made-this-pattern-up-because-I-like-it” socks for which I’ve completed one entire sock - minus the afterthought heel, and I’ve started a sweater for The Husband.  He will likely not get to wear it until next winter, as the weather is already turning warmer and the days growing longer, but it has been a joy to work on as it involves a particularly lovely shade of Madelintosh PashminaWorsted (Tart).  If I could afford it, I’d use Pashmina for every scrap of clothing that touches my flesh.  Too creepy?  Sorry.  Let’s just say it feels like I imagine heaven would feel like…

Lisa

xoxo