Earthtones Girl

…(anyone recognize that?).  Notre Dame de Grace (IK Summer 07)  is my current project and I’m lovin’ it.  It’s the perfect all-purpose sweater.  This may even be my Rhinebeck sweater. 

 I’m using Blue Sky Worsted which is 50/50 Alpaca/Merino blend, it’s BUTTAH.  I’ve chosen the Chocolate color, of course…and even though I love this camera it’s not doing the color true justice.  It’s a semi-solid and gorgeous.  It’s also a much thicker yarn then I’ve been using lately so it’s knitting up very quickly.

 And I’ve sped up the process even more by knitting it in the round.  The pattern called for the usual back, front, sleeves “now sew…and keep the stitches small”  (can you tell I’m in a movie quotes mood).   Yes, I will have to sew in the sleeves but that’s minimal and quick.

But as you can tell I’m a fan of the 2 circ method…I swear when I learned this about 6 years ago to make socks and then applied it to other garments in the round I knew I would never use another method again.  Why knit flat…

I changed the number of stitches on the sleeves by dropping one of the two extra selvege stitches, working it as a purl throughout and continuing with the double moss stitch, increasing in pattern as I went along.   Then I’ll work the sleeve cap back and forth using one needle from each circ until I’ve reduced enough stitches to work back and forth on just one circ.

It’s amazing how different the color is in each of these pictures and they were all taken in the same place  but no matter…you’ll see the finished product very soon.  Ideally I would love to finish this by October 1st.  Keep your needles crossed.

 The reason for the rush is my almost overwhelming need to knit socks.  To get back to the pair I’m working on now and start about 4 or 5 other pairs…I think October will be sock month then back to sweaters in November.    “Man plans and God laughs…”