How do you get to make a Highland Thing? Practice. Practice. Practice.

Better?

I swatched the design from the Highland Thing again this morning to see if there was a noticable improvement. It’s blocking now so I’ll have to get back to you. The next step is practicing in the round.

M’s vest is coming along, I haven’t taken a picture of it because there is really nothing interesting going on. Please enjoy this lovely Boy and Dog shot as a Consolation Prize. We spent yesterday waiting for Tropical Storm weather from Frances – which never showed up. Today (as you can see from the picture), is Just Beautiful. Very windy (which I love), but the sun is out and it is nice and cool.

Since Mom is here, I have been working on her My First Sweater Project. I’ve gotten her to settle on a design. This is my pattern of choice for several reasons. First, I needed a project that she would finish so it had to be something that wasn’t too difficult (read: frustrating) or have a whole bunch of new techniques. There is shaping on the sleeves, she’ll have to pick up stitches to make the neck band, learn to seam and do a three needle bind-off. I think that’s enough for a first sweater; there is no need to complicate things with set-in sleeves, a button band or a fancy stitch pattern. I’ve ordered her a copy (and a little bit of sock yarn for myself) from One FIne Yarn.

There are two complications with my Mom and knitting sweaters. The first is that she is allergic to wool. Which is Not Cool. Wool is nice and stretchy-fluffy and covers a multitude of tension sins. Wool’s forgiving nature allows a beginner to create a garment that looks good (sometimes great) without being perfect. The alternative fiber of choice, cotton, does not. In fact, with less give and fluff, cotton will show everything. Seemingly out of spite. This brings me to my Mom’s other Knitting Handicap: she likes things to look perfect. Weep for me, people.

I managed to solve both the Wool Thing and the Perfectionist Thing with one yarn: 1824 Cotton. This stuff has a nubby texture that hides uneven stitches like a champ, creating a great fabric with an interesting texture. And the colors are Just Lovely. A sweater would run about $60. This is about the norm for a “decent” yarn. I explained my rationale, and got Mom to swatch with it to see what she thought. “Why is it so bumpy? This doesen’t look good. Am I doing it wrong?” I reminded her that she liked the tank that I had made and she just looked at me. I sighed (inside I was screaming and tearing my hair). And went to look for something smoother.

Turns out, I had some Cotton-Ease leftover from that tank I made up. Mom (of course) likes smoother better. Since the Cotton-Ease is 50% acrylic, it is cushier than other cottons, isn’t splitty, and it is an insanely good deal (since it is on sale, one sweater will be about $15). We could do worse. My biggest problem with it is that it comes in bright enough to hurt your teeth, candy colors. All subtelty is lost on this yarn. Which is fine for Mom, she likes bright. It took her two minutes to pick Popsicle Bluefor her sweater. She had three or four back-up colors, but Popsicle matches the socks she just finished.

I, on the other hand, am not fond of brights. I loath them. A viscious, internal struggle ensued. Part of me kept screaming “you’ll look like a Jelly Belly!” and the other part accused that part of Yarn Snobbery. The first part replied that not looking like a a piece of fake fruit had nothing to do with snobbery. I ended up ordering Orangeade. If you’re going to be shocking, you may as well go all the way and Blind people.

If there are any newbies out there who would like to break away from scarves and try something new (with support), let me know. The pattern is Knitting Pure and Simple’s “Classic Drop Shoulder Pullover for Women” which is available at several yarn stores. It can be made in any worsted weight yarn as long as you can get the gauge of 18 sts to 4″. It’s a great First Big Project.