4 in 4 weeks!

Well sort of. I knit 4 sweaters in 4 weeks, and not baby sweaters either. This statement is mostly true. I did knit 2 sweaters in about 5 days each, my Carbeth, which I showed in a previous post and this one: Tegna, from Caitlin Hunter.

I almost got rid of this yarn. I had 3 skeins of Americo Cotton/Alpaca which I had bought ages ago. It was a rather dull grey/beige. I overdyed it with navy and now it is greyish-beigish-blue, much better! My gauge was looser than the pattern so it went quickly. Since this isn’t exactly a summer sweater (alpaca), I added 3/4 sleeves and made it longer. I think I had about 2 gm of yarn left! It is a bit itchy (alpaca) but I have a high threshold.

Now to the truthy section of my 4 in 4 weeks. I also finished this sweater, Shadow by Olga Buraya-Kefelian, from Brooklyn Tweed Vol. 1.

Yes, Volume 1. That was quite a while ago. 6 years and change, ago. I would have guessed that I started this 3-4 years ago? So I now I really feel like I’m hurtling to the abyss since 6 years flew by like 3. But enough existential angst. As you can see, the sleeve bottom is a bit wonky. The sleeve turned out looser and longer than planned (hey, did you know that your gauge on a project might change AFTER 6 YEARS???) I will probably chop off the ribbing and tighten it up, leaving the length at just above my wrists. I think. I have extra yarn and loads of time apparently.

And then the 4th sweater that I finished is this beauty, Helsinki, by Janine Bajus (who taught at the Needlers’ retreat last year):

I cannot even begin to express how much I love this yoke (she has a hat pattern with the same motifs which I plan on making too). Of course I should have finished this sweater last year, in time for the retreat, but of course I didn’t. Better late than never. I added length to the sleeves and knit it a bit looser and longer and with ribbing than the original pattern. This is a bottom-up pattern, but my modus operandi for these is bottom-up and then top-down. I use a provisional cast-on for the body and both sleeves, knit about an 1″ and then join them up and knit the yoke as per the pattern. Then I knit down, adjusting width and length and trying it on as I go. This method works fine if the colourwork is limited to the yoke above where you join the armhole because when you pick up the stitches and knit downwards you are 1/2 a stitch off from when you are knitting upwards.

So now I feel very selfish and guilty (but secretly a little bit self-satisfied – guess it’s not a secret anymore). Which means I have to knit for others a bit before indulging myself to knit for myself again. I will be heading off to see the grandkids soon, so am whipping up some crustacean kitsch for them.

This is going to be a pullover with a crab and I will knit a lobster for my other little guy. I am back to using invisible floats which makes knitting intarsia tolerable. It is working out quite well with the Berroco Comfort, even though the yarn is acrylic/nylon. I can’t get enough of sea-creature themed knitwear! I will, at some point, knit myself a cardigan with crabs on it. A simpler version of the Chesapeake Jacket. With stripes and a few crabs thrown in so that I will actually finish it in this decade. Hopefully before Cape Cod is washed away into the ocean.

I will leave you with Frankie striking a rather regal pose in a completely superfluous shawl for such a hairy dog.