The Model of Restraint

I was so excited about blocking my shawl I had to show a preview. I thought it was a pretty cool shot too. (see I really am a big dork) This is the first project where blocking made an actual noticeable difference. Pre-blocking the shawl looked neat, it had a diamond pattern that you could see, but it was a bit on the small side, in fact it was the perfect size for Pork Chop. But post blocking it is stunning. It is the right size. The color pattern really pops out at you. The diamonds are beautiful, and I've only found one big Oops (my knitting oops not a pattern flaw). I'll do my write up and pictures tomorrow.

In the meantime I've been the model of restrained. I really really really wanted to knit the green cardigan. I click on the pattern at least twice a day to visit with it. I dream of wearing it to playgroup or church. I imagine how I'll shrug casually when someone compliments it and say "Thank You. I made it." Or maybe I'll just say "thank you" and feel all smug because I know I made it. I've haunted on-line yarn stores looking for the yarn or a comparable substitute. But I've got gobs of yarn that needs knit, and half finished projects that need done. I don't need another thing to do. I vowed to finish something before I cast on for a new project, or even bought more yarn (see my restraint, let's not mention that I did a few gauge swatches with yarn I already own and none of them are suitable, otherwise I'd be halfway to the yolk by now) Then on Friday I saw my chance.

We never shop on Black Friday. I freakin' hate people, and the thought of all those pushing people in one place, let's just say I'd rather impale myself on my own knitting needles. We always, always, always (I'm in the mood to repeat myself at least three times today) decorate for Christmas on the day after Thanksgiving (except for that year we put the tree up the weekend before Thanksgiving). Those of you who know me know that my apartment is wall to wall furniture. We used to have a moderate-size house with a living room and a family room. We had a three piece sectional couch in our living room and a smaller couch in the family room. Now we just have a large living room with lots and lots of seating. We joke that if you can't find a place to sit in our home than we are way over fire code regulation. The was no place to put a tree. We talked about not having a tree but that was just too sad to contemplate. We talked about getting rid of one of the couches, but I think it's stupid to throw out a couch just to make room for a tree, we're going to move in a year, and who knows, our next place could have plenty of room, and then I'd really miss that couch. We moved our two couches trying to create a space, bear in mind one is a three piece sectional with a hide-a-bead, ie heavier than any other piece of furniture known to man. Then we moved them again. Then we moved them again. Then we moved our entertainment center, which involved un-hooking the surround sound, the cable, the vcr, and the dvd player only to re-attatch them three feet later. Then we moved the couches. Then we thought about just getting a divorce but we couldn't decide who would get which couch. Finally we found an arrangement that worked. It involved putting part of the sectional in the basement. As a matter of fact when we were done aside from swapping where the couches were and moving the entertainment center three feet to the left the only real change was we moved the piano into the dining room and put the tree where the piano was. If we had tried that first we wouldn't have had to move the couches at all. We could have saved our backs and three hours of our lives. But I digress (and I do like the entertainment center where it is, and I like that the sectional isn't blocking part of the windows, so it wasn't completely wasted time.).

I really was going somewhere with this story, somewhere knitting related. Oh yeah, now I remember. After moving all that stuff we decided we NEEDED to get out of the house for a bit. The Greatest wanted to buy some more fish for his fish tank. I used this as my chance to go to the yarn shop. "Sure we can get you some expensive overpriced fish that your aggressive fish will only mutilate and eat, but let's go fondle some overpriced yarn I don't really need first." And he fell for it. Not only did he take me to the yarn store but he bought me this.



It is eight skiens of Cashsoft DK. It will be the Alpaca Cardigan with Glitter, never mind that its a wool/microfiber/cashmere blend and I won't be using glitter. It's freakin cashmere. It's so soft and springy and I'm in love. He also bought me not one but two sizes of Addi needles to make the Cardigan. I think he feels bad about the Vegetable Shortening mess.

Did I immediately cast on? Uh, maybe? But it was only a gauge swatch. See my restraint! And while the gauge swatch blocked and dried I finished my Adamas shawl. It was too pretty to completely abandon, and I did have that vow about finishing something and all. But while that was blocked and drying I started my cardigan.






Isn't it pretty. I'm in love. I could so turn into a complete yarn snob. You can't do fancy lace tricks with acrylic and acrylic never felt like this. Then I think of handwashing sweaters for the children and I'm filled with gratitude for acrylic. Hard working, durable, machine washable acrylic. It's all well and good. But my cardigan will be Cashsoft.