Third time is a charm as they say ! Well, as to be expected, my early start on my nieces’ Autumnal Sweaters has now become a late start. First I thought I’d use up a huge pile of yarn left over from a project last year, as it happens to be the perfect color for Niece Who Is Thirteen, who’s eyes are the very same milky aqua. Elation! I set to work knitting very deep wide ribs for a vest, and I knitted it for two days. Somewhere along the way I fell into throes of indecision and … blast ! … it was suddenly horribly wrong.
I ripped it all out.
Okay, so changing gears again, and with a very bad clutch, I had ordered some more of the same tweed yarn but in different colors, for Niece Who Is Ten , and in a completely different knitting mood I set to stranding two colors in stockinette stitch, sketching in an improvisational way I always have liked to do in the past. Seeming to be fun and colorful, I knitted for two days. It was fine outside of the fact that the combination of colors eventually started to melt into each other, be very muted and soft, which is very *moi* , but so completely mismatched for the spirit of Kid Of Ten.
Ripped it out.
Back to the Blue Tweed. A new vision came to me of a full cardigan but with just two stripes on cuffs and bottom, knit in plain stockinette stitch. As I knit on I just couldn’t stomach the second stripe, and then the voice of a simple 4-stitch repeat peerie just spoke to me from the ethers (I have a fondness for this particular peerie ) … so here , now, two days into knitting a third time. Prudently, I’ve established a simple stripe & peerie border to be the total decorative feature of the Cardigans To Be , outside of the very flecked tweed texture, which is in itself rather busy and well stands alone.
It seems that so often, with almost everything, I have learned that to temper my impulses with *prudence* gives me the most personal satisfaction. Played-down & modest is my new aesthetic. So I am naming this cardigan “Prudence” , to well mark the lesson I have learned.
Prudence : Caution with regard to practical matters; discretion; economy; frugality.
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So it’s a muggy and slightly less than a glaringly bright sunny day, and I’ve just given Emma a bath ! She was only minimally tortured ~ it was over before long ~ and she is now surrendering to the task of drying into a fluff. Here is a photo of her in her post-bath ambivolence…
As I drafted the above about prudent knitting, two days ago, I am now almost ready to start sleeves and so I’m making a fresh pot of tea . Irish Breakfast Tea. In the static quiet vacuum of the afternoon, I feel compelled to ask, hoping I will make contact with All Who Read Yarnings ~~~ What are you all up to?
Jenjoyce Design 
I LLLOOOOVVVVEEEETHIS!!!!! You always blow me away and I can’t wait to see the final sweater. I’m up to 5′ 1 1/2″ and Shealah who will have her 11th birthday this month is just an inch shorter than I am! I tell her that it’s not really fair because I keep shortening(2″ in the last year and a half[arthritis]) and this is helping her in her goal of growing taller than Grandma.
Oh you’re up to 5’1.5? I only have one inch on you dear ! Happy 11th Birthday to Shielah !
Its really lovely & i’m sure it will be beautiful when finished & i hope you sell the pattern♥
Me, i just got done with a very special project for the Canadian government i am not allowed to say what or who it is for until its delivered to the family in question!
I tried to finish the long sleeves of the Jen Joyce sweater Tee when disaster struck. My other half sold my last skein of yarn from the batch i had set aside to finish the tee. So i have ripped back to the normal length & will wear it with a long sleeve Tee this fall. so he says ‘what do you want me to do, chase after her’….flippen men !
Been building qiviut knitwear stock ready for the Christmas rush, scarves, mitts, hats, socks etc.
Apart from that i have been Clipping our Shetland sheep, clipping Angora rabbits to make yarns to get ready for the shows….fun days.
I hope to get some time in late fall to knit a few of your other designs. The sweater above i would love to try that in late fall from our Shetland wool yarn & those ankle socks pattern you sent me will be perfect to use as house/bed socks….have fun ♥
Lorraine, what an interesting life you lead… and so mysterious ! I thank you for posting your news, it’s so fun to engage with our wee ‘knitting fraternity” here in the comments. 🙂 I don’t think I’ll make this into a pattern, well, not at this stage. I traditionally knit up my nieces a sweater every spring and autumn , with no strings attached (nor pattern) 😉
However, that said, “Prudence” is already being made into a sock , which I will write a pattern for ! 🙂
Prudence wins out! I love this sweater. So simply glorifying, yes?
Simply & absolutely ! 🙂
I love that! Beautiful colour and design! X
Well, lovely of you to say Kelly, however, it is just a thing made from stash, in theory… not too planned out or drawn up or anything. It definitley is becoming what *it* wants to be ! (Oh… I’m so excited, I got your package !!! 🙂 xxx)
It looks wonderfully soft and cuddly. Looking forward to what you’ll do with the collar and sleeves :).
Thanks for stopping in Bonnie ! I think I have gone between basic cardigan and vest… but basic cardigan will win. It won’t be a pattern, just a thing I’ve knit for my nieces… as I do every Autumn (and spring) , and I try not to have any ulterior motives behind these projects. However, sometimes they blossom into something special afterward. 🙂
I am reading your blog. 😉 haha. Right now I am knitting. Rikke Hat out f handspun. I do not have a lot of metal power right now.
Prudence, huh? Isn’t it amazing how things just happen when you let them. I like the pattern in a ‘less is more’ sort of way.
Lizzi , I think this year’s Autumn sweaters will be basic wool cardigans, and that will be that. Using up the stash left that I had was a goal I had, the rest will just *be* what it wants to be.
What I’m up to for real. I just completed a pair of baby penny candy booties and cast on for my own penny candy socks-with a lot of help from Jen!
Yay, and I am looking forward to your sock success Carol ! 🙂 xx
Moving! And working! And trying to get some sleep! And no knitting lately because of the other three. Just got internet installed here this morning, so I can read your blog notw. Sleep is what I am doing the least of, so back to bed I go.
Love the blue sweater, and can’t wait to see it finished!
BTW, Emma looks gorgeous.
Isn’t she ! 🙂
You’re moving??? I know you’re working…. and trying to sleep. And so kind of you to always say hi here, and hang out with us in the comments 🙂 The blue sweater is one, and other will be salmon pink and green … I expect them to be just rather … um… understated. I like that. Something they can feel at home in any day of the week. 🙂 xx
Good on you for unraveling, ripping, frogging – that’s what I have been doing of late, again and again, until I am really happy with my ‘top down set in sleeves’… Prudence will be worth it!