I put on my Northern Lights cardigan to go out with the girls on Friday night, took it off again and put on something else. This is not the fate that I want for this sweater. DH is out of town for a curling weekend with the guys, so today I settled in with some chick flicks and ripped out the front bands, the neck ribbing and the top motif of the yoke chart. Even sacrificing just those 5 rows helps with the too long yoke.
I changed to one size smaller needles than before (two sizes smaller than the pattern suggests), did the decrease row to end the fair isle section, and reknit the neck ribbing tightly. Then I used the original number of stitches to pick up the button band again; the tighter tension overall meant that I still needed those stitches despite the inch I had subtracted from the yoke length. The band seems to be lying nice and flat. Now I have to remeasure to space the buttons and recalculate where to knit the buttonholes on the final band. I have the opportunity to reconsider the number of buttons. Using buttons on the yoke only is one of the updated fashion features, but I might want the option of buttoning it all the way down. Haven't decided yet.
I made another tough decision last weekend with the Dovetail pullover. I want more ease in this cabled sweater than the last one I completed. I may want to wear a shirt under it sometimes. So I frogged a whole sleeve and a front that was knit up to the armhole (the one where I had patched one cable error), and started over one size larger. Luckily my LYS still had one 100 gram skein of my yarn in the same dye lot even though it's a year later. I'm afraid to jinx myself by saying it, but I seem to be remembering the front and back crossings better this time around.
While I was at the shop, I broke my yarn fast resolution and bought a skein of Regia, my favorite sock yarn. I can't resist the World Circus colorways. Plain stockinette stitch is all this yarn needs, so this will be my carry-around knitting for the next little while.
I try to buy locally when I can find a natural fiber or blend of the right weight at my LYS. They carry Patons Classic Wool, and Briggs and Little yarns in several weights, and I use those Canadian basics a lot. There is a decent selection of self-patterning sock yarns, and some Manos Silk Blend and Debbie Bliss Baby Cashmerino that customers have requested. But acrylic still sells the most around here. I often order online to get a different yarn or a good deal. I always visit yarn stores when I'm out of town and look for the luxury brands to buy myself a little "treat," usually just enough for an accessory. I give a lot of things away, so other people benefit too, and I don't feel too guilty. Even though knitting is my main occupation now, my knitting habit hasn't been able to keep up with my travelling/shopping habit since I retired. That's why I really want to catch up with the stash this year.
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