Indecision

Progress has been swift on the Smocking sweater – knitting on #10 needles will do that! It’s funny how huge they feel after only knitting socks all summer. I got the first sleeve done a few days ago and have started the back.

The smocking part is kind of weird. You take 6 stitches and place them on a cable needle held to the back. You then wrap the working yarn around the base of the stitches 3 times. The stitches are then knit from the cable needle.
It was kind of weird to do the first time, but creates a neat effect.

In the end, the sweater is basically ribbing with a few smocking rows thrown in every once and a while. My deduction of a quick knit was a good one. It only took a little over a skein for the sleeve, and I have ten total, so I should have more than enough. I’m not sure on sizing. Being that the yarn is half rayon, half wool, I’m not so sure how it will block. I made one size sleeve, and one size bigger back. I want a nice roomy, comfy sweater for fall. It will be easy enough to rip out the sleeve and do a bigger size if it doesn’t block up big enough. My gauge is right on, but the yarn isn’t staying “expanded” like pure wool would. I plan on doing a test block and seeing what happens.

Another knitting quandary is my Conwy sock. I have done a few repeats, and can’t decide if the pattern is being totally obliterated by the yarn variegation. Some obscurity is not a problem, but I want to be able to at least see the pattern I’m trying to create. What do you guys think? I’m getting some pooling (which I have no problem with) so one side is yellow, and the other is the pink mix.


I just can’t decide if I should just frog the whole thing and find another pattern that will show more (Hedera?), or just keep pressing on to see what happens.

There is a section of absolutely screaming electric yellow in the yarn – every time I come to knit with it, I keep thinking that I just HAVE to have a full skein of it. It will make some ear-piercing socks! It is close to the yellow in this picture, but the yarn I have has a touch of neon green in it also. Being that the skein I have is a potluck, it’s probably a freak of dying and never to be reproduced again. How sad….

It’s been neat to see everyone’s launch into fall all over blogland. Seems like the slight cooling of the air has triggered lots of looking towards fall! There are some great pattern books that have come out recently – I’m off to do some web browsing and most likely pick some favorites!