2/2/08

What had happened was...

So, the holidays are well over and New Years resolutions have come and gone.

I counted myself as one of the rank and file knitter elves, dutifully churning out gifts and resolving to clean up all the WIPs from years past. Knit I did, too. The WIP list was treated as public enemy number one. One after the other I tackled, or in one case frogged, the most urgent items (among 17).
Among them, I finally, finally finished Klaralund! After much grief, I am very pleased with the results.
The yarn used was Artyarns Ultramerino, color way 214 using Ernst glass sized 7 circs. Between my camera and dimly lit apartment, it's hard to see what the true colors are. This is photo is from an older post. See, the colors are much brighter!


There were a few modifications to the pattern. Sleeves were lengthened and fewer body garter ridges were knit. Most significantly, I felt as though the garter pattern that lay on the upper arm made me look like an armadillo. Instead, stockinette was knit up to the top of the shoulder.

Lessons learned? a) varigated yarn will give a whole different look to a striped pattern sweater, duh. b) do not be cheap. Always buy more yarn than the pattern calls for. c) if you make modifications, for the love of craft, mark your changes EVERYWHERE.

Really, it was an easy pattern. I just seem to specialize in rookie mistakes. :)

Now that was all the pleasant stuff, but what had happened was in all the knitting like a machine that I did over the holidays, I developed a pinched nerve in my shoulder. It's been a month and a couple of my fingers are still numb. Can you imagine an entire month of not being ABLE to knit?! Please, I beg of you to get up and stretch. Do arm circles or something to break up your knitting time. Pausing to read blogs doesn't count. Get up! Go for a walk. Your body will thank you for it.