The Pickled Knit

Welp, I learned a painful lesson with my sweater. I didn’t do a gauge swatch for my sweater. My gauge was off … not by much … but enough that I might have to change needle size. That and I dropped a stitch three inches from the row I was currently on. In the increase.

My forehead hurts for the amount of times I “headdesked” over my hubris.

Lesson learned. Started a journal, which will hold the pattern name, when I started it, the yarn, the needles, THE GAUGE, and any notes (for the pattern changes, etc) and room for a photo when it’s done.

Truth be told, I realized it last night, and it took me until about 4:30pm today to actually buckle up and frog it. Let’s all have a moment of silence for the “Not the Boyfriend Sweater”, and a small cheer of encouragement for the “Not the Boyfriend Sweater 2.0”.

Ugh. But, yarn ready, needles casted on, and elbows up. Let’s do this.

So I’ve decided to take the plunge and knit myself a sweater. Since it’s for me, and not a significant other, I’m safe from the Boyfriend Curse.

I chose the Chole Cardigan from the Lions Brand website, and the Medium Purple yarn from Red Heart. And so far I’m really enjoying the process. Won’t say much more than I love it. It’s my favourite colour, and since this sweater has no buttons, I can use one of my new shawl pins to fasten it closed.

The cast on was quite simple, and I took a shortcut by adding the stitch markers as I cast on. This yarn works up so smoothly and is quite soft for an acrylic. The cat has come to sniff it out already, and I have her seal of approval.

For me, it’s knitting up quite quickly. This is the day’s progress, after starting it this afternoon and going out for dinner with Mum for a couple of hours. Once the weekly D&D game is over tomorrow, we shall see where we’re at.

In more exciting news (I know I know … nothing is more exciting that my knitting my first For-Me-Wearable, but trust me … this is cool to!), I’ve finally set up my teaching Facebook page, Instagram and YouTube page. Even have an email address for it! After some discussion with Himself, we chose the name: “It’s Knot Impossible”. So look for me on Facebook, Instagram, X (ew), Threads and Bluesky. I’ll be posting when I post my YouTube video classes.

But, it’s late now, and I should go to bed, as game starts early tomorrow (like before ten early) Good night all, and happy, yarnie, dreams!

How is it, that it’s the end of March already? It feels like just yesterday, it was March 8th. It’s a wee bit creepy, to me. In three days (probably two by the time this gets published), it will be my 2nd Stroke-aversary. Two years since I was laid up by a bilateral ischemic stroke. What a nightmare that was. I am so very glad my brain survived as much as it has. I will never be the hardcore researcher and student I was, but I can still do things. One at a time, mind you, but still. I can still knit, crochet and sew. I can still read, and type. But these have taken a serious set back … I can no longer type at over 100 words a minute, and it now takes me three times as long to do things, but I am still doing it.

That being said, I’m coming along quite nicely with the shawl I’m making for a friend. I am just LOVING it. It’s a very simple garter stitch shawl, but with the yarn I’ve chosen, it’s looking splendid. I’ll post a colour photo of it once the recipient gets it.

Now, I’m looking at crocheting myself a cardigan vest. This is going to be a duster style, as sleeves are bullshit (yes, I did blatantly steal that from Marisha Ray from Critical Role, she’s completely right). It’s going to be a stunning dusty purple colour, and since it’s for me, once it’s started, I’ll post a photo.

I’m hoping to have this duster finished by May, and the start of Elizabeth Zimmermann’s Pithy Shawl (that’s her travel shawl from the July chapter of her book The Knitter’s Almanac.) Since May is an international travel month, I’ve decided that May will now be July, and July will now be May. Thankfully, May is a small project month, so it all works out.

So, my dear readers … what are your travel plans this summer? Will your crafting go with you? I’m looking forward to hearing about it!

It has been a while since I wrote anything. Not for the lack of wanting, but for the lack of focus. I’ve been working on making stuff, and going through my yarn stash – and I’ve been lost in the patterns and research!

I’ve found an amazingly cute amigurumi – The Mushroom Guy – which I’ve been working on. Squish (my post-stroke brain) has fallen in love with him, but has had a lot of trouble with parts of the creation. I haven’t even thought about taking a photo yet. But, I will. Soon, I promise.

I’m working, also, on finishing the restoration of Karmig – my friend’s wee panda bear. I’m vexed beyond all beyonds with the thought of not being able to get the white actually white. Right now, it’s a grey/blue colour and not all that soft. However, Himself has come up with a last ditch solution which we will work on this weekend. Either way, it will be soft – if not white – and restuffed, with the little cotton heart with his old stuffing and threads. He will be very snuggly and huggable for my dear, wee nibling.

So, photos upcoming, and happy long weekend thoughts for this Family Day long weekend. ❤