A lot has happened since then. I've gotten two years older, the bones in my spine want me to know that I have a spine and that it's not very happy. After being my constant companion for 15 years I have lost my beloved Pepe Le Pew, the rat terrier. He was approximately 16-1/2 years old. He was suffering from kidney failure and dementia and was just as stubborn and independent as his owner. I adopted him from the parking lot of the prison at which I worked and didn't regret it one single day.
Besides life happening, I've been, of course, knitting. Socks and sweaters for the kids in the Kazakhstan orphanages, shawls and scarves for one of my daughters, and this year, sweaters and tees for myself. 'Twas about time. Our not so local yarn shop had a "clean up the shop" sale. If you bought three packs of yarn (each bag the same color and dye lot) you got 50% off. Now how can a knitter pass up such an opportunity.
One of the treasures I found was a boucle yarn called Yardley by Bristol Yarn Gallery, an Alpaca/Silk yarn. I had been coveting it for some time. The yarn knitted up into a light weight, drapy, but warm cardigan that will be just perfect for the fall here in Northern Michigan where the white stuff usually starts flying in October. The pattern is free from Drops (garnstudio.com), a Scandinavian yarn company and is called http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/136-8-breezy-comfort. I had to make some slight changes to the front and I made it a little longer so it would warm my derriere when the weather gets colder. All in all I am pleased with it.
I have learned something new in the past few months as far as shaping is concerned. I have fairly narrow shoulders, but my bust is ample. That leaves me with two possibilities: Have the neck so wide that it falls off my shoulders, but fits my bust or have the neck fit properly, but the garment is too small to fit across my front. If I knit from the top down, I use a smaller size, but increase stitches either across the front or on the sides of the front only, depending on the pattern.
Both the Breezy Comfort and the Gemini tee are knit with increases across the front. By the way, the Gemini pattern can be found on Knitty.com. It was knit with a very well aged bamboo sock yarn.
So folks this is all for now. As Elizabeth Zimmermann used to say "Knit on!" To that I add "merrily."
