Back from vacation!

I took a bit of an unplanned vacation from the blog. It turns out that between work and multiple trips for family vacation I just didn’t have the time or energy to keep up with the blog. I’ve been knitting up a storm the whole time and I am looking forward to sharing some of the results with you.

The really big news is that I challenged myself and I finally knit myself a sweater. It’s been well over 15 years since I’ve done that. I used the precious Briar Rose Fibers Fourth of July that I bought the first time I went to Rhinebeck. I chose to make Serra by Laura Aylor. It’s a top-down cardigan that uses short rows so that the sleeves appear set in. All of that stockinette was perfect for watching the Tour de France!

The sweater had to be laid out carefully to show its shape initially:

But it grew quickly:

And then it got the ribbing:

I made very few modifications. I checked the schematic against the measurements of a cardigan that I like and it was almost a perfect match. I did a gigantic gauge swatch using two different needle sizes and found one that worked. I happily followed all the directions for the body and shaping, reading ahead while I was working simple stockinette to figure out what was next. When it came to the sleeves I decided to lengthen them a little. I only managed to finish one by the end of the Tour de France:

I have finished & blocked the sweater, but the weather has been way too warm for finished pictures, so here’s the proof that I’m done:

This means that I have a Rhinebeck sweater! I even have enough yarn left over for a matching hat, but who knows when I’ll find the time for that…

This week the kids are starting school, which is a big deal. They’re ready for it, or at least they think they are. I’m not ready for a 6th grader, or for my youngest to be in 4th grade, but we’ll manage. Fingers crossed that it all goes well!