Blocking

Now I need a zipper...

I love my wooly board! Blocking made all the difference in the world for this sweater. Washing did too, for that matter. You should have seen the nasty wash water - and I washed the yarn before I even used it for knitting!

The edges uncurled, the stitches filled in and evened up. I blocked rather aggressively, as I was afraid it was going to be too small - it's just right now. Those bits of white in the picture? Random bits of white fluff in the roving - I didn't bother to remove them (thought they added to the homespun look).

Now it's off to the fabric store for a zipper (the first one I got was too short) and to the yarn store for some special yarn for my SSS pal. I'd like to get started on that as soon as possible.

And for those asking after my Fearless Fair Isle - yes, it has been revived! I managed to knit a few rounds (and un-knit a few rounds - don't ask) this weekend. Pictures later this week, when actual progress has been made.

I think my next sweater will have to be a fisherman's gansey. I've been re-reading Michael Pearson's Traditional Knitting book. He's got an extensive section on ganseys with great pictures of old ganseys (and their wearers), along with charted traditional patterns. This is not a 'how-to-knit' book (although there are some patterns) but a great resource for knitting history. The stories from each little town he visited are wonderful. There are smaller sections on Fair Isle and Aran knitting that are very good, too.

I think it would be fun to try it with the traditional 16" steel knitting pins and the knitting belt. (Ok, did I just say that that would be fun? What am I thinking...) The only thing I don't think I'll manage is the traditional dark navy blue - how about red, instead?

I just noticed that yesterday's post was my 100th! When I started this at the beginning of the year I had no idea that I could babble on so much.