From the Finish Line

Well, I did it! I completed the Anisette Cardi in just 42 days.

I finished the buttonhole band just before work yesterday, quickly wove in the ends and wore the thing to work. It was glorious. And I can't tell you how wonderful a short-sleeve cardigan sweater is.

For one, you can wear it over a light long-sleeved shirt. It adds just enough warmth so that you're cozy in your fall jacket but not steaming hot, even in the car.

Now, I'm surveying my stash and looking for my next victim. I even ventured into the under-the-bed storage unit to see what I could dig up.

Well, I could be industrious and start on next year's Christmas presents ... but I decided first thing's first.

I need a new hat. I lost my beloved teal slouchy at the county courthouse a little while ago. Time to whip up something for myself! The boyfriend said I should try something red. I have a little over a hundred yards of bright red yarn leftover from a tie I knitted for my dad years and years ago. So, that's first on the list for sure.

Also, I have to finish a pair of socks I started around this time last year. I hate socks. I vow that this will be my last pair of socks I knit in the round the traditional way. My Second Sock Syndrome is killing me. I better learn how to double knit or else the sock yarn in my stash will turn into many, many scarves.

I'm kind of looking forward to the yearly State of the Stash post in January! I think my stash has shrunk since New Year. By my count, I've at least used up around 22 balls of yarn for my holiday and birthday knitting.

Well, toodles for now. I'm off to finish up those pesky bunny slippers and that errant single sock.

Taking the Challenge

I've made two sweaters in my eight-year adventure in knitting. My first one took almost three years. It took me a year just to block the darned thing. The other went a little faster: I whipped up that baby up in around 4 months.

It was almost worse than knitting a pair of socks (I get turned off at having to create that second, yet crucial sock).

I vowed two things after gifting the wooly wonders to my parents: 1) I would always, always do a gauge swatch no matter how painful it would be to make multiple swatches, wash them, and wait for them to dry; and 2) I would likely never venture into Sweater Land again.

But thanks to the 30 Day Sweater Challenge, I'm well on my way to eating my words. I'm not using their framework, but I am using the challenge to motivate myself. 

So far, it's been great! I've even ventured back into social media; I revived my Instagram and Twitter accounts.

The sweater I've chosen to knit is the Anisette Cardi. I found the pattern a couple years back and bought four skeins of Bamboo Ewe a year and a half ago. I love the idea of a short-sleeve cardigan! It's cute, functional and has a little bit of cabling and lacework, but not so much that I'd lose my mind. I finished the back (in just four days!) and started the front right panel. I can't wait to see how the rest of the sweater goes!