A while back, I wrote to VY regarding the Sand Dollar (Adult) sweater asking if they were working on a reprint of the book. I just got a reply that didn’t answer that question, but does say that with the book the Children’s Collection, there is an amendment for an adult size that could be sent if I order the book and yarn. I had thought about the book anyway, maybe as a practice run for an adult size Fair Isle, but maybe now it’s even more worth it. I am going to think about it a bit and write them back.

I was having trouble reading my knitting on this lace pattern and kept making it worse while trying to fix my mistakes. So, I ripped back to the first row and have started over. Now that I am looking at the knitting and not the pattern, it’s working and I am almost back to where I ripped from.
I really like the color of the yarn. It’s called Plum, and has occasional flecks of blue in it that are really pretty.

…or knitting back backwards, I have heard it called. I love this, now that I have figured it out.
There was an article in one of the knitting rags last fall that explained it and I tried it, and for the life of me could not get it. They really made it sound a lot more difficult than it is. (I guess the writers get paid by the word?)
A few weeks ago I just tried to figure it out myself the most obvious way, looking at what the needle does when purling, and looking at what the yarn does when purling and there was the Eureka! moment. I used this technique on the bag that I fulled, and got lots of practice.
I purl much too tightly, so doing it this way makes it much more in line with my knitting. I will have plenty of practice too, since the Fir Cone Square Shawl that I am working on has every even row purled for the center square.

I did make it to the shop for some Harrisville Shetland yarn, and here it is:
I bought 3 cones in purple for a Fir Cone shawl from Cheryl Oberle’s book, Folk Shawls. It sure is a lot less expensive to buy a cone of yarn than skeins! The yarn washes up nice and soft, even though it’s kind of rough in the hands while knitting with it.
I also bought a ball winder, because I am sick of fighting with rogue balls of yarn. I will wind them, dammit!

And here they are, aren’t they cute with their little bug buttons? I hope the babies’ mom likes them too.

I found a copy of Celtic Collection and some other OLD AS books at the library this week, and for the most part, I agree that her stuff is really nice. I think I am becoming a fan. Two of the books are really old, Scanidnavian and Brittish Isles, and they are sooo dated! But the newer ones, I like. Aran Knitting and Celtic Collection especially. I might go to a shop later today that supposedly carries Harrisville yarns and see what kind of colors they have. I am thinking of many projects, a shawl, Elisabeth I, or something fair-isle. This is hard being a beginner, because I haven’t tried everything yet!

I found some cute buttons that look like VW Beetles for the Baby Albert sweaters. I am going to see mom on Monday, so I have to finish up one sleeve and seam up the second one and put the buttons on by lunch on Monday. I think I can do it.

Which reminds me, anyone out there a member of TKGA? I am contemplating taking the first level course, because I know I have a lot to learn and that might be a nice structured way to learn some stuff. I wonder about other’s experiences. Did you feel the work was worth it? Did you really improve your skills?
I wonder if there would be a difference in me hearing from some stranger via snail mail that I am doing well, or if just knitting a difficult garment would give me the same feeling. Its not expensive, so I may just go for it, but I am curious about other’s thoughts.

Over the weekend, I picked up a copy of Tudor Roses, and I am inspired to become a better knitter. I think I will do Elizabeth I first of the collection, because I like it, and I am sure I will never find a pattern for Sand Dollar unless the book is reprinted.
I also really like Katherine of Aragon. I think that’s a bit ambitious of me now, EI is only one color, and a good place to start.
Now the question becomes, do I use the VY yarn and add stitches to the sides, or do I use a slightly larger yarn, and do different math to figure that out.
Time to get out the Vogue reference book and see what looks better. I wonder if using a larger yarn with the existing pattern would be very distorted, making a huge neck and wierd shoulders.
This is why I wonder if I should join a guild, to speak to folks who have experience in this kind of stuff.

I decided to work on the Baby Albert #2 first, and then see how I feel about a next project. Good thing too, since I may see the twins’ mom next week, so I have got to get cracking!
I cast on Saturday and am done all but the sleeves and one front panel. I think I am getting better at this! And now that I can knit and read without making mistakes (well, many) things are going much faster.