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Dear Kay,

I keep thinking about your post last week, the one about how to clean out our crafting spaces.

HILARIOUS! The optimism of your plan for imposing order gives me hope, but honestly, things are really a mess around here and by mess I mean WOWIE.

Someday. I am confident I’ll get to all these Unfinished Objects any minute now.

I blame the pandemic. Starting something gives me a thrill, and in the past months, the small thrill has been magnified to become the magnificent thrill.

Take, for example, my Debut Pullover.

I’m back at it, having drifted ashore at Sleeve Island a few weeks back, leaving my 1.95 sleeves on the beach while I went hunting coconuts. We all know the challenge of the sleeve; for me, it’s tracking the increases that gets me. However, at the moment, I’m loving the excavation of this treasure chest: a pair of sleeves that are basically ready to go. Score!

And the tender reunion I’m having with this Neighborhood Fiber Co. Organic Studio DK yarn is really sparking joy.

This color, Charles Village, is a completely new sort of color for me to wear as an entire complete piece of clothing. I’m feeling like my glow up is going to include a lot more of Karida Collins’s saturated colors. The sweaters I’m seeing in our Karidalong are showing the shifting tones of this yarn, and that’s what I really love about hand-dyed yarn.

As I try to remember what the heck I was doing with this project, I do recall washing and blocking Sleeve No. 1 to see how this yarn behaves.

Conclusion: It behaves amazingly well. See how the cuff relaxes and stops being all crabby? See how the fabric is smooth and delightful?

There’s interesting Karidalong conversation in the Lounge about the knit-purl yoke on this sweater, how it creates a slight ruching effect. I didn’t know anything about this phenomenon, so I was glad to hear about how this happens. I’m not to the yoke yet but by golly you can’t stop me now.

And there’s talk of omitting the waist shaping. I’ve done that on other sweaters to fine effect, so I’m still mulling that alteration.

Love,

Ann

30 Comments

  • Go, Ann, GO!

    • Thanks, THE Wendy! You are my inspiration for cranking giant projects super fast!

  • Waist shaping? My preferred method is to have a second glass of wine followed by a second bowl of ice cream.

    • Oh, absolutely!

    • Hahaha, great plan 😀

    • I am totally with you
      Kate
      PS Salt and Straw ice Cream in Portland, OREGON. Delivers your your front door! OMG

    • OMG YES

      Waist not, want not is my motto!

      • Wait now. I missed something. Ann in that color?? Wonderful!

      • Oops. I’m still laughing!

  • That color! Your “natural/authentic” hair! Gonna be a winner!
    I am Swoncho-ing away here. Organic Studio is a joy to have run through my fingers. The slight color variations are keeping me engaged. My breaks are “Look at that little area right there! See that color shift.”

    • Yes exactly!!! The color shifts sometimes appear for, lol, four stitches, invisible until you’ve knitted farther along. Why is this so delightful? I don’t know, but it is.

      As for my hair, it has now arrived at the colorway known as Multicolor Ombré Funfest. Aka Whatever It’s 2021 And I’m Glad To Be Here For It.

  • Still laughing, too. For me, to waist or not to waist – when you don’t have much of a one to begin with. And most of us have less as we get older. Haven’t knitted enough sweaters to make it a hard and fast rule but I am thinking – for me personally – the thicker the yarn the more you need shaping. You should see me in a Brown Sheep Burly Spun tunic length sweater. Veering toward Michelin Man status. And I wasn’t fat. For me with a Slight waistline thin yarn caves in enough that no extra shaping is needed. Worsted is in the middle. I am short-waisted and not tall. But you are tall and slim. Which means what style is the sweater? Where does it hit on the hips? How drapey is the yarn? In other words everyone and every project is different. Where is Amy Herzog when I need her?? Am waiting with bated breath with what you choose, (Sorry this is so lengthy – I actually pruned myself – but it is such an individual matter, I figure each experience is grist for the mill. In sewing it is much easier as there is less variance in fabric and texture.)

    • Wow, some real considerations here! I need to give more thought to the waist shaping decision. Thanks.

      • I did do the waist shaping and found that it wasn’t visible anyway. The yoke ruching on the other hand was real and a very pleasant surprise.

        • I am so curious about this yoke!

  • Damn I love that color!

  • Ann, I love that color. When I was in college, every blouse I owned either was a version of that color, or had a version of that color in it. Now, most of the time it’s either black or navy. Look like it’s time to change it up a bit!

    • The color is beautiful and tempting, and will look great on you, Ann! What a happy change up, from the drab colors that we adults usually buy, make and wear! Like my wide selection of black sweaters with jeans or black jeans!!!

    • I hear you on the trend toward quieter colors! I definitely have a lot of black and gray in my closet—it’s a bit like armor, you know? Sometimes I just need a layer of protection. We’ll see how this magenta feels … seems WILD!

  • You’re entering my Favorite Colors territory now, Ann, in its spring pastel neighborhood, which seems eminently suitable for Nashville weather. Turquoise and magenta, baby, all the way – straight from the Crayola box of 64.

    • I am so into turquoise! It’s just the greatest color ever.

      • It is!

  • I do my sleeves both together on two circular needles, so at least if I mess up the increases they still match. Plus I don’t end up with one finished sleeve and no motivation for the second.

    I agree about this colour, it will look awesome on you.

  • looking good i am excited to try it

  • Where can I find the pattern for the sweater. It’s lovely. Thanks.

    • Go to Ravelry and enter Debut Pullover. A 30-second maneuver.

    • Go to Ravelry and look for Debut Pullover. 30-second maneuver.

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