I spun up the last seven ounces of my Shanghai NIghts (80% coopworth/20% silk threads) today. I was able to ply the whole batch into 514 yards of long-draw fluffiness. It's hanging in the bathroom drying.










I ordered the yarn for Rogue and Osterdalen yesterday.

I'll probably work on both at the same time. I like to knit two sweaters at a time. When I finish one skein of yarn, I move to the other sweater. That way, I don't get bored with knitting a single sweater - there is always variety!

I should start a handspun project, too. Hmmmmm....

We did one geocache today. Now we're just being lazy in front of the fire. I LOVE our Sundays.

Scandinavian Baby Cardigan Is Done!

I've been a bit under the weather the past 24 hours, so I had some knitting time.

As I commented, I needed to FINISH this baby sweater. I buckled down, and the sweater is DONE!

This is a size two Scandinavian Cardigan, pattern by Cottage Creations. Knitted in Plymouth Encore (75% Acrylic/25% Wool) - a great yarn for children's items.



It was a fun sweater to knit. The pattern gives two options for knitting: in the round, or back and forth.

I chose to knit it in the round. Not my best choice, considering it's primarily acrylic, and I needed to steek it. The machine stitched steek appears to be holding well, but weaving in all the ends, using acrylic, was no fun.




I've hidden the steeks under a knitted on button band/facing combination. I like the way the knitted facing hides ALL the cut threads.

Acrylic steeks do NOT lay down politely like friendly wool steeks.

The smaller sizes of this pattern do not call for any short rows to lower the neckline in the front, and I think the neckline looks kinda wonky. I haven't got a babydoll of the right size to try this on, so I hope it will look better on an actual child!

Now I'm at a standstill. I've got Paul's socks to finish, but I have NO large project in the house to immediately cast on for!

Maybe I'll buy yarn for Rogue.

Or maybe I'll order the yarn for a sweater for Ben. He wears his Dale of Norway Nagano sweater quite a bit, and has shared with me that he would wear a mom-knitted Osterdalen sweater, too!







Guess that Norwegian college in Iowa is getting to him!

knit on button band with facing for steek

I've committed myself to finishing this darn little baby sweater.

I had the right front button band knitted on, but I wanted something a bit tighter. So, I ripped it out. I'm letting that side rest, and beginning again on the left front.


You can see I picked up stitches along the steek. The right side I picked up 3 out of 5 stitches. This side I picked up 1 of 2, to make it a bit tighter.

The pattern had left 9 stitches at the base of the button band to pick up and complete the band. The pattern called for measuring the length of the steek, and knitting the button band to that length, then sewing it to the sweater.

I've been knitting the button band on as I go.

I knit the first 8 stitches in ribbing, then purl the last stitch together with one of my picked up stitches.









I added three stitches after this, for the facing. I need the facing to cover the steek. These three stitches are stockinette.

I'll tack the facing down later.








I turn, purl the first three stitches, then do ribbing for the remainder of the row.

I only attach the picked up stitches on the edge on a right side row.






I've knitted on edgings before, but never with the facing attached in this manner. I must have seen it somewhere, but can't remember any sources. How about you? Have you seen this before? Help me out - got the source?

I like it. It's working well, and it beats the heck out of sewing the whole button band on!

After Paul came home this evening, we had a visitor at the bird feeder. This little doe came right up to the house.

It's Paul's birthday. We had shrimp scampi for supper, and we'll have our traditional Ben & Jerry's ice cream for dessert later (after the Girl of the House goes to bed!)







Here's GotH with HER traditional birthday Ben & Jerry's, while we were at Snowbasin.

(Easier than a cake when you're away from home, which we usually are, skiing.)

Look what happens when you puppysit

When Harlan and Coleen came to pick up Khaki, look what they brought! Lovely flowers for the Girl of the House, the recent recipient of a nifty flower press. (A gift from H&C for her 12th birthday.)

Coleen also brought lots of pictures from our recent Snowbird trip.







I had requested pictures of the felted clogs I knitted them for Christmas. Luckily, our condo had a washing machine, so I was able to felt them to size while we were on our trip! I made Steelers clogs for Coleen, and Wild clogs for Harlan. (Does she take artistic pictures, or what!!)


The Cobblestone pullover got blocked this weekend.

Here, it's just hanging out doing the last bit of drying.






Baby scandinavian sweater received one button band. I'm contemplating tearing it out and making it a bit tighter/shorter. I did end up improvising the knitting of the band. I picked up along the edge and knitted the band to it. At the same time, I knit 3 stitches behind where I attached it, to cover the steek. It was a bit of futzing, but not too bad.

I'll take some photos of the left side as I knit it. I like it - it minimizes sewing, and that's ALWAYS good!

Sunshine is delicious, rain is refreshing,

wind braces up, and snow is exhilarating; there is no such thing as bad weather, only different kinds of good weather. John Ruskin (1819-1900)


No fresh resolutions from our household, just a peaceful welcoming in of the new year.

Ben returned to college, and the house is quiet, and a bit lonesome, again.

We had visitors this morning. Harlan and Coleen came by, with their big pup, Khaki.
They bought new snowshoes, and wanted to walk in the arb.

They were out for more than 2 miles! Guess those snowshoes work!





They had a party to attend in the afternoon/evening, so they left Khaki with us. They left their snowshoes, too. So, we tried them out. These are wonderful things, these snowshoes! I like them much better than cross country skis.

Our dogs went out with us. We walked about a mile, just out in the pasture.





The view of the yard from the back of the property. Winter always gives me a new perspective...










All of the boys were hungry for their supper, after all that exercise.

Khaki's settling in very nicely.







I keep putting off a few projects.

Now, I MUST do them.

I'll start back on my carry around socks.

Not sure I want to continue two socks on two needles. It's a bit more futzing around than I want right now. Moves it away from totally mindless knitting.





The scandinavian baby sweater needs its button band. I'm not sure why I dread it so.

But I've got sweater fever. I bought the Rogue pattern, and I'm dreaming of the perfect yarn.

So, I MUST FINISH THIS LITTLE BABY!!!