travel knitting

I had to take some handwork with me on our recent trip, so the weekend before leaving we rode the bus down to Red Hook to investigate Brooklyn General. Love at first sight! The store is delightful and old-fashioned and I wanted everything. Every. Thing.

Poor M followed me around patiently while I filled his arms with yarn, then asked him to return it to the shelves while I simultaneously shoved more, different yarn in his direction. It was the usual choosing anxiety attack since what I’d pictured in my head doesn’t exist and I had to reevaluate the whole sweater spur-of-the-buying-trip. On the ride home my mood swung wildly between delight and buyer’s remorse. Exhausting.

I had planned to make myself a sweater using the green and red colors and flower pattern of my fingerless mittens but there were no equivalent yarns in a larger gauge. Assisted and emotionally-supported by M and the enthusiastic shopkeeper, I chose a deep cerise Noro on a background of dark gray Morehouse Merino. (As I write this I am still swinging between delight and anxiety at the thought. Jeez.)

I decided to knit from the top down, following Barbara Walker’s Knitting from the Top. Turns out that while it really does allow you to check your fit as you go, this is not a technique devised with 2-color patterning in mind. Witness the chaos:

But I am nothing if not stubborn; this was taken the night before we flew home:

M refers to it as “your little shrug”.

7 Responses to “travel knitting”

  1. Liza Says:

    You inspire me! I also had to laugh at your description of both the choosing of the yarn (what you pictured in your head doesn’t exist) and your see-sawing emotions after choosing and buying the yarn. So familiar! And it looks great so far, even if it is never more than a “little shrug.” Of course I know it will be much more.

    –Liza

  2. Alice from france Says:

    That looks pretty!! I’m impatient to see the whole sweater!

  3. peatbogfaery Says:

    Hi!

    Came across your post on Wardrobe Refasion – love your flowery pattern – the mitts look fantastic!

    I have to ask – why two balls of each colour?

  4. boodely Says:

    Good question. It’s because I started at the shoulders with an invisible cast-on, working the 2 shoulders down separately while adding stitches to the neckline. So I was knitting 2 pieces up until I added all the stitches for the neck front and neck back, then I was able to knit the whole thing in the round. Not sure if that makes any sense?

    And thanks Liza and Alice! I’m a-knittin’.

  5. helle Says:

    What a beautiful pattern and colour combination.

    I see you are wearing your fab home made trousers in one of the photos. I was so inspired by those that I bought the same book and hope to make something that fits properly soon.

    Interesting to see photos from Edinburgh. I will be visiting family there soon.

  6. Ellen Says:

    wow. I don’t know how you keep the plans for something so complicated and so slow going in your mind so clearly!!! This sweater is going to be gorgeous!!!

  7. boodely Says:

    Well spotted, Helle – the pants are getting lots of wear. I look forward to seeing yours.

    Ellen – I have a graph to keep me on track. Slow is right 😉

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