I always feel a little sad when I don’t have a sweater on the needles.  To combat this, I decided to cast on for the flutter sleeved cardigan from the current Interweave.  I’m using O-Wool Balance in Lapis.

Shortly after I took the photo I measured the sweater, and found that although I am making up my own size 32 sweater (I’m sorry, 36 is not a small) it was coming out too large.  I was frustrated because I swatched.  I always swatch, yet I have been plagued by gauge problems lately.  I was using size 6 needles, so I went down to 5s and swatched… and the gauge was dead on.  Then I started thinking… you know my ill fated hexacomb cardi, the first one where I blamed the pattern for my gauge problems?  It was swatched at the same time as this yarn a few weeks ago, both on size “6” needles.  Um… I went back and checked on a few other yarns, and those weren’t size 6 needles I swatched on.  They were 5s.  Oopsie.  Actually, it’s quite a relief to realize that I haven’t miraculously started knitting tighter lately.  I was getting really discouraged about my inability to get sweaters started well, but now it’s all better!

I’ve cast on again using smaller needles, and all is well.  The O-wool balance knits up beautifully, but be forewarned that it contains a ton of vegetable matter.  We’re talking almost Noro level here.  I don’t mind so much, but it’s something to realize.

I have a photo of joy, over 50% complete!  I only have 1 front and one of those tiny sleeves remaining. 

The pattern has been nice in general.  I don’t like the way the collar is coming out, and I’m not sure about my seaming… I left the ends out so I can take this apart and try again.  I used whip stitch for the body, and that worked great (this is what my comfi cardi called for, and unlike in knitted pieces the whip stitching is invisible.)  I used mattress stitch for the shoulder and sleeve, but I’m not thrilled with is.  The pattern recommends back stitch, which I don’t know how to do, but I may try to learn in oder to fix it.  Does anyone have a suggestion?   I think this will be a cute sweater when it’s done!

I’ve been in kind of a funk lately… Marc was gone all week to a conference, though he’s back now, and we’re almost to Easter, so I won’t have any days off for a week.  Last year I played all the Easter masses, but this year I will sing them.  That means I won’t have to save my wrists for all the extra work, so I’ll be able to get in some good stress knitting!