The moment of realization

In knitting, we have many moments of realization.  The moment where you think”Hmm… maybe “close enough” wasn’t really with my guage,” or “Perhaps agreeing to knit a sweatercoat out of Lion Brand Handspun was not my wisest moment.”  Today I had my own moment of realization.

I will not have enough yarn to finish Honey.  I would have had enough, had I been more careful in frogging Manon (but we all know how tricky a Norah Gaughan sweater can be to frog!)  I ran to the interwebs, searching for more of the yarn, which of course is discontinued.  I finally found some on Ebay, and I should have it by next week (I ordered from the same place I got my first bag, in hopes of finding the same dyelot.)

So I still don’t have an FO for you all, and I was so hoping to be finished!  I am so close… I am on the last sleeve, with only sewing up remaining after that (thank goodness this isn’t one of the Kim Hargreaves patterns with everything knit separately!)

Ah well… I can swatch for something new!  I was thinking of the february lady sweater, if only because I want to use my happy skull buttons.

I’m not sure though… I have three skeins of yarn, one of which is slightly lighter, but I hate to alternate skeins, just hate it, so I’m not sure if I want to start this one yet.

I did  some more swatching…

The teal swatch (darker in person)is Elann Peruvian Highland Chunky for Linden (Twist Collective.)  I get 3.75 st/ in on size 10 needles, which is close to the pattern gauge, and I expect something this heavy and chunky to stretch a bit.  This yarn is softer than the worsted weight version, and very easy to knit with.  I’m so happy to see affordable chunky yarns – last year I had to resort to Cascade (109?) and it was not a good experience.

The green swatch is for polly, the chunky sweater from the new Kim Hargreaves book.  It uses the same texture stitch as Honey, so I am familiar.  The yarn is also Elann, this time Superwash Chunky.  My only complaint with this yarn is that it does split easily.  Again, it’s nice and soft, with a pretty sheen. I’m not sure I love it for this sweater.  I am nervous about the tendency of superwash to stretch, so I may compensate by making it a bit small.  We will see!

I also have some more living room photos.  I love the color now that my furniture is all back!  I do not like that chair, we will be replacing it as soon as we can afford to!

I even got some of my cross stitch up on the walls!

I’m starting to put things up on all the walls.  Since we aren’t painting this week, I have time to take care of smaller details (although I can’t wait for all the painting to be done, but one thing at a time!)

The cats approve.