Krista Completa

Photos!

Dry enough to be unpinned from the blocking and photographed but not yet adequately dry for wearing. I'm hopeful about the shoulders.

Some of you may recall that I began this sweater last summer, put it away as it became clear I wouldn't have it finished in time for last season and have had a couple of slow downs as I've finished it this year. In general, its a very quick knit; I did all of the finishing myself, including the crocheted picot edging around the neck opening. There are a number of places my lace pattern is a bit off and being cotton, it really shows. I wish it weren't so but it does in fact distinguish it from any other mass-produced machine knit clothing. I'll do better on my next one. To me its very pretty, feminine and flattering.

So what's up next? I did some preliminary planning for a summer sweater I'd like to do in magenta Debbie Bliss Cathay (cotton, silk, viscose). I have no images to share with you; the sweater will be short sleeved, v-neck fairly dense wide-ribbed (for her pleasure) bodice and a very lovely loose fitting lower portion of lace and shell patterns. Its a hybrid of two patterns and I think I've got my math right and all should go well. I even had enough of the right gauge yarn in my "stash" so that's some kind of omen, yes? I'm working on my gauge swatches now to be sure and that will take some work but better safe than sorry when manipulating so many variables. Oh! Lucky Me! Not only did I just find this image of the sweater pattern from which I'm taking the bottom pattern, but the source (a 1991 Vogue Knitting special issue) was available at E-bay so I bought it (I'd been using a pirated and poorly copied single page).

Actually, now that I look at it again, I think I'll do more of this pattern than I'd planned; its beautiful and elegant. I'd like to have a v-neck and some sleeves; the sleeves will be easy enough but I might have to ask Marietta to help me convert the neckline to a V. It shouldn't be too difficult but I worry about the symmetry of the lacework closing off as the V expands... I think this sweater is beautiful and life would be more simple in this effort if I looked good in boat-necks and sleeveless but that's just not the way life is. Oh to hell with it; I have huge upper arms; I'll just make it like this and get over it. Its too pretty to screw with.

Indeed, I had planned to pick up Charlotte's Web, but in beginning the gauge swatch for this hybrid sweater, I've used up all of my stitch markers so I either need more markers or to find some way to liberate these in the swatch.... oh, you just have no idea how challenging it is to be a knitter! I'll get some markers somewhere eventually but its not worth a trip to the temptation store that is WoolWinders.

Surprise!

While I was preparing this post, my MIL came in with the day's mail. A nice little padded 5 X7 package containing this season's recording of the SFJazz Collective's work. I've been listening; its lovely. For those among you unaware, the Collective is a working octet that features a jazz legend each year with new arrangements by individual players as well as original compositions by each. This season's featured artist was Thelonius Monk so this recording along with my recent "Panamonk" purchase will offer some fine meditation on Monk's legacy for my road trip.

I'm a bit concerned about the future of the ensemble given Nicholas Payton's departure prior to this season, and Joshua Redman's (leader) announcement that he won't be returning next year. The ensemble is made up of supremely talented people but I do think with both Payton and Redman gone SFJazz will have to recruit a big name rather than an emerging master...