Dropping the Ball

Thora is an enjoyable and engrossing project, but it is also exasperating.  The exasperation is my own doing because of the moth problem and the prospect of running out of yarn.  The sweater back took a bit over 5 of the 13 undamaged skeins.  Actually there are nearly 14 undamaged skeins, but I used most of one on my various swatches.  I tried taking apart the swatches, but I end up with bits of yarn, and I still don’t think I’ll have enough to complete the garment.

The blocked finished back is fluid and it drapes beautifully. 

It has been tricky to measure because of the flare at the bottom, but the size seems perfect.  I got used to Elsebeth Lavold's cables when I knit Liv (starting and ending the cable in a panel of reverse stockinette requires lifted increases on the public and private side).  The result is quite beautiful, making the cable appear as if it arises from nowhere. 

And then disappears invisibly.

My main challenge so far was to try to manage this sweater in the yarn I have.  I’ve dropped the ball on that, and I ordered more yarn from WEBS this weekend.  It is the same color, but different dye lot.   I hope it is not so different that the sleeves do not match the body, so there is still an element of suspense.   I plan to knit the sleeves from the new dye lot, so there is no transition in the middle of a piece. 

My moth problem has ended up being more expensive than I intended for July.  This is a month where I typically recover financially for the great sucking sound that attacks my checkbook in June (taxes, taxes, and health insurance).  The nice elected officials in my county have “kindly” scheduled their cut of my income at the same time the Feds and the inept jerks in our state government want quarterly taxes.  (I live in NY, and if the circus that masquerades for our “government” has made it into your news, you’ll know what I mean.  The state senate has been deadlocked for around a month while various politicians jockeyed for power.  They did, however, manage to get together long enough to vote to release their paychecks.) I am usually broke in July, but by time the cash vacuum cleaner is recharged in September (for more taxes, taxes, and health insurance), I’ve earned enough to pay for those expenses.  Since I ordered wool wash from Knit Picks, I also got needles and notions and a skein of the City Tweed to play with.  Amazon is the source of my moth traps, and also a new teapot.  The teapot really could have waited, but while I was ordering….   And the Zara from WEBS will be accompanied by some Malabrigo and Madeline Tosh sock yarn.  I just can’t help myself.  So later on this week, I’ll have some drool-worthy photos.  And a few extra weekends of work might be required to balance my budget. 

For now, though, I will fall back on my garden pics.  Despite a hailstorm last week, which knocked over the zucchini (the plants are muddy but unharmed), everything is looking quite lush.  I’m about to pull up the spring vegetables in the covered rows and replant fall broccoli, more carrots, and more Swiss chard.  There is a new row of beets under the fourth row cover. 

And I harvested our first, of what I expect will be many, cucumbers.  There are a lot more just days from picking.

In about a week, I should have my French filet beans:

The main-season beefsteak tomatoes have begun to set fruit.

But the eggplants are still suffering from the relatively cool and wet weather.  They don’t even have flowers yet--but the most fabulous buds I've ever seen.

But no matter what else I do this weekend, it will be time for my second batch of pesto—and I’ll have enough dill for my salmon (despite the slugs) for dinners this week.

 

Comments

[Linda M.]

Thora is gorgeous and I think it will be very flattering on you. I hope the sleeve color blends well enough. did you think at all about alternating strands of the two dyelots to help blend them together? I am going to have to try to make those closed cables some day. I love the way they look in Lavold's and St*rmore's designs.

[Jenny]

Well, it was nice of you to stimulate the economy anyway! You're doing your part to end this recession, right? ;) The garden looks so great!

[Wool Enough]

Thora is simply stunning. Y'know one thing I have done in the past when two dyelots didn't quite match (one darker, one lighter) was to gently soak the darker one in warm water for a bit to 'encourage' it to lighten up. Of course, if they're off as to hue, that's a different issue entirely.

[Caroline M]

I hope that the dyelots turn out to be close enough to call it a match. Your garden looks lovely, we had our first potatoes yesterday. We have no beans this year, the dog ate them all as soon as they went in.

[tiennie]

Look at your garden grow! I hope you have enough yarn because that is too gorgeous not to be finished!