Woot! New favorite sweater!!!

Pattern: Architectural Rib Pullover by Norah Gaughan - pattern in The Natural Knitter - I did the smallest size
Yarn: Rowan Felted Tweed, maybe 7 skeins but I lost track because I've become completely unorganized
Needles: Denise size 5 circs, Inox size 4 circs for sleeve ribbing and turtleneck
Discussion: OMG! I love this sweater!!! These pictures don't do it justice. I kept having Mike take more and more shots, but then I realized that the camera will never capture the full awesomeness of it so I settled. My mom bought me the book and the yarn for Christmas, and I cast on the day after. It took me a lot longer to finish this than it should because I kept getting interrupted by other projects (onset of knitting ADD*). I became somewhat monogamous with it again during the NCAA Tournament because I found that as long as I was sitting on the couch, wearing nasty sweatclothes and working on this sweater, my Tigers would win. (There - that's the reason they lost the championship. I was there rather than at home in my teal sweatpants from the 80s and my sorority sweatshirt that's 5 sizes too big for me. Totally my fault.)

This is a great pattern. It's such an unusual design - you knit the big ribbed, cable-y part from the bottom front up, put a neckhole in, go down (hee hee) the other side, then pick up stitches along the sides and knit outwards to the sleeves. It was so fun, and very easy to follow. And I think Felted Tweed is a perfect yarn for this project. Just the right amount of tweed, and it's lightweight enough so that you don't swelter in the high turtleneck.

Speaking of the turtleneck, that's the ONLY thing I'd change in my sweater. See that little bump right under the back of my neck? I think if the turtleneck weren't so high, that would lie down flat. I like the look of the high neck, but I'd also like the sweater to lie down in the back. But I'm fine with it.

Norah - if you're reading my blog, thank you so much for such a great sweater. YOU RULE when it comes to interesting design!!! I can't wait to do something out of Knitting Nature. I think my first project is going to be the skirt on the front.

Before I do that, though, I have other things to finish. I am making a promise to myself to finish this list of things before casting on for anything else (exception to this rule is below):

1. Swallowtail Shawl - I told someone (notice I didn't say "friend") that I'd make this for a silent auction because she said if I did, she could get some letters of recommendation written by some very influential people to help me get Hayden into this private school we're hoping he'll go to in the fall. I tried my hardest, but it just didn't happen. I could've finished it today, but I've run out of yarn. Yes, I am 2 rows away from binding off, and I've run out of yarn. And the shop I bought it from doesn't have any more of that color. M-f'er. I'm not totally concerned about the dye lot - after all, I am insanely close to being done. I'm going to go to another LYS in town to see if they have it. If not, I found that color on Jimmy Beans Wool's website, so I'll order it. One f-ing skein for 3 f-ing rows.
2. sleeves for a friend - those got put aside when the urgency of the shawl popped up, but now they're resurfacing
3. Baby Surprise Jacket - I started this for that auction as well - 2 knitted things would get me more letters of recommendation, right? I'm not even 1/3 of the way done. Oh well. I'm using Blue Sky Organic Cotton in gender neutral colors, so whatever size it turns out to be will determine who the lucky recipient is out of the pregnant people I know.

The exception to this rule is/are afghan squares. My LYS is doing a afghan KAL, and I'm a sucker for a KAL! I wasn't going to do it because I know I have too much stuff going on, but I caved. I've got 5 great colors of Cascade 220 to work with, so I'm looking forward to this. The shop owner will tell everyone in the KAL what 2 squares to add every Friday. I figure these squares will be my portable projects - every knitter needs one of those.

I've got lots of things waiting in the wings to be cast on for, so I better get to knitting!

(* - Funny ADD story: Hayden's occupational therapist is working on his cursive with him. They've mastered a, c, d, g, e, and l. Last week they started working on putting letters together to form words, and she gave me a sheet for him to practice at home. One of them was "add". I looked at her and asked why she was having him write ADD. Wow - do I live in the land of disorders or what?)