Nothing like tying up some loose ends…

Heh. Or in this case, finishing a Re-DO!

A few weeks (months?) ago, a Mondo Cable Cardi I made in Fall 2009 went back on the needles for some serious mods: what about changing the cap sleeves to long sleeves to refresh the whole look of it? Yes.

I’m getting ready to move and have been sifting through everything – fearlessly culling the used from the unused and sending the latter on its way.

But this was something that just seemed like it needed a second chance!

It was perfectly OK the way it was, but it just wasn’t getting enough play in the wardrobe.

The new rule is: if you don’t wear it there isn’t room for it. I’ve been merrily giving even unexpected garments their walking papers and I have to say – it is very liberating! ;p

But this little number had some great things going for it: it fit well and I loved the fabric (lightweight but cozy).

SO it earned a turn back on the needles when, while doing all that culling, I found some leftover yarn…

Since the sleeves were knit downward from the armhole, it was a quick frog of the ribbed edging on the cap sleeves and then a replacemet of the live stitches on the needles.

Something that always happens: the live stitches, being blocked, were flat and a little twisted. But I knew that at the end of the modding, I was going to give this a nice warm bath in some gentle, lavendar-herbal shampoo.

(It would, as they say, all come out in the wash – the stitches would puff up and match the rest of the sleeve.)

As I was working on the sleeves, I tried the sweater on several times. Each time I found myself folding the neck edging inward – to see if it worked better for this as a narrower band.

The MCCardi comes with instructions for a 1 (2, 4)” Collar so it would be a no-math exercise to replace & re-knit the neckline. I also wanted to try out some after-thought “buttonholes” with some smaller, lighter buttons.

And VOILA!

With a little bit of tinking and evening knitting, it’s like having a whole new sweater!

I thinkt it deserved a little “portrait” with my knitting library…

Monday Morning Mirth

No Shame: being one of the millions sucked into the early 20th-century sudz-fest that is Downtown Abbey…

I know I’m not alone in relishing the sets, the wardrobe, the tugs on my heartstrings…

But what is rather startling is that even though I’ve fallen head first into the rabbit hole, it’s still possible to burst the bubble!

YES! Only mixed metaphors will do when you see something so Machine Made before its time show up in the downstairs kitchen…(even though it’s sort of thrilling to see ye stitchery dramatized!)

So, really, what’s wrong with this picture?

…Today we have: a bookie wookie Blog Tour-ie!…

If you, like many in the knitting world, have a fine appreciation of all things *positively, smashingly UK* (Downton mania, anyone?), you might have tried a British knit or two…

I’ve been stitching anglophile-ish for ages now and it was on a blustery Friday evening in March 2006 that I met one of the best: Jean Moss, a designer renowned for working for fashion houses such as Ralph Lauren, Laura Ashley, Benetton, and in the hand-knitting realm, Rowan, etc…

She shared her design timeline with us in a most lively slideshow at the Windy City Knitting Guild that lifted me and made me want to not only run home and cast on, but draw and explore and immerse myself deep into the weft.

And it’s in her new book, Sweet Shawlettes, that you can see that she is still in love with the sticks; still giving page to styles that are joyful and spontaneous, just like she…

Here you’ll find:

the Traditional:

the Whimsical:

And my favorite, Glorious Plaid:

Within the book are 25 patterns, presented in a most appealing page layout: clear, legible, with lovely graphics and photography throughout.

All in all, an enjoyable tickle of a collection that combines wit with sophistication in a lovely “wrap” of a book…

Cheers, Jean!

…to spread the cheer and get a copy of this fine book, leave a comment about what you like about small projects below by 8am CST on January 31, 2012, and we’ll draw random and announce post deadline…

And, btw, F. Habit/he of the Panopticon is next on the tour — tell him I said HELLO!!!