Wednesday, November 08, 2006



Finally!! I'm happy with the definition and pattern for the Jade Starmore "Beadwork" sweater. I played around a lot trying to make the more formal, finished look of the sweater fit into my current life style which is more jeans and fleece. Rather than quit working with the pattern, I changed the sweater design to a pullover worked in the round. I set it up with the charts from right to left as B A A A B C C C B A A A with the cable B at the sides so that tiny cable runs up the side "seam". Four stitches of B end up on each side of the sweater. I'm using Patons Classic Wool on US size 4 (3.5mm). It has a very silky feel to it and I was worried that the stitches wouldn't define well. As the photos show, the stitches do show!!! The color shows truer on the lighter color grey.

If you wonder what the little stitch markers are they are metal lock washers from Home Depot - cheap and plentiful rather than those nice colored rings I loose all the time. I'm not up to a full repeat of Chart C but the measurement so far shows 42-43" which is right where I wanted to be as a finished size.

All the swatching done for Beadwork was profitable as I learned a lot about the yarns being previewed. Also I swatched so much I've pretty well memorized the pattern and don't look at the charts very often. Still swapping knitting projects between a grandson's Aran which is being knit with a chunky super wash yarn and the Beadwork. What a difference in feel on the hands Can imagine that by the time I get back to the two ply jumper weight on the Fair Isle sweaters, it will feel like thread.

Rainy cold fall day again tomorrow and all the errands are run so I get to knit again tomorrow. Retirement sure is just what I was hoping it would be.

3 comments:

Rebecca said...

Lovely! Love the color and I'm just amazed about the Patons Classic yarn....especially, since I have seen it on sale for $4 a skein periodically! I'll keep an eye on your progress - of both Beadwork and Marina!

Shirley said...

Really like your new BW, it will be much more wearable in cold weather.

Where fibers meet mud said...

Little washers from Home Deposit - who'd a thought - thanks for the cheaper way!

Love your last sentence - Retirement sure is just what I was hoping it would be. - - - Only 6 more years and then errands and crafts - - if I could get crafts to pay I would do them full time - get that Honker large sewing machine and embroider all day long...

Enjoy - the sweaters for the Grandchildren are beautiful - I have some chunky that I will pull from the stash and swatch for the mister - it will be perfect... thanks for the idea and the display