Sticking with Summer

I must confess that I have been holding on to summer.

Thompson River Socks "Yarn Test" Swatch

It's never been easier.

For all of Summer 2016 the temperatures have been above normal.  It has been particularly warm and humid for this first part of September.

We vacationed in South Carolina very late in the summer -- eight days of mostly clear skies -- heavenly.  Taking a vacation in late August made me feel like we were just then in the middle of summer.  I have been holding on to that feeling.

Beach Knitting (Secret Project)

My "day job" work projects have allowed me to work out of my home for the last several months.  Though nearby schools have been in session since the week before labor day, I have yet to see a single school bus on the road anywhere.  (The closest school bus stop is a half mine from my home.) 

I have no young children and I am not on any kind of a school-year schedule these days.

I have mentioned before that I love the warmer parts of the year.  They are also the brightest parts of the year. 

For just a little longer you will find me sticking with summer. 

Truthfully, though, we are forecast to have more normal temps this next week.  I will be spending some time writing class descriptions for October and November knitting classes that I will teach at my LYS.  (I will share that and some of my newest knitting soon.)

 I expect that I will be seeing my first school bus one day very soon...

In Pieces

One day last week, I finished knitting all of the pieces for my "Everyday Sweater".  I blocked them in my usual way:  I hand-washed them and laid them out to dry on towels.  You can see that blocking has greatly reduced, but not totally eliminated, the natural tendency of stockinette stitch to curl.  I could flatten the pieces a bit more by steam pressing them, but I do not think it necessary.  Seaming will be next, followed by I-cord bind-off to finish the edges, and finally the insertion of a zipper.  Depending on my time and the winter light, I hope to share some photos.  

The pattern is "Cuirassier's Cardigan" by Emma Welford from the recent Winter 2014 Knitscene magazine.  I am using an old standby kind of a yarn:  Cascade 200 in navy.  This project is an attempt to knit a sweater that I can and really will wear everyday.  Over the years, I have made a great number of sweaters that I have rarely worn.  I would like to have a few that actually fit within my everyday workday wardrobe.  My goal for my next couple of sweaters will be wearability.  Time will tell if I am successful.

Meanwhile, how about a sneak peek of a design that my daughter has requested?

Unfortunately, the first "prototype" for this design has the wrong fit, and requires a complete "do over".  Not all bad, because I am always knitting anyway, and fortunately it is not a very large piece.  The yarns that my daughter selected from my stash include some navy Cascade 220 (I did say it was an old standby) in a different dye lot from my newer navy sweater yarn.

I have one more stack of pieces to show you.

It has been a couple of months since I finished knitting all the pieces for my "Unnamed Henley".  The pattern is "Sapwood" by Amy Herzog available at Twist Collective.  The yarn: Louet Gems Sport Weight.

I had been saving the finishing work on this project for the purpose of teaching finishing classes (at Gosh Yarn It!) but they were canceled (student sign-ups were below the shop's class minimum).  Perhaps they might be rescheduled; but either way, I do plan to create some tutorial posts during the finishing of this one.  The color is lighter and brighter than the navy, and this one involves some buttons and buttonholes.

Please leave a comment if you have any thoughts on these pieces, or on finishing, or on classes that you would like to take.  I would love to hear from you!  Thanks!