the saga of the still sleeveless striped sweater

without the flash - the grape purple is true, the other colors look a bit washed out.

with a flash - the other colors are closer to true. The not-really-working-for-this sweater color is the purple in the right hand side.

Back to the knitting! (I tried to pick it up earlier today, but without the joy of AC and in today’s heat and humidity it just didn’t happen. Now that it’s starting to cool off a bit, I can reach for the needles)

The striped sweater was started with the idea of using up the cotton fleece I had stashed; I bought a new green and the antique lace to round out the swatch I did, but I thought that was a small contribution to an entire sweater. I am taller then some, and wanted the body of the sweater to be long enough for me, but those extra inches took up more yarn then I thought it would. The sleeve “coat hanger” math proved to me that I wasn’t going to have enough yarn for two long sleeves (or even one long sleeve now that I’ve re-evaluated). I thought a new color purple and a new striping scheme would solve my problem, but everything I tried looked “off.” (I’ve knit and frogged 4 times, and am sick of trying to get it started only to take it out again, and have HAD IT with untangling the 7 colors!) This past Friday I ran by my “real” local yarn store (up near my parents) and the owner was in! (I’ve missed her the past few times I’ve been to the store.)

She looked at what I’d knitted up and then said what I had been thinking; I was going to need to get another skein of each and knit the sleeves in the same striping as the body. It will look great (I really like how the stripes look) but getting another 8 skeins sorta throws my “it won’t cost much because it’s all from my stash!” plan out the window. I picked up a few colors that day, and she’ll call me when the other colors come in (it could be a few weeks, so I have time to set the project aside and let it be for awhile – that’s probably a good thing given my current frustration with it.), and buying the skeins in parts will be easier for my checkbook. I really like the owner (and she knows me by name) and I’m certain that she wasn’t giving her opinion simply because she wanted a sale; I trust her, and look forward to being closer to her store next year!

(I hate yarn store workers who follow me around and push yarn I’d never buy on me. There’s one store down here that has great prices, but one store worker insists on talking to me while I look; I’ve tried not to be rude, and don’t often respond back, but her loud and unwelcomed rambling often sends me out of the store without any purchases. My ideal yarn stores have a “browse as you please, we’ll be here to help when you’re ready” policy, and don’t act overly snobbish when they see me; some must believe I have no idea what I’m doing, or that I can’t possibly knit anything simply because I look young. Those are the people I like to be looking over my shoulder when I pull out a finished product – it doesn’t always shut them up (some have the gumption to point out what I’ve done wrong) but at least they know they aren’t talking with a beginner.)

Now I’m off to swatch for Rogue; there are a few yarns in the running, and it might take a few different needles to find the right gauge. Please keep a good thought for Mia, who is taking the first part of her medical boards tomorrow. (edited to add: her boards are Wednesday - but I don't think good thoughts go bad over time...)