I finished another cranked headband this week, and I picked up a sweater that has been almost finished for about 10 1/2 years. No joke. I started it around August of 2004, had all the knitting on the body and sleeves done by March of 2005, and only needed to knit the neck and make two gussets for the arms (I had shortened them as they had originally been designed for women whose arms can touch their knees when hanging by their sides, but ended up eliminating more increases than I should have, so they were a bit tight, and didn't want to reknit the sleeves). It's been sitting in my knitting pile ever since. So, I finally grabbed the yarn and needles and started the gussets, and I'm going to pick up the neck stitches to finish that off as well. If I get the gussets sewn in and the side and sleeve seams done this week, I will have another finished object that is pretty impressive, in my opinion. Even here, it isn't quite cold enough to wear this during the day, but by the end of the month it will be. It took me all of an hour and a half to knit a gusset, and that was with plenty of interruptions, so again I find myself wondering why I didn't do it before. This is another reason to pick classic and timeless patterns, rather than faddish ones, I suppose.


Swatch for Amira, which needs testers in about a month.
I will be needing testers in November for a woman's, sleeveless shell, knit in the round, with minimal back and forth knitting and only as much seaming as you like. As you can see from the swatch, it involves texture and simple lace. The pattern requires standard chart reading skills, ability to increase and decrease, make yos, knit in the round, and pick up stitches. Right now, I'm working on my own top in a deep red. There are no specific brand requirements for the yarn, simply a DK weight yarn that knits up at 5.5 stitches per in in stockinette (the gauge for the top will be about 5.25 spi, but I want a yarn that will drape well at that gauge). I'd like to have at least two testers per size: 29", 34", 39", 44", 49" finished bust (corrected measurements). Yardage requirements are calculated for each size, respectively, as: 790, 900, 1000, 1100, 1225 yds. This is still an estimate, however, so I recommend getting an extra skein of whatever you buy, or if you are using stash, making sure that you have an extra ball's worth of the yarn. I'll want you to join a Facebook group for testers, if you are able, but will require a Ravelry entry, tagging me in it, and a link up when the pattern is released. The specific details will be given if you take this on for me. I will give the finished copy of the pattern to testers when the pattern is released, a percentage/amount off coupon to my Ravelry Store for those who complete the test, and a coupon for a free pattern for those who provide photos and link up to the pattern page. If you are able to do this, please contact me. Here's the weekly reminder to like Arabian Knits Designs on Facebook, if you haven't already. That's where I put updates and testing opportunities and other design news. Thank you!

I'm continuing with Everywhere Present: Christianity in a One-Storey Universe, and hope to get enough time to sit and read it soon so I can finish it. We finished Hitchhiker's Guide and are moving on to The Restaurant at the End of the Universe in The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, 25th Anniversary Edition.



Also posting to Keep Calm and Craft On, and Yarn Fanatic Party.

Labels: Books, Design, Family, FOs, Homemaking, Knitting, Yarn Along