Two swatches. TWO
I have a WIP on Wednesday again, and it's safe to say that at this moment my knitting is definitely not monogamous. Where did I go wrong, etc etc?
Idlewood caused some uncharacteristic behaviour in me. When I saw it, I thought, "I NEED TO KNIT THIS RIGHT NOW." A week later, the yarn arrived on my doorstep, and I eagerly dived in.
Another uncharacteristic move connected with this project: I swatched twice. You heard. Because the Troon Tweed is oiled, I thought it would change a lot with blocking, so I was extra careful. As many have done before, I made a pocket as my swatch. And then another.
For those of you considering Idlewood, note that the gauge supplied, 15 sts / 4 in, is more typical for a bulky yarn, although the yarn used is worsted weight. I hadn't noticed this until I'd bought the yarn, and it turned out not to be one of those that looks awesome at a loose gauge.
My original gauge was tighter than the pattern calls for, but still way looser than I'm comfortable with, so I went down a needle size and resigned myself to sizing mods. It's still loose, but it looks a lot better on 5.5 mm needles, I think.
A heart. Aw.
This is what I've done so far. Not much, but I like it.
See more WIP Wednesday posts on Tami's Amis
I completely understand your reaction to this pattern. It's so modern and wearable, especially in the gray tweed that you chose. I also have it lined up as my After Christmas Knitting gift to myself. Thanks for the tip on the gauge. Knitting the pockets as a gauge swatch is a terrific idea!
ReplyDeleteIt's exciting to get that "must cast on right now!" feeling about a project, and I love Cecily Glowik MacDonald' patterns too. I look forward to seeing your Idlewood.
ReplyDeleteWOW, what a FANTASTIC pattern! I'm adding it to my Ravelry queue, despite just learning to knit. Maybe a year or two from now I'll be good enough at knitting to try it! You chose a great yarn for it!
ReplyDeletevery pretty, may have to consider one myself
ReplyDeleteHaha I actually had that reaction myself, I faved it straight away when I saw the pattern a week or two ago. But I don't have a good track record with bigger projects. Maybe one day!
ReplyDeleteCan't wait to see how you get on with yours.
Very nice, love the yarn you chose. That would be too warm for me here in the desert. I think I may make that for my daughter back in Western NY.
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