The semi-secret sweater project

It's not actually a secret. It's Alice Starmore's Inishmore.



I'm knitting it for a fellow Wrimo who wants a big, comfy fisherman's sweater.

I officially started it (read: finally stopped screwing it up after the ribbing) on Jan. 26th and have been zipping along ever since. Well, for a given value of "zipping".

There are good things and bad things about this pattern. The good thing is, the cables aren't difficult to memorize and it's easy to start working with only a cursory glance at the pattern once you've knit a few repeats.

The bad thing is...the cables aren't difficult to memorize. Even mixing it up--back, sleeve, front, sleeve--the pattern starts to become tedious. I'm now about halfway through the second sleeve and am alternating between finding the speedy knitting enjoyable and wanting to throw it out the window.

I'm using KnitPicks Bare Peruvian Highland Wool, and oh boy. Never again, at least not for cable work. It had a terrible tendency to split or untwist when the stitches are moved, which can spell disaster for the look of a cable if the knitter isn't paying enough attention. Fortunately, I haven't had any mishaps that are 1) too hard to fix or 2) grossly noticeable.

Another good thing about the cable pattern? It's easy enough to work on while on the computer. Or, in my case, while playing the new Sims 2 expansion pack. What's not to love about Sims who go to a secret Arts & Crafts lot and talk about knitting? (They do, if you watch closely enough!)

The second primary-colored sock is still on the needles. I finished the gusset during last night's Lost, and will probably end up finishing the sock sometime during the gap between the pre-strike 8 episodes and the post-strike 5, at which point there will be more pictures. (Does anybody else put their knitting down when something pivotal happens to Desmond?)

That's it on the knitting front for now. I shall return, sooner rather than later.

Mood: hungry
Music: The Frames - Sad Songs