Dakota Earth and Sky

Ta Da!!!!!!

I am so so so happy with this sweater- the only change I'd make to the pattern would be to have the sleeve cuffs just a tinch bigger, and increase a bit at the beginning of the Fair Isle portion of the sleeve (I used 44 sts, and I would go up to 48 for the CO, and then increase to 52, and then do the rest of the increasing as per usual- 2 sts every 3rd rnd, until I get the desired number of sts, and then work even for the proper length). That and the neckline- I still have trouble making a neckline that isn't too large. This one is better, but it's still cut a bit looser than I want. Both are easy fixes for the next time I knit a sweater with this size yarn and needles (I have a template now. Wahoo!)

I didn't take lots of pics during the steeking because the process was no different from Genevieve's Graduation sweater- cut, zig-zag edges, fold in, pick up and knit bands, sew in the sleeves. I did try to take a picture of the body, before I cut the front opening (I was testing to see if it would fit- which it did) but I can't figure out how to take an indoor pic and turn the flash off. Luckily, I had some good buttons on hand, so the sweater is finished, blocked, and drying.

I decided, almost at the last minute, to make solid color front and neckbands- I realized that the yellow/orange/peach would not look good up against the lighter top colors. I think that was the right decision.

Tomorrow, after the sweater dries, I'll model it, and get someone to take pics (I love y'all almost as much as I love showing off, but not enough to stand in the snow in a wet sweater).

Stats: Started knitting: November 9, 2008. Finished: November 24 (this is some sort of record for me, I think), Size 5 needles, all handspun yarns, the dark background colors are all undyed natural wools, most of which I acquired in the fleece, and then washed myself (and sent out for carding). The fibers are almost all long-wools (Romney, to be specific), though there is a bit of mohair, a bit of glitz, a bit of softer wool here and there. This is not a sweater that I will be able to wear without a shirt or turtleneck underneath. Some of these yarns were spun 6 or 7 years ago, some were just finished in August. The sweater weighs 2lbs, which is heavy, but not as heavy as I thought it was going to be. I might be able to wear it indoors (since I lost weight, I'm colder than I used to be).

So, now I have to concentrate on Christmas knitting, before I wind the absolutely gorgeous and soft and wonderful and fantastic brushed mohair yarn I got from Twisted Fiber Arts as the last installment of The Big Needle Club- 460 yards that will be perfect for a fuzzy shawl. I have the pattern picked out. But first, Holiday Knitting... I promise...