Drago[knit]fly

I've waited a year to write this post - Demi is done and I couldn't be happier. I stalled out on this sweater after lingering doubt about sizing got the best of me. Way back when I was first questioning the size, a couple of you gave me some sage advice that warned of Yorkshire Tweed's growing power and so I pushed on - well, after letting the WIP collect dust for several months. And, hell yeah, I'm wearing it today (now yesterday by the time I'm posting this!) despite the balmy temps. Warning: I went a teensy bit overboard with pictures. Pattern: Demi by Kim Hargreaves Source: Rowan Vintage Style Yarn: Rowan Yorkshire Tweed Aran in Thorny purchased here Needles: Size 6 & 7 Addis - down a size from the pattern. Buttons: From Joann's Dates Knitted: January 2007 - February 17, 2008. Sad and Pathetic. Mods: For me, a sweater's length is directly related to its wearability. I added three whole inches to the body of this sweater and a couple extra in...

I picked Demi up again this Fall after a long hiatus. Like 8 months long. It's funny, when I first started knitting Demi (over a year ago now), I was a slave to the chart. With all the traveling stitches and not one blank square, it's a bit intimidating. When I picked it up this time, something just clicked. Me and Demi were at one. It took me a year to knit the back, and a week to knit the front; that really says it all. Demi: back, front, and the start of some sleeves I'm about 10 rows from finishing the sleeves, which I am putting off by writing this post and trying to muster up something to make for dinner (I'm leaning towards raspberry pancakes). Me, cozied up with some Demi sleeves Oh, and did I mention our basement flooded? Only a few inches and we've been diligent about only letting rubbermaid bins touch the ground, so nothing was damaged. But still! This was our very first drama as homeowners. I came home early to "protect" the house, but still en...

First off, thanks to everyone who offered advice or just sympathized with me on my demi situation. I'm heeding a bit of all your advice--swatching a bit more, and if all goes well with that, I'm going to trust my math and proceed. I'm not thinking of the "doesn't work out" scenario. I think all the extra work will be well worth the trouble because if Demi works out, it will be a classic piece of my wardrobe. Wish me luck as I embark on this scary journey! So, I had these big plans (I always seem to) involving store-bought chocolates and handmade fabric valentines for J. But as we're getting slammed with all these wintery conditions up in New England, I'm home from work today and unable to get to the grocery store (okay, that's a complete lie. I live two blocks from Whole Foods, but it's cold! I've only motivated to go play in the snow with Miles, which doesn't require much motivation. Have you ever played fetch with a black lab puppy in...

Okay, I'm getting a little tired of shushing my inner knitter. After my meticulous, mathematical analysis supported by swatch samples and machine-made sweaters, I determined the exact number of stitches required for my perfect fitting, labor-intensive sweater that is demi. so, why does it look like this? This is Demi atop my "perfect sweater." UPDATE: I just wanted to mention that demi is completely unstretched in this picture. I can stretch it to the size of the sweater without distorting the cables. But I'm worried there won't be much stretch in the finished sweater, unlike the "perfect sweater." I know, I know, the yarn will bloom and I swatched and used math and swatched! And used math! But, but why is it sooo small? surely it can't bloom that much, right? I can block the heck out of it, but I don't want a lacy cabled sweater you can see through. You know what I'm talking about. I don't want to worry about always wearing a brown sh...