flip that switch!

It's taken me years to figure this out, but I have a switch in my brain. You know, like a light switch. Somewhere around mid-Summer, with no correlation to weather, the switch gets flipped. And once it's flipped, there's no turning back. I am fully in FALL SWEATER KNITTING MODE.

Last year it happened after the Fall Vogue came out in early August. I saw the Cabled Hoody and had to cast on right away. So, a couple of Thursday ago, my switch flipped for 2009. I honestly can't tell you what did it. It's been hot, so it wasn't some onset of cooler weather. And the Fall magazines hadn't come out yet, so it wasn't a batch of new inspiration. But who cares why! Let's look at WHAT:

First sweater casted on: my Get Down Cable Down.

• Pattern: Cable-Down Raglan by Stefanie Japel, from Interweave Knits Spring 2007, or available from Interweave as a pdf download
• Yarn: Cascade Venezia Worsted (220 yds/100g, 70 merino/30 silk), 5 skeins in Charcoal, #131
• Needles: US6 (4,0mm)
• Size: 38"

This was so much fun to knit that I cruised through it in a week and a half. Loved the cables, loved the way Stefanie placed the waist cables just right to achieve waist shaping without having to actually knit shaping. I love the way the center panel of cables diminishes my Ladies (OK - not exactly in profile view - but definitely in head-on view!) and draws a vertical line. Lots of love here, folks! (BUT - don't miss the errata for this pattern. And personally, the 2nd error listed is still not fixed to my satisfaction.)

Of the three sweaters that caught my fancy when the switch flipped, this is the only one I've finished so far. The second sweater cast on is Diminished, AKA the Diminished Rib Cardigan, by Andrea Pomerantz from Interweave Spring 2009. I am knitting this in some BEAUTIFUL handspun merino by Paula Webb, one of my local customers who also sells her handspun in the shop. I'm not quite ready to put the sleeves on hold with this one.

The third sweater has been swatched, but not started. It is Assemblage, by Norah Gaughan from Norah Gaughan Vol 3. I swatched (successfully!) in Cascade Eco Alpaca, and I can't tear myself away from knitting it in the same cream color that it's pictured in the booklet. Oh well. Worse things have happened!

Comments

[Julia]

I'm sooo ready to order up some Venezia for the cable down...just need to pick the color. I tried on yours by the way, and it fits perfectly, thank you very much! :-)

[leslie]

okay. a week and a half!!!
man are you fast!!
it looks LOVELY.
and assemblage is one of my all time favorites...i just love a good cardi... been on my list for a while..... look forward to seeing yours.

[E Carey]

beware of dimishing rib cardi...look at ravelry- lots of dissatisfied knitters! ps love your hair!

[Nell]

Very cute!!! It fits perfectly!

[Trudi]

Looks great. Think I need to add it to the long list of things to knit.

[Sharon]

I'm blown away by how many things you fly off your needles!!