Further evidence that I am insane…

New yarn=new project.

I just can’t help myself.  I got this beautiful yarn from Sheep City USA this past week.  It’s called Astral from The Alpaca Yarn Co. and is a blend of Alpaca, merino wool, and tensel.  Oddly enough, aside from the soft feel and beautiful luster, the color really attracted me to this yarn, but it isn’t a typical color for me.  It’s a deep burgundy red, almost to the point of being brown.  I just love it.

So, as soon as I got home, I started searching for a sweater pattern that I’d love just as much as the yarn.  I browsed through pages and pages of sweaters before deciding I probably should have started by browsing patterns that I’d already marked as my favorites.  Sure enough, I had marked the Zarabel Sweater not very long ago.  It’s simply perfect for this yarn, and I’m pretty sure I’ll have enough of it.

Of course, I told myself that I should finish some of my other projects first.  I tried to remind myself that I’ll feel much better about starting something new if I just finish one or two of my UFOs.  It wasn’t working.  I decided I’d just go through the swatching process so that I’d be ready to start as soon as I finished another project.  I even tried to bribe myself with another project that would be more suitable to work on once the weather starts to warm up in a few weeks.  Still, no dice.

I had printed out the pattern directions by Friday and had cast on by Saturday night.  I even went so far as to take a trip to Joann’s to get a new package of stitch markers, since my other set is completely tied up in my Spanish Moss Coat.  Unfortunately, I didn’t get very far on Saturday, since on my first try at joining, I got the first round twisted, and then didn’t notice it until I was half way around again.  But today, I’ve managed to correct my false start and have several rows of the ribbing done.

I’ve also had a chance to peruse the pattern a bit more closely.  Yipes!  This one is really going to challenge me.  At least I have heard of all the terms, and I think I’ve done almost everything that is required…I’m just not confident or comfortable at many of them.  Thank goodness for KnittingHelp.com!  With the helpful videos on that site, and the detailed directions of the pattern, I should be able to successfully tackle this one.

April 5, 2010  Tags:   Posted in: Knitting

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