I’ve blocked it and it is currently drying out now. This is what it looked like when I first finished it though.

It still looks more pink than the wine color it actually is. Oh well. I think it will actually fit the intended recipient too. Which is a positive. I would have been highly disappointed to do all that knitting only to have the item not fit. I started this sweater on 11 July and finished it today, 3 September. I think I can do better with the timing but other than that, no complaints.

Which brings me to the next item on my agenda. My hat, scarf, and gloves. You know, after buying the magazine which featured the pattern for this hat/scarf set, I actually had the nerve to get cold feet about knitting the Nomad Hat and Scarf? Then I thought to myself…what am I going to do with all this yarn I stashed away for the specific purpose of making this hat?

I am making the gloves first using the Men’s Convertible Gloves and Thumbs pattern by Steph Thomson for the sizing. With the right needle size, they fit my hands…well, like a glove. Having large hands makes it difficult for me to find a good pattern in women’s sizes, so I usually go for a men’s medium to large to compensate.

Anyway, this set of winter accoutrement is going to be very interesting. I’m starting the gloves off with mostly black but the fingers are going to be alternating colors with my standard black thumbs. The colors I’m using are Lion Brand’s Superwash Merino Cashmere in Green Tea, Wine, Black and Knit Picks in Wine Tasting. The hat will reflect this as best as I can manage but, as I have to hold the yarn double on larger needles, I don’t know how much yarn there will be to go around. The Lion Brand’s Superwash Merino Cashmere was discontinued years ago.

If I make a dog’s breakfast of it all, I’ll just frog the hat and reknit it as something more simple.

I made a little pledge to my good friend when telling him of my plans for the next few months. Once I get these two projects out of the way, I’m not going to knit for a while. Instead, I’m going to focus on my sewing skills. I’m really learning a lot from my studies but I feel as though my time is fragmented into too many segments for me to focus on any one thing for long enough to properly retain skills. So, I’m going to rework my schedule. Anything that hasn’t gotten my focus is getting eliminated. Anything I’m doing well enough in is getting more focus. So, German is going to get more time while other things will be replaced.

In the realm of the Aerogarden, I’ve eliminated the Basils and put the Spearmint in a cup to sit with the other potted plants. I’m really hoping that it’ll survive but if it doesn’t, I can always buy more seed and grow it in my windowsill. In place of the herbs, I am growing yellow tomatoes. They’re called Patio Choice Yellow and I’m looking forward to tasting them. They’ve got a forty-five day maturity rate.

Not much else is happening in my home. I’m listening to and liking a band that came up on a YouTube recommendation the other day. I’m hoping to get to see them in concert in November when they come to DC. It is rare for me to feel compelled to see someone in concert. They’re that good though.

My legs are swelling up like tree trunks but that’s not really good news or fun, so I won’t focus on that.

If you’ll excuse me, I’m going to go onto YouTube and watch Beginner’s Guide to Sewing. Until the next time, have a safe and fantastic journey around the Sun. Take care, my friends.