Springtime makes me itchy, and I’m not talking about allergy season (though it does happen.) In a whirlwind of yarn and needles I’ve cast on many projects – I don’t mind doing that because I do find that I like them at different times. Some are better while Lorelai is up and playing or watching tv – garter or stockinette stitch on big needles, and some are better for when I am a video-game widow (Dan is now sucked into “Resident Evil 5”)- cables, lace, shaping, etc.
In review:
Anklets
These are the “Pom Pom Peds” anklet pattern from PurlBee.com. The yarn is the same as my iPhone mitts – “Bekka” by Ruby Sapphire. I still have 97 yards left! Finishing these socks has brought my LimeNViolet Sock Marathon total to 0.25 miles.
I am working on a cardigan, which is a sample knit for Romney Ridge Farm in Maine. 
The yarn is really nice – I love that in my email conversations with Kelly, I have learned the yarn, which is a wool-angora-mohair blend, contains bits of Alice and Mellow the rabbits along with Uma the Angora goat. That just makes me smile – to really “know” where the fiber comes from. The back is done and I’m maybe a third finished with one front.
I have started a top for Lorelai, Necco Wafer from the Spring 2009 Twist Collective. I worked up the sleeve at SnB on Thursday – I’m really loving how it is coming out – Betsy sent me the teal yarn for the body and I have plenty of Cotton Classic in my stash for the contrast stripes. 
I thought I was off and running on Thursday evening, but yesterday when I picked it up again, I found a snag! My sleeve measured 12 inches when it should have only measured 8.5 inches!!! I checked the pattern again. Checked my knitting again. Checked the measurements again. And I couldn’t figure out what the problem was. I sat and thought a long time before sending off a message to the designer – I was pretty sure that it was something I did. I have heard other knitting designers discuss receiving emails about pattern issues and I really didn’t want to be a bother.
Well, Carol was so gracious! She replied to me quickly and as soon as I read what she wrote, the light bulb went off and I felt like the biggest idiot. I really should read the pattern all the way through before knitting. I had knit to a certain length, then started the sleeve increases. If you are knitting this pattern, don’t do that! Follow the directions, especially the part in capital letters that says “AT THE SAME TIME” – start your increases in the stripe section, while you are knitting to the length. Oy. Thank you Carol again for guiding me on that! I hope I am the only person to miss that! I was able to reknit the sleeve last night while we watched “To Kill a Mockingbird”. All is good!
I’ve also started another pair of socks – I’m test knitting the pattern, but it deserves it’s own post because the pattern / yarn is part of a good cause. More on that later.
I’m expecting this to be a good mail week – I received one swap package over the weekend (Regional Yarn Swap) and I need to blog that. I am expecting a swap for St. Patrick’s Day. Intention Yarns have shipped. I fell down and bought a destash of organic cotton from misshawklet. And I was able to score a phatfiber box!
