Sonoma Red sweater slowly grows

The Sonoma sweater got off to a great start. Independence kicked in while deciphering the Knitting Pure and Simple pattern. This first foray into sweater making called for more than the pattern's stockinknit only. And, I wanted to do the whole thing neck down, none of this going back and picking up stitches to knit the neck band. What do I know about knitting sweaters? Forging blithely ahead I knit down the shoulders to the parting of ways between sleeves and body. Placing the stitches onto some weedeater and I eagerly tried it on. It slipped over my head no problem (I'd had foresight to adjust that part) but it looked too funky around the neck. sigh. I also wasn't thrilled with the design work I was doing down the raglan sleeves where wonky stitches sat in disarray.

Joining many other Red Sweater KALers at the frog swamp on Friday the 17th, I gulped and ripped. All the way. This time, now that I understand the principle of gradually increasing the neck line, I'm following instructions. Kind of - still must have some stitch design! There's about 3 inches of seed stitch on the front between the raglans, another cluster at the top of the raglans before taking up the Vines Rib pattern from the Vogue Knitting Stitchionary Bk One, and one small square of them center back right below the neck line, in a nod to Lene's clever embellishment.



The picture was taken on the eighteenth - I was determined to make up for lost stitches. I'll be slipping the arm stitches onto weedeater today. There should be plenty of knitting time today and tomorrow. (Though as chief driver I never get the luxury of knitting in the car on the journey to be with family.)

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!