Thursday, January 18, 2007

Knitting Updates and Grand Titles

Well, I'm slowly slogging away at my green cardigan. I've finished the back, fronts, one sleeve, and am 95% done on the last sleeve. Once that sleeve is done I get to do the fun part of sewing it all up and knitting the collar.

At first, I didn't care for the arrangement of cables I chose, but it's starting to really grow on me. I think I might name it my "Rohan Cardigan".

Now, I realize that's a bit gradiose for a simple cardigan, but as it's my first cable design, I figured it merited some sort of majestic name! (For those poor, uninitiated readers, "Rohan" is a place in The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien.)

If you've seen the Lord of the Rings movies directed by Peter Jackson, you might have noticed the Celtic/Saxon influences in his depiction of the Riders of Rohan. I thought my cables are vaguely reminiscent of the design motif of Rohan.

All this to say that I figured if I named my sweater after something I really like, perhaps that'll give me the urge to actually finish it, so I can wear it! (Perhaps I should rename my kitchen, "The Palace of Galadriel"; maybe then I'll have an easier time keeping it clean!)

I finally finished the striped socks for - - - - -'s birthday. (Hee hee, keep guessing!) I just loved the Plymouth Sockotta yarn. I'd definitely buy it again.

This is some yarn I recently picked up at JoAnn's. The skein on the left I'm going to use to make some socks for my nephew Caleb. His mom is throwing him a Lego party, and I thought the colors in the yarn were sort of "lego-y". I'm hoping to start them tonight or tomorrow. (You've got to check out the link to her blog. The birthday parties she throws for her son are a riot.)

The pink skein of yarn is for my sister, Angie (I hope you like it, Ange!). It's very pink and fluffy, and I hope it's durable enough for socks. I'm going to reinforce the heel with nylon thread (as recommended by Elizabeth Zimmerman, that incomparable knitter), so that should help. She's always giving me scrapbooking stuff, so it's nice to return the favor.

- - - - Especially as it's soooo cold in Atlanta (please note the dripping sarcasm. ) The temperature here in Illinois is 2 degrees. She says it's a "cold" 40 degrees in Atlanta. Grrrrrrrrrr.)

3 comments:

Shelley L. MacKenzie said...

Your cardigan is going to look great all put together! Great job on the socks, love the colours! Can't wait to see the socks you knit up with the other yarn too.

Ali said...

Your cable design is very Celtic-y. I think it's a fitting name.

Love the new layout, btw. :)

WELCOME TO TuttleTime! said...

Hi Rach,

I love your new BLOG! The colors and flowers should cheer you up this dreary winter day. :) I absolutely love the pink and lego-y yarn. You are SO sweet. Caleb and I will LOVE the socks. Caleb loves crazy socks. His school has crazy sock day, and I guarantee those will be his choice! :) I am not brave enough to show you what I'm working on. I hate it when people know what they are getting as gifts! I am about to scrapbook, so I am ordering my free pics on Snapfish. I hope the free credits didn't expire! I am determined to get caught up. I have been plugging away at "Life in Bloom" album. I think I'm finally to the 80's. Someone really great was born that year! Wink, wink. :) Well, got to read more of your blog.