Bland Progress

Garland is resting for the moment as I concentrate on the Drop Stitch Cardigan from the Fall Interweave.

I will either love the Drop Stitch Cardigan, or hate it with a passion known to few. I love the variegated Manos wool that I am using. I love cardigans... so the risk is minimal. However (and didn't you just know there was going to be a caveat), when I gauged the sweater I had to go up a needle size to get the correct gauge width, but in doing so the lengthwise gauge was increased by a row. I am more concerned about it fitting around me properly than I am about length; besides, I have a longish back so a little extra length is welcome. The worry comes from the sleeves which are turning out to be apishly long. I do like a longer sleeve, but will I be frustrated by the drop stitches catching on everything I touch?

Here are the sleeves in all their glory. This photo does not do justice to the yarn, in fact it is much, much less pea green colored. The blanket that they are photographed against is a lush grass green (not dead lawn green as the photo would lead you to believe)

I do plan to wet block this sweater, and in that hope to compensate (read tug, pull and otherwise bend to my will) for my slap dash attitude toward following gauge. My swatching gauging issues can really land me in hot water since I tend to favor more fitted styles that are not so terribly forgiving when knit slightly off kilter... maybe I should stick to felting.

After I finish the Cardi and the endless Garland, I must find a project that is not so stockinet heavy. Maybe some pretty lacy thing, like the great shame of Spring 2005. Or maybe the fabulous Weekend Get Away Bag from the fall Interweave.