I Can Knit a Rainbow!

Kauni Cardigan Sleeve
Originally uploaded by sunasak

Thank goodness I have knitting. When everything else in life seems to be out of my control and I feel like I don’t even understand the English, my knitting is there to comfort me. And even with all my recent backtracking and re-knitting, I still feel like this activity is something I am competent in and that I can be creative with—with some modicum of control (admittedly, some of the stuff I can’t control, like how stripes come out, is what I like best). My knitting was the definite highlight of the weekend.

I got a bit done on my second Converging Ribs sock. You will be pleased to know that my instructions work so far. I’m almost finished converging, so it will be a simple task to finish it, when I stop obsessing over Kauni.

Yes, the thing in the photo has me totally thrilled. Indeed, that is a sizable garter stitch rectangle (with some increasing near the top). But wow-ee that was one fun rectangle to knit. I couldn’t wait to see how the next color would show up. The rectangle is actually the first sleeve of the Kauni jacket (again, it is this pattern , and the green squiggles on each end of it are the first three rows of both the front and back of the vertical side of the jacket.

Of course the striping pattern is going to change considerably now that there are three times as many stitches per row as there were before! I can hardly contain my excitement at the idea of the skinner stripes, and how they will look. Then, when we go to the other side, there will be medium stripes on the horizontal body piece, and thinner stripes on the sleeve. Hee hee. This makes me practically giddy with excitement. Or it would if I wasn’t still feeling overwhelmed from a challenging weekend—one in which I passed by a chance to go to a yarn shop. Yes, I was mere blocks from Hill Country Weavers and didn’t go in (I am so strong in my resolve that, even if I had gone in, I swear I simply would have purchased a longer circular 2.75 cm needle for this project). And besides that, thanks to non-fiber life interfering, I missed seeing the Ravelry founders at the Knitting Nest! That was a real bummer, but family first, as they say.

But wait, have I gone on and on about the yarn I am using enough yet? I don’t think so. This yarn is a great choice for this pattern. No wonder people love it so—how versatile it is! Here’s the cardigan that Stephanie Pearl-McPhee made that got people all hepped up about it. Now, the wonderful Kauni has its issues. Kauni Effektgarn 8/2 is not the softest wool ever plucked from a sheep—which makes sense for a Shetland-style yarn. And there’s lots of grass and twigs in it, but, like I said about Sari Silk, at least it’s exotic grass from another continent (the yarn’s Danish). I really am enjoying watching it knit up, though. And there is so much yarn on the skein! What you see in the photo is about half a skein’s worth, maybe less. I have four skeins, so I’m sure I’ll have enough.

Wishing you holiday greetings, whatever holiday you happen to be celebrating, or have celebrated in the last few days. There are so many to choose from! I send Valentine Love to you all!