I’d love to tell you about the stuff that I’ve been knitting, but as of yesterday I’m not sure if I’m actually knitting anything at the mo. I burned out on socks (more in another post) and was happily getting my knit on with Francis, Revisited. New knitters, try this pattern. It’s a great first sweater, and it basically makes everyone look hot. You’ll love it, except for the bell sleeves. Hello, elbow-bells: the revolution is over, and the Yankees won.

Anyway! I’d finished it in five balls of Pastaza, and had juuuuust woven in all of the ends when I realized that there was a sixth ball of Pastaza. This was like discovering Pandora’s Box hiding in the trunk of your car. My sweater was cute, but wouldn’t it be nicer with an extra bit of ease? Wouldn’t it be more wearable? Yarny Ol’ Kim’s had extra ease, and look how cute!

So! Francis got de-visited and subsequently re- (re-?) visited. I took the whole thing out to the arm split, and knit the whole thing back until about three inches shy of the desired length. And then: O HAI, SPRING! Here in Sacramento, I won’t be wearing a worsted llama/wool turtleneck-looking thing until next November and I sure as hell don’t want it on my lap. Prognosis: HIBERNATE.

Switched over to Ophicleide. I have high praise for the writing of this pattern. These days I rarely buy patterns because the quality-to-price ratio is starting to disgust me. Jaana’s is an exception. She lavished this pattern with care. Before she released Ophicleide: The Pattern, I’d been faking my own version based on her photos of Ophicleide: The Sweater. Her patterned version is way, wayyy better than my knockoff.

The problem here was me. One of these sleeves is a good 25 stitches wider than the other. Which will be awesome, if I ever do get an arm cannon. FAIL.