testing, testing...

Yes, I'm here. And yes I'm knitting! I'm knitting so much, actually! But it's all socks and test knits so either 1) boring, or 2) secret.

Actually, Thea just launched a whole collection this morning, so I can finally share one of the test knit projects I've been working on. This took me a good chunk of the summer, but it shouldn't have. The Roxborough sweater knits up quickly at a fat aran gauge (4st=1"), but I made a lot of really stupid mistakes (like STOOPID, as in, I had to cast on three times before I got the right number of stitches) and summer is hot and sticky, so I wasn't motivated to have a pile of hot wool on my lap, either. It was slow going. 

But so worth it. Look at the final sweater! Comfy, classy, and with just enough detail to keep it interesting:

Unfortunately, it's still hot and sticky and buggy outside. I was sweltering when we took these pictures last weekend, and Stuart got a whole bunch of mosquito bites.

I also need a new top to wear underneath this sweater. It's a dark purple color and I have nothing to wear under it. The top I wore for these photos is the first Beatrix top I sewed, and while it worked for photos, it's not really wearable otherwise. The double gauze fabric really sags and I totally missed the boat on matching plaids. It's pretty sad.

Clearly, I was happiest with the photos that show a close-up of my shoulder and not so much my face or tummy. I blame the heat, but it might be that I'm uncomfortable with how I look as I age. Interpret that as you like.

Thea used O-Wool for this collection, and I kind of wish I had, though I didn't want to buy new yarn for the test knitting. I'm trying to use what I've got and reduce the stash a bit. So I used Valley Yarns Greenwich, a wool yarn that was discontinued a while ago. I have enough in a different color to make another sweater, but I might destash it instead. Greenwich is pleasant to knit with and nice and soft, but I'm afraid it's going to pill too quickly, and it doesn't quite have the beautiful stitch definition as Thea's sample. It's still warm and cozy, though. Eventually, "warm and cozy" will be attractive qualities in a sweater, but not yet. It still feels like summer and I wish it didn't.

Fall is ostensibly here, and even though the weather didn't get the memo (we had this crazy wild storm here yesterday, with 1" hail and terrible winds and everything) I'm getting in the mood for knitting warm wooly things. I think it's also time for another stash toss so I can clear my storage space and my conscience for the things I truly want to knit.

Check out the rest of the Roxborough collection here on Ravelry. There is some good stuff there! I think I might need the hat. One can't have too many hats.