world of craftcraft

i havent posted my sewing pictures yet because most of them are christmas gifts that we havent mailed yet, and i dont want the recipients to have their surprises spoiled.

in the meantime, i have been cranking away at the rust-colored cardigan pictured below. i keep having to unravel it and start over because i refuse to use a pattern even though i still want it to fit perfectly. that's right, i knit by trial and error. oh, also, i got done with a whole side of the front before i realised i had made the same side as i already had, so i had to do that all over again. i could have knit five sweaters by now. mwop, mwop.

ive been told by professional crafters that i should try to sell my patterns, but the whole reason i invent everything i make is that i dont like to pay attention to patterns. i would much rather eyeball than count. it would be such a pain to keep track of everything ive done on a project, and write it down, particularly since i undo and redo so much.

at this point i'd really rather be reading than knitting, not least because of the weather, or should i say "climate"? it was 70 degrees yesterday; am i ever gonna need to wear a sweater again? and i havent read a book in months. but i'm so close to finishing, and it's going to be really beautiful, and soft, it's baby alpaca, that i'm determined to finish as quickly as possible.

i have continued the cables, which border the insides of both sides of the front, past the shoulders to become a continuous trim around the back of the neck. i have never seen this before in a cardigan, and i did a lot of research, of course, before i started this project. usually the cable just kind of ends at the top of the side, and a ribbing is added to continue around the neck. sometimes it is rather wide and looks kind of like lapels. the ribbing is totally unnecessary, since the cable prevents the edges from curling up, which is usually the purpose of the ribbing. sometimes a hood is added to blend the front to the back. i am against unnecessary things. new motto: "frugality is beautiful". so i came up with this design. probably none of you have any idea of what i am talking about, but i dont want to post a picture until it's done.

i like to watch movies while i knit, but since we dont have a tv, and i can't hog the computer the entire day, i have listening to "geek farm life", an excellent podcast about a couple who left silicone valley to farm ten acres in indiana. they grow almost all of their own food and both have IT day jobs. the wife has two sheep which they shear, and she spins and knits the yarn. he makes cheese. i have listened to fifteen episodes since i discovered it three days ago.