Sunday 4 March 2018

Serendipity

I wanted to knit a boy's sweater.  In keeping with the Christmas theme I thought a sweater with snowflakes on it would be fine.  Dark blue background and snowflakes across the shoulders.  I was absolutely sure I had such a pattern.  I searched my books and booklets.  I searched my library on Ravelry.  I could not find what I was sure I had. 

Time for plan B.  I searched my library on Ravelry for a child's sweater and colour work.  I found something suitable but not what I had in mind.

Now I love the library search feature in Ravelry.  I have entered as many of my patterns as possible in Ravelry.  If I can't it is usually because my book or booklet or leaflet is so old that it is not listed in Ravelry.  One feature I would love to see added to the library on Ravelry is a box for "where the heck did I store the damn thing in my house".  According to Ravelry, I have 10,324 patterns in my library.  That is a lot of patterns to manage, store and locate when I need them.  I also know that I have more patterns than that.

Once I found my alternate pattern choice  I had to start searching my physical library for it.  I could not find it.  I searched high and low but nope no where.  However, I did find a Paton's Classic Colors booklet for the Classic Wool DK Superwash I have been stocking my stash with.  I could not remember any of its patterns coming up in my Ravelry library search.  So I opened it and thought that pattern number 2 would be a fun knit.  No snowflakes but it was stranded.

Next step, search my inventory listing for suitable yarns.  I started pulling up the various colours I have in the yarn the pattern called for.  The Pattern called for Gold, Cork, Deep Olive and Pumpkin.  Pretty soon I realized that I had Gold, Cork and Pumpkin in my stash.  No Deep Olive but I had brown.  I had the inventory records all in front of me and started to laugh.  Hubby had brought all of the yarns back from the Listowel Tent Sale in 2016.  He brought me back the sweater.  Knitting it now was serendipity.

I cast on the sweater Sunday night so I had something to knit on Monday night at the game in Dresden.  Essex lost 1-0.  Essex was leading the best of seven series 3-1 at that point.  Knitted on the sweater again Tuesday night at the next game.  This one Essex won and finished the series with Dresden.  I had finished the body and one sleeve.  The second sleeve was done before the hydro came back on Thursday night.  All that was left was to join the sleeves to the body and knit the yoke.  The fun part really.

I had Friday off work.  I woke up early and starting knitting.  I could not put it down.  I had so many other things I should have been doing but my knitting mojo was finally back and I was really enjoying myself.  The sweater was done by dinner time.  All that is left is the blocking.


I like the dark brown in the sweater.  Also somehow I mixed up contrast B and Contast A.  It was totally accidental.  I misread the pattern.  I also like that better too.

Here is the original in the pattern for the Child's Sunny Yoke Sweater.

With the knitting juices flowing and a hockey game tonight, I started a new project this morning.  I just intended to knit the ribbing so I could just work on stockinette at the game.  I could not stop knitting on it.

 
The pattern is Berrylicious Baby knit in Paton's Classic Wool DK Superwash.  I know, I know, I have a lot of it in my stash.  This time the yarn is from purchases I made a Len's Mill Store some time ago.

While my mojo was taking a snooze I have been working on socks at the hockey games.  The first sock is done and I am on the gusset of the second. 


Kroy sock yarn, my recipe.

Tonight's game will be exciting.  It is the first game in best of seven for the division final.  Essex plays Lakeshore so we stay close to home.

Just to reinforce that knitting the yoke sweater was fate - I found the second choice pattern when I was putting Classic Colors booklet away.  Turns out that I had not even entered the Classic Colors booklet in Ravelry.  Sheesh!