Take a Deep Breath

Today is, in theory, Knitting With Nora day.  This means that I'm allegedly going to report to you about some lovely lace project that I've been working on.

Sadly, I have not been knitting enough lace to show any progress.  (Trust me, four rows on Chrysopolis doesn't show up at all). And the lovely lace project I'd intended for Knitting with Nora had a big feud with its yarn.  The yarn is pouting, and the pattern is snubbing all other yarn in the house for now.

Additionally, as you may recall, my wrist has been behaving very badly, and has been restricting my knitting activities to a wholly unacceptable degree.

Luckily, at least in terms of my Monday obligations to report on my Knitting With Nora projects, Nora herself has asked about a non-lace project that I've been working on.  I guess it's time to re-introduce Deep Breath.

Deep Breath is a sinfully easy pattern designed by Kirsten Hipsky (Ravelry Link) for Valley Yarns (e.g. WEBS), with credit given to Barbara Walker's Knitting from the Top.  It was originally designed for worsted weight yarn (but oddly, WEBS doesn't tie it to any of its worsted yarns -- even the several worsted weight Valley Yarns. As a worsted sweater, it lacks the panache that I seek in something I want to knit.  However, someone figured out that it also works as a slip of a thing to wear over something else -- and I picked it up at Stitches last year because I love the way the Valley Yarns 2/14 Alpaca Silk looked in it.  Evidently, WEBS thinks that the 2/14 result is best, as that is the yarn they tie the pattern to on their site.

Knit on size 8 needles, this simple top down raglan becomes a light airy garment to wear over a camisole or t-shirt when knit in this finer lace-weight yarn.  I'm hoping that the unevenness of my stitches will block out. They're not awful, but they're not as even as they could be.

Of course, since I am who I am, as soon as I finish this second sleeve, I will be adding short row and dart shaping to this simple garment so that it fits ME a bit better, but I'm guessing that it would look fine even if I didn't engage in fussy tailoring behavior.

This picture makes it look a bit fuzzy. It isn't really fuzzy, despite the alpaca.  But it is certainly soft.

Meanwhile, last night brought a sense of near completion -- I'd well-begun the toe decreases for Sock de la Mer. 

(see those needle tips??)

Of course, I finished it this morning before doing much more than drinking a cup of coffee and being walloped by the Sudoko in Sunday's paper. (okay, I haven't given up quite yet, but the puzzle is in time-out on the counter downstairs).

As you can see, I promptly cast on for sock two.  We will not be having any second sock syndrome around here, thank you very much.

Comments

[Nora]

Thank you for fulfilling my nosy desire for more information about Deep Breath! It's lovely. I wish I knew enough to engage in fussy tailoring behavior - I don't think I could even knit with that yarn. I do, however, understand your wrist issue - last night the inside of my right forearm felt like it was on fire. I think I need to be careful.

Your sock rocks!!