Wren

Berroco Wren
Berroco Zodiac, colorway Luna
Size Medium, approximately 10 skeins
Addi Turbos size US8 and US6
squinty eyed, overexposed photo courtesy of overcast Seattle summer day

I knit this cardi as written except for the collar. Instead of knitting it separately and then seaming it on, I picked up (fewer stitches than called for) and knit, decreasing one stitch at the beginning and end of every row.

I chose to knit the medium (size 40) for my 38/39 self to allow for enough overlap of the fronts. I should have knit the size small (36); the pattern allows for more than enough overlap and the finished product is quite large. The fabric is very drapey and stretchy, and, in spite of waist shaping, the finished garment has a boxy fit on me. And yet, the sleeves are fitted just right, hmmm...

I can wear Wren open or closed in a variety of ways. I'm wearing it in this picture with one of the sides kind of doubled over under the other and held closed with an African porcupine quill I bought at Seattle Yarn Gallery. I'll need to play around with it to get a fit that's snug enough yet not bulky looking.

Sometimes The Pattern is Written That Way For A Reason

The ridiculousness that is my unfinished Wren, oh my. I thought Lolly had such a good idea when she picked up and knit her collar instead of knitting it separately and seaming it on later. I've reknit this collar a good three times now, trying to replicate the shaping of the original... Long story short, I'm still not really sure that I love it. I'm not so sure I love Wren at all. Anyway, I'm going to finish the collar tonight and weave in those ends and get 'er done. Hilarious how much time and energy has been spent on one of the simplest designs I've ever seen.

On a happier note, the peanut and I went to Eugene, Oregon to visit my dear friend Andria and her little girls. The girls have been featured here before, when I knit Anya's Snuggly Lace Hat and Julia's February Baby Sweater, and a couple of other times when they were just plain cute. Anywho, my girl and I had a lot of fun!

Watching the big girl catch bubbles,



Showing the baby girl how to catch bubbles,



Cracking oneself up by sitting on a trampoline for the first time and falling backwards. Over and over again.

I was hoping to do some yarn shopping while in Oregon, tax-free retail, you know, but No One I contacted in Portland or Eugene or even one or two inbetween carried the Berroco Peruvia I'm looking for to make a Tilted Duster. Dangit. I'll get it from WEBS when I'm ready; I just wanted to see it up close and personal and get it tax-free. I did stop over at Knit/Purl on the way home for a good old stretch of the legs. Although the shop is lovely and the folks there are fabulous, I was too busy Peanut wrangling to stop and smell the alpaca much. I'll be happy to go back there again someday. They were wonderful about directing me to the Three Lions Bakery for lunch; delicious huge sandwich and fruit cup too big for the Peanut and I to eat together in one sitting. I'll be going back there again, too.