Midnight Manu

Way back in November 2009 I started stalking Kate Davie's blog when she posted a beautiful new sweater and added that a pattern was being created. I might have started checking daily even though I know designers need time to grade, work out the kinks and get things test knit. It didn't matter, that sweater Must Be Mine!!

The pattern came out on Feb 28th, I tossed the stash, decided to use some navy felted tweed and knit like a women possessed. (If you a person who never highlights their size numbers...ahem me... then do it for this pattern. It makes you life soooo much easier)


As usual with felted tweed my lose knitting means to get gauge the needle size needs to be scaled down to size 3. My stitch gauge was still .25 off but I figured that the extra width would be a blessing with my currently expanding body. The sweater's main body and sleeves where all knit with size 3's. The neck and front bands knit with size 2's. However I learned the hard way that no matter how lose your gauge is an icord cast on is pretty tight. After casting on a few sleeves that would have only fit over a baby's hand I used the recommended size 7 needle and got the right size wrist circumference for me. If knitting your own you may want to check the sleeve length. Felted tweed always blocks out with extra length for me so I was not concerned when the sleeves were bracelet length pre-block. Post block my sleeve sat comfortably at my wrists, though I did to stretch them while wet. If you are working with yarn that will not grow much you may want to add a few extra inches to the sleeve length.



This was my first sweater with pockets and they did cause me some annoyance. Knitting the pockets is easy, you just pick up and knit from the bottom following the increase and decrease instructions. Seaming the sides onto the sweater was a pain in the ass. It took hours to get the sides even and then get both pockets to look the same. However the pockets are really the only fiddly bit and the only part that needs seaming. You don't even have to calculate button hole placement and the i-cord button holes where the easiest I've ever knit. (There does seem to be a pattern error under "Work I-cord edging." It says, "from rs.... starting at a point between the right front and back, begin to work i-cord bind off.... across the edge of the cardigan back and left front." If you need to work across the back to the left front you can't do this from the right side you, you need to be facing your wrong side. That's what I did and then made sure to do the i-cord cast off on my pockets from the wrong side.)



The instructions have you fold the pleats in the same direction across the neck. I noticed that other ravelry members switched the pleat direction at center back. Maybe it was a bad brain day but I tried and failed to do this on the size 36. Still it's a nice customization to keep in mind if you're interested in knitting this design yourself.



The only thing that I'm not fully satisfied with is my button selection. My local stores seemed to only have coordinating navy buttons in sizes too large for my already completed buttonholes. These wooden ones are pretty but always seem to clash with the cool colors of the rest of my wardrobe. I'll probably switch them out with some silver buttons in the future.

Concluding thoughts on this pattern and sweater.
The pattern is very well written and Kate made sure to include an instructional sheet on how to do all the cast on/casts off needed in the project. The style is the perfect combination of simplicity with "a twist". People love love love the neckline, I've had both knitters and non knitters comment upon it. (Non knitters are sad that they can't run to the store and buy one) The pockets totally redeemed themselves to me when I discovered they are deep enough to stash a pair of sunglasses or a set of keys. Overall the fit is very comfortable and the 5 button closure is great for this time of year when you need a little bit of extra warmth. This was an enjoyable sweater to knit, I'd recommend it to anyone.

Also should add the the designer Kate Davie suffered a stroke early in the year from a heart defect that she was not aware of. She has been blogging about her road to recovery with much good humor. I wish her all the best, she is a very talented designer and I'm sure Manu is not the last lovely design she shares with all of us.

An Apology to my Blog and Some Cute Baby Pics

Dear Blog,
I had the best of intentions back in February to visit you on a more regular basis. You probably know that I spend much of every day online but have left you all by your lonesome. Part of the problem is the on going sleep deprivation which turns my brains to mush. However it occurred to me lately that there are many blog conversations running around in my head. Conversations and a pretty pic or two that I'd like to share. So poor neglected blog, I'm sorry and maybe we can string a couple sentences together, you know when I'm not worshiping the porcelain god.

Anywho, my little baby in progress is being a bit high maintenance demanding feedings every two hours (even at night) and flooding my body with enough hormones that often I must revisit that last meal. It's been my practice to browse on over the shutterfly site housing all my nephew's cute pictures when I need reminding of what waits for me in the future.

Back when we found out my sis was expecting a boy I went to the FO stash and got out the Vintage Car Coat from The Little Sublime Hand Knit Book. This was knit way back in Jan 08 out of some Cashsoft my sister gifted me for Christmas.

Well Little D is big enough to be our baby model and show off his knitwear.

Hello there, aren't I adorable?


Yes, I have short arms but pay no attention to that cause I'm smiling for you.

D loves wearing his hand knits because they feel just like his blankets and are easier to stuff in his mouth.

Mmmmm tasty sweater.

Good thing I sewed those buttons on tight. ;)

Comfort for the month of March

I'm not completely sure how March and I got off on the wrong foot. After all there are glimpses of Spring as the giant snow drifts slowly recede. Here and there daffodil greens peek through the earth and the birds have been singing brightly outside my window for days.
Perhaps the problem is that March will start out sunny and warm causing me to run about willy nilly without securely fastening woolens around my vulnerable neck. Then I will get a head cold, which will make me cranky, which in turn makes me hole up on my couch and think dark thoughts about March.
Dark thoughts don't last long though if you find yourself reading a particularly lovely book. Add to that some quality wool swathed around your neck and a mug of tea in your hand, it's almost bliss.

The book is "A Homemade Life" by Molly Wizenberg, Stories and recipes from my kitchen table.
Some of you are probably already in the know and have been reading her blog Orangette for years. Somehow she slipped under my radar, so this book was a delicious surprise for me. One that ended much too quickly. At least there is the added bonus of trying out some of the recipes. When I'm feeling better some of them will be gracing my table.

The Wool is technically for baby. However since baby is snug and warm inside me I don't think baby will begrudge my appropriation. Besides baby is arriving in August when a wool baby blanket might be considered a form of child abuse. (Can you hear me cackling mine all mine!)

The pattern Tweed Baby Blanket by Brookylntweed was chosen because even a pregnant automaton can knit garter and remember to increase or decrease once at the beginning of every row. I would add you can also remember to do this while dead tired and having a conversation with the electricians cutting holes in your walls. (They will also think you are pretty handy to be knitting for your baby)
The Wool, that deserves it's capital letter, is woolen spun worsted weight Cormo from Elsa Wool Company. Jenny and Nichole over at Stash and Burn mentioned this website on one of their podcasts and said the wool was very soft. I bought 3 skeins of light gray for the main color and 2 skeins of dark gray for the contrast.

Other details:
* Since the pattern is for DK weight I bumped up the needle size to 9's for the blanket and a 10 for the i-cord bind off.
* I was unsure of my yardage amounts but they turned out be be just right. The second skein of contrast color was only used for the i-cord bind off so there is plenty for left over for a hat or two.
* The finished blocked blanket is 36" by 40" the perfect size for covering your lap or maybe scrunching around your neck. (The fact that it can comfortably be scrunched around your neck tells you how wonderfully soft this wool is)

Mmmm delicious and comfortable, just what I need for March.

Slowly returning to the land of functional knitters

I fell off the horse and laid on the ground and twitched a while. There might have been some drooling but let's keep that between you and me.

For about 2 1/2 months there was no knitting, no podcasts, no ravelry, no sewing, and no baking. There was only snow, sleep, and the glorious invention known as Netflix streaming. Outside the feet (FEET!) of snow piled up and I merely glanced at it and returned to my bed.


My world shrunk to a pin point because it turns out that growing a new human is a much more arduous task than one might imagine. Seemly the body knows what to do and at the same time is confused by having to suddenly provide for two instead of one. Still the days pile up just like the snow and perhaps your husband comments (with relief) that your knitting phase is over and all this "junk" can be gotten rid of.

You wouldn't say a corner has been turned but suddenly there is brightly colored yarn in your hands and the beginning of a sock flowing from your needles. After all your knitting is not a phase, it is what you are and always will be. Even if sometimes you fall off the horse.

Settling In

We have most of our boxes unpacked. We have lead several contractors through the house to find out how much an electrical upgrade will cost. We've fought a few battles with the washer, an crotchety veteran of the 70's that doesn't seem to care for it's new owners much.

If only my house was this glittery!

More importantly the yarn was unpacked and tiny needles have been flying. Now there are 2 1/2 pairs of socks sitting in a basket just waiting for a good blocking.

More details and better pics after Christmas.

Despite loosing some steam, Nakniswemodo09 sweater number 12 should be done just under the wire. Joined the sleeves to the body just last night with some "Maryland" themed stitch markers from my sister.

The crab appears to have heard of my fondness for eating his brothers.

If you don't hear from me until January I'll be sitting in the lovely dining room staring at my tree. Maybe with a cup of tea and some knitting, thinking about how I should have frozen some peaches.

Droolllll glittery peach.

Golden Fall

Golden leaves....

... homemade apple cider donuts

....and cashmere blend socks


From Woolgirl's first socks club shipment of the year, Majestic knit in Zen Yarn Garden Serenity Sock. They are delicious.

And we're back...Sort of

It's Pop Quiz time and on a Monday too. Aren't you glad I didn't follow in the footsteps of my parents and become a teacher? Now settle down and get out your pencils.


1. The unexpected blog silence of a few months was caused by...

a. Sewing a maternity jacket for my sister's baby shower.
b. Knitting a requested sweater for my mother's Christmas present.
c. House hunting and house buying paper work.
d. All of the above.


2. I've spent my weekends this month...

a. Packing things in boxes.
b. In my sister's basement breaking down boxes.
c. Visiting people's houses to take their boxes.
d. All of the above.


3. I'm burnt out on...

a. Sewing.
b. Knitting sweaters.
c. Having my tiny apartment filled with boxes!!!
d. All of the above.

You are correct all answers are D. Gold stars and cookies all around.

Yes, my husband and I (and the frogs) will soon be home owners and the last two months seem to have been absorbed by the whole process. We are waiting rather impatiently for Thursday, our closing day, to arrive. Until then I'm trying to make the time pass as painlessly as possible.... with brownies and sock. Not sure which is more delicious.