free pattern

Since my list of crafty resolutions for the year is so ambitious, I figured while I was trapped indoors by the latest snowstorm in my area, I might as well make use of the time and get a head-start. So I soaked my swatch, and it’s drying now.

In Soak

Drying

I’ll be checking it tomorrow to see if I made gauge for my first adult sweater. Yes people, take it from me — swatching is important! Trust me, it’s not for the birds! It can make the difference between a wack project and an awesome one.

Sidebar: Wack meaning:

Something that just plain sucks, or isn’t cool at all. Lame.

Don’t be fooled by the following:

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Got it?!! Okay then!!

Obviously, being trapped indoors is making me loopy! LOLOL!!! 😛

My goal this year is to make at least two sweaters for myself and I think Flax is a good place to start. It’s part of TinCanKnits Simple Collection and another one of my goals is to work through the entire collection so this project will be a two-fer. 😛

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Last year (2013 — it feels so weird saying last year) I conquered my fear of knitting in public. In December, I knitted on my subway rides to and from work and that’s how this sweater is going to be done. Since it’s mostly stockinette stitch, something mindless that I can do on the train, I have no doubt that I could finish this project in good time.

I did the swatch just before the year closed but I need to see how much the yarn will grow when wet. I also need to see if I’ll have to do down a needle size. I want to get all that done before the end of the weekend. Cause Monday, if you’re in NY, and taking the train, I’ll be that woman with a million bags, knitting needles, serenely working on her sweater in the chaos that’s her transit system. I can’t think of a better way to pass my commuting time; can you? 😀

I started to go to work today then got sick at the bus-stop. By the time the unmentionables were over, I was too tired and too nauseous to go to work, so I got a work from home day. I’ve been clocking tasks like a mad-woman but I took a break — sue me. LOLOL! I needed one after I saw what the SS tax hike did to my check!!!!

Just so y’all know I’m not goofing off — I handled 6 work “fires”; sent out copious amounts of email responses and added a few rows to this:

Edited to add:

I was going to wait until the project was done before I gave my thoughts but I have to say, one thing this puppy did was remind me to trust my own instinct. The pattern calls for 24 in circs. using super bulky yarn AND a cast on of 131 stitches. How in the Sam Hill did anyone follow those instructions to a tee and not end up with twisted stitches or a hole in the wall … after they threw the project across the room?

I’m using 47 inch circs. and the project’s still bunching.