A new leaf

It's been a long time.  I don't know if anyone still reads this, but I'm plunging into the blog again.  But with a new focus this time.

I've changed the layout and look of the blog to something simpler, cleaner, less cluttered.  I plan on focusing more on knitting, crocheting, spinning and fiber arts than personal topics.

I'm starting the Master Knitting Certificate from The Knitting Guild Association, along with a small group of local knitters.  We'll be meeting monthly to compare notes and encourage each other, and I'll be posting on here about my personal progress through this program.  I expect this will take at least a couple of years, so I should have lots of fodder for the blog.

You'll get some of my personal knitting details as well, like this one; Greensleeves, my personal take on Mr. Greenjeans.

It's knit in Cascade Soft Spun, in Deep Forest, on my Knitter's Pride interchangable needles.  I used a US 8 for the body but switched to US 7 for the sleeve cuffs.  I used Mr. Greenjeans as a starting point for a top-down raglan, making a few modifications to personalize it.  I liked the 3/4 sleeves, but wanted a longer length, so I added 4 inches to the body after dividing for the sleeves.  I didn't think the cable ribbing around my middle would be particularly flattering so I knit in stockinette, only using 6 repeats of the cable ribbing on the bottom, which is the same amount I did on the sleeves. 

I blocked the body before adding the button band.  I find a light blocking makes picking up stitches easier.   I also made 5 buttonholes on the right front, rather than the single in the original.  I like the deep v-neck, but do wish I'd added a couple more buttonholes.  Of course, if I had done that, I wouldn't have been able to use the vintage leather ones from my stash since I only had 5.

I wore it for the first time yesterday, all day at work, and found it very comfortable, but maybe a little too warm for the office.  At the end of the day, I looked down and saw this:

Yes, two purl stitches in a stockinette rib.  The sleeves are knit top down, so a fix would be easy; I could tink out the bindoff, drop down to those two stitches, fix them and pick back up for the bindoff.  So far, they're not driving me crazy, so I may just let them be.  A non-knitter will never notice them, and knitters who see them will know the sweater was hand-made.  And isn't that the point, anyway?