A couple of people mentioned in the comments of my last post that they’ve had issues with the pattern I’m knitting — Dark and Stormy. I don’t find the pattern particularly easy to follow. We all have our ways of expressing things and writing patterns, and this pattern is not written in Wendy-speak. 😉

I’m considering it a guideline only, anyway.

I got to the point where I was ready to separate out the sleeves.

The pattern directs you to put the sleeve stitches on holders and knit the body. I am doing the opposite: I put the body stitches on holders and am knitting the sleeves.

I completed one sleeve yesterday morning.

And I’ve got just a bit more knitting to finish on the second sleeve, so I’ll be finishing that shortly.

Another inch of stockinette, then a couple of inches of ribbing.

Then I will re-commence work on the body of the sweater.

One reason I’m knitting it this way is because I am making my sweater longer than the pattern directs. I wanted the sleeves done so I’d know how much yarn I had left to finish the body (and the front bands and collar). I am pretty sure I bought plenty, but it’s nice to know!

Meanwhile, only the sight of a bird on a windowsill will get Lucy out of her new kitty bed.

I am back at camp this week. Camp Loopy, that is. 🙂

July 1 was the kick-off date for the second Camp Loopy project. The parameters for the second project:

The project needs to have at least 1000 projects listed (or 1000 queued up) on Ravelry, and it needs to use at least 500 yards, single stranded.

I selected the pattern Dark and Stormy by Thea Colman, which has 842 active projects and over 5,000 queued up, and it uses well over 500 yards of yarn, so it fits the parameters. The pattern calls for worsted weight yarn, and I’m using the yarn shown in my last blog entry: Dream in Color Special Edition Cashmere Blend Worsted, in the “Gothic Rose” colorway.

The pattern calls for a U.S. size 7 needle to get 5 stitches to the inch. I am a somewhat loose knitter, so I am using a U.S. size 6 needle to get gauge.

The yarn I am using is made up of 70% merino wool, 20% cashmere, and 10% nylon, and while it is called “Dream in Color Special Edition Cashmere Blend Worsted,” I am assuming it is the same yarn as “Dream in Color Classy With Cashmere.”

I selected this yarn because I recently knit a project from Dream in Color Smooshy With Cashmere — a fingering weight yarn with the same make-up as this worsted weight yarn. That was lovely, lovely yarn.

To be honest, I’m a little disappointed with this current yarn. To me it does not really feel any softer than regular superwash merino. Perhaps after soaking and blocking it will bloom and soften. But the really annoying thing is that in the first skein I encountered three knots. So far in the second skein there has been one knot. I notice on the comments page in Ravelry for Dream in Color Smooshy With Cashmere a couple of people have complained about multiple knots in the yarn. I’m hoping I’ve had my share of excess knots and my remaining skeins will be knot-free!

Lucy, as you can see, has not a care in the world!

We have a long holiday weekend coming up. I’m hoping for lots of knitting time and Lucy is hoping for lots of nap time.