twinset.us

No, Ellen, I’m not talking about the cheap plastic Swiss wrist watches (though I do think of them every time I use swatch as a verb!)    Instead I’m talking about the myriad swatches I knit in a rush to send to Allen so we could discuss some design options for the sweater I’m knitting for him.  I’ve given him two choices for yarn composition — a combo of Peruvian Pure Alpaca Fina knit with a cobweb weight 3-ply of seacell or double stranding of the alpaca.  I’m really fond of the first, so gave him more options there.  I’ve also given him colorway choices and some background fabric choices.  We’ll have a wonder mother-son talk once he receives them.  I’m thinking of a very simple sweater with saddle shoulders that would allow a motif to run from cuff to the collar.  He specifically stated he doesn’t want a cabled sweater, but I hope I can convince him to let me do that much.  It’ll then have short-placketed shawl collar of either 3X1 or 2X2 rib and the same rib at cuffs and waist.  Pretty simple, but for my first sweater design and the first sweater Allen will let me knit for him, I think that’s a good idea.

I had to do the knitting in a rush as he found out that he’s back on track to fly very soon to the far east to join his boat (we call submarines “boats” and ships “ships”).  He leaves on Sunday, so I needed to get the product in his hands.  Once he’s on the boat, who knows how often he’ll get mail.  It’s a small submarine, a fast attack boat, and they don’t get that many helicopter mail drops, so it’s likely he’ll only get physical mail every month or two when they make a port call.  I’ll let you know the address when we get it.

This burst of swatch knitting did cut into getting Julie’s Joint Socks further along their way to completion, but I do have both of them at the turn of the heel, so I believe I can complete them in time to give them to Julie in person when I’m back in Norfolk next week.  I’ve got this weekend and the flight out, so odds are good.  The picture shows them Sunday when only one was ready for the heel turn and the other still needed a gusset.  I did that last night.

Knitting wasn’t the only think on our agenda this weekend.  (It really wasn’t on Dale’s at all.)  We also made a trip to Mueller State Park and took a very enjoyable 4 mile (roughly) hike.  Mueller is on the back side of Pikes Peak.  (At least we Springs people feel it’s the back side.)  There was one place where you could see way up the Rocky Mountain chain…very neat.  The aspens were faded, but still beautiful.  Dale managed to take a full length picture of me that I don’t hate.  Note the lovely periwinkle micro-fleece vest.  I didn’t anticipate the wind and the effect it had on temperature on the eastern side of the mountain so simply had to purchase this in the gift shop.  (Hiking and shopping too!…it doesn’t get much better than that!)  We saw statues and pictures of elk, many banks of pine cones, some squirrels and birds and also saw a grizzly bear.  And who’d a thunk it…Spanish Moss!  It was a very nice park.  And they rent cabins.  If we could get some of you folks out this way, what fun we could have.  I’m actually trying to brew up a knitting retreat weekend…knitting interspersed with hikes and brilliantly clean Rocky Mountain air — it could make one dizzy.  Or that could be the altitude.  At 9000 feet, it’s not extreme, but it could affect you!

Big conference this week…I’m already looking forward to the weekend.

Hope your travel goes well…and though I didn’t say it in the blog, I’m very jealous that you met Ann and Kay.  I wonder if they will mention it on their blog, after all, you are becoming quite the web personality.  By the way, did you tell them that I LOVE the new book...would like to make almost every design.

Love, Jan