Where Everyone Knows Your Name

PS136 has been greeted like an long lost friend wherever it goes.  Knitters reach out and give it a pet like a dog of mine I haven't walked around town in too long.  They remember my name for it, and call it something like old friend, talk to it in baby talk ("aren't you a prittie thing, yes you are"), or marvel at how long it's been.  And here on the blog, I am a little amazed at the reception the sweater has gotten.  I think it may even have made plans for lunch next Tuesday that don't include me.

I reached the neck bind-off, which marks the change from knitting in-the-round to flat knitting, which also means I am having to strand on the purl side.  Yip.  Before you reach for the comment button to suggest a neck steek, remember that this is Hifa, which is worsted spun, so it doesn't bind with itself in the same way that other yarns traditionally used for two colour knitting do, say, like Jamieson, which is a woolen-spun Shetland.

I don't know what wool Hifa is made from, so chime in if you happen to know. 

I am planning on using Janine's shaped shoulders technique (pdf), especially since she suggests a Latvian-style i-cord three needle bind off which gives me another oppportunity to pull one of the green yarns up closer to my face.

And for those of you who like such things, here's an honest shot of the wrong side.

Off to the farm to help with the Alpaca shearing this afternoon.  Maybe I'll have some pictures next post.

Comments

[Rachel]

Beautiful "wrong" side!

[juno]

alpaca shearing. sigh.

[kathy in juneau]

I'm SO glad this gorgeous sweater is back. I love watching it grow.

[Suzanne]

Boy, the back is as beautiful as the front! I went to the website you linked in your last post and had to sit on my hands to keep from ordering--everything. I think I'll just live vicariously through you for a while.

[kmkat]

Okay, I had to google "worsted spun" and "woolen spun" because I didn't remember the different. Now I do and it makes sense that worsted spun yarn wouldn't steek as well, although it certainly has many other fine qualities. Beautiful floats, by the way... (I don't think I have ever typed those words before)

[Jen da Purse Ho]

hey i just realized you changed your banner. DUH! hahahahaha. i can't wait to see the finished sweater

[Lynn]

The backside is kinda naughty to see isn't it? We knitters are a weird bunch, ayup.

[Colleen]

Sorry...I HAVE to run and say STEEK, because I steek in cotton, perfectly happily. I just run a triple straight stitch done each side (with the machine, forward two stitches, backwards one, usually shown by a symbol looking like three stitches next to each other: |||, maybe two rows of it), then for cotton, I run another row of stitching over it, a shortened triple zigzag (a mending stitch). And then continue as usual with cutting, blocking, herringbone, whatever. Works fine.

[Daphne]

Don't worry, my lunch date with PS136 isn't until June or so, you know, when it's all finished... ;)

[Rachel H]

You'll tell us more about the alpaca shearing, right?

[Marie]

I checked the Hifa/Hillesvåg website (www.ull.no), but all it said was that they use Norwegian wool...

[vanessa]

lovely floaties.

[anne]

alpaca shearing; cool. and you got far since the other day, good for you!

[Beth S.]

Even the wrong side is lovely. Le sigh! :-)

I hope you can take some pictures of the alpaca shearing. I understand that they don't go gently, like sheep do. Eek.

[Manise]

Say "hi" to Kathy W for me! Looking forward to the alpaca shearing pics.

[Helen]

You have my admiration! That "wrong side" is beautiful!

[Christie]

I think your sweater is going to lunch with my Rebecca doll, Poppy. ;)

[Janine B.]

I'm so pleased that you want to use my neck shaping, BUT... if you are knitting flat, you don't need my fancy-dancy short-row-in-the-round technique. Simple short row shaping will do the trick. Then you can cast off with the three-needle-I-cord cast off. It'll look lovely!

[Wanda]

Oh, so pretty! It is looking wonderful.