Sunday, November 30, 2008

A Knitter's High

We were in New York at the beginning of November for a few days. Jeff ran the NY Marathon. I cheered him on from the sidelines with a hot latte in hand.

I completed a marathon of my own kind that week. About a month before I started Linden from Twist Collective. Apparently, our trip to NY was all I needed to motivate me to finish. One month, 9 days later I had a gorgeous sweater to keep me warm in the crisp fall air.



Project: Linden
Yarn: Cascade Pastaza color 0063 (dark brown)
Needles: KnitPicks Options US Size 9
Start: September 20, 2008
Finish: October 29, 2008


We went to Central Park for a little photo shoot. I wore it everyday that we were there. It's perfect for the fall weather and it's soft and super cozy. The pattern used Green Mountain Spinnery Yarn Over, but I had Cascade Pastaza that I had received as a birthday gift and had been waiting for the right pattern to come along. I thought it would work well since the Green Mountain is wool with some mohair and the Pastaza is wool with llama. The llama gives the yarn a light halo similar to mohair.



I couldn't get gauge with Pastaza. I needed 3.5 sts. per inch, but the best I could get without getting too loose of a fabric was 3.75 sts. per inch. So I decided to make the next size up figuring it would come close to the size I wanted. It's a little bigger than I planned, but I have room to layer and since it rarely gets cold here in Southern California, this will serve as a winter coat nicely.



It's been a long time since I've completed a sweater for myself. I wore it proudly. I kept telling Jeff to feel how soft it is. I guess it doesn't matter if the yarn is in the form of a ball, a skein or a sweater. We still want to pet it constantly.

This sign was outside of our hotel in Soho. The irony of it made me giggle everytime I saw it.



Seriously. No honking? In NYC?



Their solution for parking is creative.



Believe it or not, I only visited one yarn store. Purl Soho. It's a very nice little shop, stocked full of great quality yarns. I also visited their fabric shop just a few doors down the street. I would definitely be a regular if I lived in the city. Wanna hear something shocking? I didn't buy any yarn. I know. I almost don't believe it myself. I was going to get some Koigu since they have a very good selection, but they didn't have the color I was looking for. So I bought two of the latest magazines and left yarnless.


What I did bring home was perfume and gourmet chocolate! Talk about indulgences!

8 comments:

Ellen Bloom said...

"Linden" looks FANTASTIC on you! Great color too. I love visiting New York! Sounds like you had a great trip. I don't think it's strange that you didn't purchase any yarn at Purl SoHo. We have so many great yarn shops here in SoCal....that have sales all the time...you really don't have to go that far for nice yarn.

Madge said...

You're beautiful in your Linden! And I still can't believe you cranked her out in record time...great job.

*honk, honk*

mary said...

Linden is Stun-Ning! You look gorgeous in it! Congrats on finishing it up so quickly. You are my hero!

Fay Lynn said...

Wow, you have inspired me. You look so beautiful in Linden.

Jerry said...

The Linden is beautiful. I wish I could stay focused to complete a project that beautiful so quickly.

You can go to the Purl Soho warehouse in Tustin and see even more selection of yarn and the fabric is there too. That's the first time Ive seen the vertical parking here in the U.S. I saw it 15 years ago when I traveled to Japan and wondered why nobody here didn't give it a try.

jillian said...

Linden is a stunner on you! Very pet-able.

As soon as I saw your picture - I thought "that looks like the rocks in Central Park!" Not kidding :) Isn't it great!

And thank goodness for no (less) honking. I visited NY ~biannually growing up for family reunions and the thing I remembered most was the honking - the constant loud honking. I had little wish to go back. I'm so glad I did, because I like it there now!

We need parking like that here - what a great solution.

Maria said...

okay the first thing i thought was OH MY GOD....you didn't buy anything? then i saw the chocolate and parfume - well done! you look absolutly fabulous - are you sure you are not a new yorker? carrie bradshaw?

amanda said...

Looks like a fun trip! Linden looks great - I love that cabled detail on the collar.