You know you’re liking your swatch too much when you stop after every row to admire how pretty the colors look.

I’m not sure I’ve even got the color balance quite right here–or maybe I flattened out the orange too much–but I wanted you to be able to see the variations between the primary orange and the hints of green and brown accents.

Obviously, this is  a swatch from the Briar Rose I wound into balls the other day. (That being the yarn I bought at Rhinebeck, of course.) Even though the gauge given is 15 stitches to 4 inches/10 cm on size 10 needles, I swatched on a size 6 (because, well, it’s me). And on this, unwashed, unblocked swatch? I’m getting 17 stitches. Something tighter than the listed gauge! Isn’t that exciting?

Not that I expect it to last, of course.

I’m going to wash the swatch, of course, and remeasure. Not to mention take a long, hard look at the texture and drape of the fabric but … the mere fact that, right now, I’m getting a gauge that’s tighter than the one on the yarn label practically makes me giddy.

The plan for this yarn? I’m going to make a top-down raglan cardigan. Pretty much a plain-vanilla pattern because the colors in the yarn are beautiful enough not to need extra ornamentation.

I know what you’re thinking–why am I swatching for a new sweater when I don’t have my Harvest Cardigan done?

Well, my Harvest Cardigan is ALMOST done. I’ve got one button band finished and have started the second, but … Okay, I ordered some buttons from Etsy, and I ordered a couple different kinds, so I’ll have options. The thing is, they came in different quantities, so I want to wait to get the buttons before I calculate where–and more importantly–how many button HOLES I need. If I plowed right ahead and put in 7, you just know that I’d like the button that came in a set of 6 best. So, the second buttonband is on hold until the buttons arrive.

I need something to work on, though, and a knitted string bag can only keep me happy for so long, so … I’m planning for this Briar Rose sweater. Now that I have the swatch done, I’ll start the calculations for the cast-on. This is going to be so, so pretty.

Oh, and it’s possible I baked something else this weekend, too. This is one of the few recipes that have post-it notes next to them so I can find them again. I’ve baked this three times and it’s been a success every time.

Don’t you think it looks good?

My friend Cindy came over so we could exchange Christmas presents, and naturally I had to provide her with cake! Actually, I planned ahead and gave her her birthday present, too. We see each other so seldom these days, and her birthday is only three weeks away, it seemed more prudent to give her the gift now rather than later. (She thought this was funny, because she still hasn’t given me my birthday present from November yet, but was proud of herself for remembering my Christmas gift today! I reminded her as she was leaving that my “half-birthday” is in May …)

Anyway, it was good to see her, and Chappy was thrilled since she’s one of his very favorite people. He is now sprawled on the floor, exhausted from an afternoon of being cute and entertaining.

I hope you all have had a good weekend! Tomorrow’s going to be the start of a hard week–if only because it’s going to be the first, 5-day week I’ve had since the beginning of December. It’s going to feel endless!

Tags: Baking, Friends, Knitting/Spinning // 6 Comments »