Cough, cough, cough

Well, the bronchitis/pneumonia put a crimp into the whole "training Athena" plan. I haven't had time to do much besides sleeping, eating and opening doors for cats. Not even email. I've lost about three pounds too.

On the other hand, I've finished the first sweater I can wear.

My actual "first sweater" was started for my niece in 1999. I learned the basic knit and purl stitches from the premier issue of Family Circle's Knitting magazine that I bought in 1994. Unfortunately, I didn't understand that you had to turn the knitting around at the end of the row. So, I tried to do the next row backwards (right needle to left needle) and ended up with a snarl. I took a class in June of 2003, right after I got laid off from Onity, and cleared up that little misunderstanding. So, I finished "my niece's sweater" in February of 2004. I didn't have the yarn to do her current size, so I did the smallest one. It looks like somebody's been playing rugby in it. But it's done.

So this one, "the first sweater I can wear" was started on 3/16/2004 and finished on 1/15/2006, during which time I also completed a baby cardigan... And, actually, the pieces were finished before my move, but the assemblage got tossed aside... ok. Enough excuses. So, it took me almost 2 years to complete. But I did it.

My current cat collection takes a professional interest in the whole knitting thing. Like, they're cats, so they're obligated to play with the yarn, but it's not an obsession and they're not going to chase the yarn ball across the room, etc, etc. In contrast to a certain Hinge-kitty that I can remember. Though there are teeth marks in my stitch counter.

Alma is much more interested in the "lap" concept. I don't sit much, except at the computer. So she's enjoying the opportunity. As a matter of fact, I'm under the impression that she could find stuff to do on my lap for a whole day. Perhaps, someday when I have a chair that doesn't make my ass numb, I'll stockpile some goodies for me and have a "Good Day for Alma." A whole day of Varda's lap, finished off by a catnip jamboree.

Anyway, here's the sweater:

It's from the Paton's Back to Basics book, an adult cardigan with raglan sleeves. I used Lion Brand's Micro Spun, a super-soft, yummy yarn, in Lily White.


I'm going to change the buttons as soon as I feel strong enough to leave the house. The part of the button band that's behind the neck is a little loose and folds backwards. And there's a jog in the back where I layed down my knitting in the middle of a row. When I picked it back up and knit back along the half-row that I'd just knitted. I realized what had happened a few rows later. Tore part of it out, knitted it back. Repeated that a few times. Too much was done to tear all of it out and start completely over. And I was pretty sure I'd fixed it. Anyway. 99.99% of the sweater is in the acceptable to perfect range, so I'll wear it with pride.