Ready to Rock

It's been a jolly week here at House O'Samurai. The husbeast tracked home a particularly nasty germ (I'm convinced an influenza variant) and we all got it. So, lots of sleeping and nose-blowing and all that fun stuff. The Goober was silent for a whole day because her 'froat hut'. It was creepy. She just sat there. We're all doing better now, though.

I was unwilling to track the killer germs through my local yarn store, so I hit WEBS and purchased the yarn for my sweater. (KNIT ALONG TO COMMENCE MAY 1!!)

It's not remotely what I was planning. I'd thought to knit something in a light peach-pink-orange sort of color. But WEBS didn't have anything that looked right, so I sort of squinted at the computer screen and chose a likely-looking bluish. It turned out to be a dark teal heather. Since I like strong, solid colors, it will do fine.

For those joining in, it will be a slow start with discussion of fit, planning, and swatch knitting. You'll have plenty of time to get organized before we cast on the actual sweater. So if you're still getting yourself situated, that's fine. This is going to be a leisurely kind of KAL.

There have been questions about knitting cardigans, V-necks, and other types of things. I'm considering knitting a cardigan myself, so there will definitely be discussion of methods. BE PREPARED TO STEEK. This is an EPS sweater, based on Elizabeth Zimmermann's Percentage System. She'd have never knit a sweater flat, so we won't either. I'm not as fundamentally opposed to purling as EZ was, but I'll definitely steek before I knit a whole darn sweater flat.

Maybe, after we do this one, we'll do another, top down this time, based on EPS AND Barbara Walker. Hmmm. There's a thought.

At any rate, on May 1, the knit along will begin, and I'll cover all the minute, gory details of how I do it. That's more for education and interest. The point of the EPS is being able to make choices, so I'll do all I can to accommodate and discuss them. I'm hoping everyone else shares their details, too. We'll all learn something, that's the idea.

Whee! Knitting! Brace for a hideously detailed gauge swatch! WITH MATH!

Oh, and go find a sweater or sweatshirt you like the fit of, 'cause you're gonna need it.