So close…
Amanda is almost done. I knit the two nicest buttonbands I’ve ever done–got ’em perfect on the first try. I had to ignore the pattern’s pick-up number because I made the torso longer than called for. Normally I’d pick up two stitches to every three, which works every time for directional changes like knitting sleeves down from the body, but here the buttonbands are worked on needles two sizes smaller to control the spread of the garter stitch. I had a funny feeling picking up two-to-three in this situation would give me a puckery band that would gather in my sweater fronts. I was almost tempted to pick up one-to-one, but that might have given me too long a band. I didn’t want wavy edges, either. So I went with three-to-four, and it was spot-on. Just one problem: I was so busy feeling chuffed at my knitting savvy that I didn’t put in any buttonholes. Sigh. Rip.
Now I’ve got beautiful buttonbands with holes for the beautiful buttons my father made. I chose this pinky Pacific madrona set. There are dark, stripey wenge buttons, too, that perfectly match the yarn, but I’m proud of my dad’s work and so I decided to let the buttons stand out as their own element. I love how the madrona wood glows against the wool. Only the shawl collar left to do!
Alas, I stole the needle to work on Emily, from Kim Hargreaves’s Heartfelt – The Dark House Collection, for my sister-in-law. So I may need to knit up the Emily front before I finish Amanda. Fortunately, Emily has been flying along. An evening watching episodes of All Creatures Great and Small on Netflix movie viewer (huzzah for the Mac version! huzzah for James Herriot! I feel great affection for this 1977 adaptation of the delightful book series), the inauguration ceremonies (huzzah doesn’t even cover it!), and a faculty meeting or two and I’m up to the armscye shaping. I’m using Rowan Felted Tweed in that deep purple called Bilberry. Because Felted Tweed is such a light DK (in fact I’m not even sure why it’s classed as such–I’d call it sportweight, myself), this will be an airy, weightless little sweater, but if I do a good job I think Marika will love it.
And speaking of last Tuesday, it’s hard to capture my excitement about the new president in words. I think I’ll always remember watching the inauguration (probably the first time I’ve done so, if you don’t count brief clips that played on the evening news), and I hope it will be an event my generation talks about into the future (Where were you when Obama became president?), looking back on it as a pivotal moment for our country and the beginning of a time of worthy work and greater care for each other. Watching the cameras sweep out over that jubilant (if half-frozen) mass of humanity packed onto the Mall, watching sixty middle-schoolers take it all in and hearing them discuss the peaceful transfer of power, I’ve never felt prouder of my country.
Posted: January 25th, 2009 at 7:44 pm
where was i? sitting in the parking lot at walmart, listening on the radio. i’m 42, and have never seen/listened to the inauguration before, but i felt like i needed to, this time, so that i could tell my grandkids “yes, i witnessed president obama taking the presidential oath, and i heard his inaugural address.” i even watched the neighborhood ball on tv that night (although i skipped some parts because it was a bit . . . odd, lol)
and i spent a good part of listening to it all in tears. just too much emotion to hold it all in. amazing.
and my sons? my older son spent his geometry class watching it on tv. my younger son watched it in tech class. and they’re both old enough to remember, so they can tell THEIR grandchildren that they saw it.
Posted: January 25th, 2009 at 8:44 pm
I’m in law school, and I could have watched it in the lounge with a bunch of other students. I knew I would get emotional, so I went home on my lunch break and watched raptly, with tears running down my cheeks. Thanks for telling your story 🙂
Posted: January 26th, 2009 at 5:47 am
Thanks for “test knitting” the button band. I’m working on Amanda right now too, and while I’m not quite to the bands yet, it’s good advice.
I LOVE the buttons you picked – beautiful.
Posted: January 26th, 2009 at 7:18 am
Beautiful sweater so far, and wonderful buttons! And here, in another country, we were all glued to the screens, watching the momentous event, and very happy for you.
Posted: January 26th, 2009 at 8:58 am
Wait, I got caught up in the details of the sweater, and then moved along with you to the Inauguration…but, did you say Netflix has a Mac version??? For Watching Instantly?? I’ve been waiting (im)patiently for that release, but didn’t hear anything about it…(unless you mean the ‘black box’, movie to tv streamer thing??). Please pass on your intel, lol! Thanks!
Posted: January 26th, 2009 at 10:10 am
Yay for almost completed sweaters! It looks really lovely, can’t wait to see modeled pictures!
Posted: January 26th, 2009 at 10:48 am
congratulations on the sweater and on the new president. he is fab, i think and hope. and i loved the mrs. outfit. not so much the bow but the colour and rushed out and started knitting an isager sweater in the michelle yellow. and yay for alpaca two.
oh and all creatures is a lovely a series as all series going on in yorkshire. another fave is heartbeat. i also love the knitting in those series. the star in heartbeat is mr. rowan. speaking about knitting.
Posted: January 26th, 2009 at 12:13 pm
The cardigan’s looking wonderful! Too bad about having to rework the button band to include buttonholes, but the end result is lovely.
James Herriott’s books are dear to my heart — I’ll have to check out the TV adaptations. And hurray for a new era!!!!
Posted: January 26th, 2009 at 1:50 pm
huzzah to your knitting and huzzah to obama. it is proving to be such a good year already. 🙂
Posted: January 26th, 2009 at 2:33 pm
I tried to listen while I was working, but I just couldn’t devote all of my attention to his speech. Instead, I read it afterwards and it worked as well in the reading as it seemed like it did in the speaking. Amazing!
Posted: January 26th, 2009 at 3:08 pm
the buttons are so perfect for amanda! this sweater is going to be beautiful!
Posted: January 27th, 2009 at 5:08 am
Your cardigan looks beautiful! Those buttons look so right with it.
I was home sick on Inauguration Day, so while I didn’t get to share it with anyone but the cats, I did get to watch the entire thing, uninterrupted except for my joyful crying. What a day.
Posted: January 27th, 2009 at 8:10 am
What a gorgeous sweater! The shaping looks amazing in your photo. I can’t wait to see it on. Using buttons your dad made for you makes it even more special!
Posted: January 27th, 2009 at 11:50 am
Your Amanada is gorgeous and i love the buttons! But wait! You can watch Netflix on MACs now!!??
Posted: January 27th, 2009 at 12:04 pm
I was not there to watch (in a coffee shop knitting), but I pulled an anthropologist and did some participant observation, taking in the reactions of everyone around me. There has been such a sea change in the way people are watching the White House. That’s a good thing!
And may I applaud you in your button band success ; ) I can’t wait to see your sweater modeled!
Posted: January 28th, 2009 at 10:32 am
I will always remember ~ I was in India! About 25 of my classmates took over a hotel bar near our school. There, the ceremonies took place at 10:30pm, so the beer flowed. We had to walk down a dark and dangerous highway to get there and back. It was a fabulous evening. How could I ever forget?
Posted: January 28th, 2009 at 11:02 am
Those buttons are so special! It’s lovely!
Posted: January 29th, 2009 at 10:35 am
Here in Canada it was broadcast on a number of big screens in schools and unis, and many were as emotional (or more!) than if it was our Prime-Minister being sworn in. The White House change is still taking up quite a bit of news space, and on the drive to work this morning there was an ad on the radio boasting proudly that my town is the home of the “Notrious Blackberry President Obama refuses to let go” :p Yay Waterloo, Ontario!
Love the buttons btw, but especially love the texture. Emily looks like a classic design too, think I’ll add it to my queue!
Posted: January 30th, 2009 at 12:47 pm
Dear Sarah, I found by chance your blog and love many of your projects, and also your own design. Tomorrow I will buy yarn for your “Footlight Cardigan” and has done a bit of advertising incl. a picture for the pattern on my blog (in Danish). Hope it is Okey.
Have a nice weekend.
Gitte
Posted: January 31st, 2009 at 6:53 am
Amanda is lovely–can’t wait to see it in person. The buttons are perfect for it.
Posted: February 1st, 2009 at 7:07 pm
I adore all creatures great and small. and the sweater is looking lovely.