A Wicked case for negative ease: an FO for the New Year.

The only good thing about being really sick is that when you're better you appreciate your health. I'm feeling very appreciative! It took three rounds of antibiotics and a evening trip to the ER to defeat two different infections, but no more fever, no more pain and no more pressure headaches. Thank goodness for Cipro. When trying to help my 5-year-old understand the pain in my head I said "It hurts so much that I can't knit." and her eyes went wide. "That's BAD!" Yes sweetie, it's that bad.

When my eyes could move again without stabbing pain I cast on and made this in less than a week. What a joy to knit soft, easy stockinette in the round! It flew off the needles. Finished just this morning and used the camera on a timer (explaining why I have that I'm frozen while waiting for the beeps to stop look).

The details:

Pattern:  Wicked by Zephyr. Very easy, very fast and very comfortable to wear. Calls for 18/4", which fits so many yarns. One of the most popular pullovers on Ravelry and I can see why.

Yarn:  Fifteen balls of Laines Du Nord Cashsilk with less than a yard to spare. Adore the hand of this yarn, which is not surprising given the blend of 50% extrafine merino, 25% silk and 25% cashmere. Grabbed it at deep discount on the Webs end-of-year sale and just had to cast on immediately. This was excellent tactile therapy. Sadly, given it's softness I'm not sure it will wear well, but I will love every minute I have it on.

Notes:   Followed the pattern at the neckline, but if I make it again I might tighten that up so I don't have to wear a shirt under. Finally got smart and sized for negative ease. I'm about 41" and I always seem to be swallowed up my handknits. This time I made the 36-38" and it fits. Given the soft drape of this yarn I might have been able to go even smaller, but as it is it's comfy layered.

The pattern left the sleeves up to the knitter and I cast off the first one at least five times. Each time I'd try it on I thought just a little longer until finally I guesstimated I could get long sleeves out of my yarn. When I'd finished both sleeves to my wrist and still had a couple of yards left I added a few more ribbed rows than at the neckline because I like sleeves just over my hands. I actually considered frogging both sleeves to add the length to the stockinette part, but I decided the longer sleeve ribbing didn't look weird and I couldn't bare ripping yet again.

For the bottom I did a simple 1x1 rib rather than the called for seed stitch (designed to tie in with the pocket, which I skipped). I did follow the shaping suggestions and am very glad I did because it makes it hang smoothly on the sides and back. You can see the decreases below the arm and increases at the hips. I shaped the sleeves (not in the instructions) because I thought it looked right with the shaped body and it conserved yarn too.

We flew to Oregon for Christmas with my in-laws. My S&BIL and kids flew up from Orange Co, so it was a full family affair. Wii's were under the tree, much food was eaten and fun was had. I did knit while there (before I got sick again), but most of my knitting time was spent making a scarf as a gift for my MIL. No FO photo because I finished on our last night and the condo where we were staying had really, really bad colors and lighting for night/flash photos. My MIL seems to like it and the colors are beautiful on her.

Here's a close-up:

Pattern:  Clapotis done as a scarf. Final size about 8" x 60+".

Yarn:  Lorna's Laces Lion and Lamb. One hank in Watercolor. Finished with less than 12".

We had snow showers on Christmas Eve and Day which pleased us all to no end. I know many of you have had more than enough snow lately, but for us it was delightful. One morning I just sat in my Pj's at the window of the condo and watched it come down.

I think I would get a lot more knitting done if I lived where there was more weather. My DH does not think that's reason enough to move north, but I do.

No photos of my favorite afternoon because my husband and I were on our only lunch date alone in Bend. The snow coming down on the river was simply beautiful. Downtown Bend looked like a postcard of a snowy small town straight from a Hollywood movie. The sidewalks were full of after-Christmas shoppers bundled up while going in and out of little shops. A very good pint at Deschutes Brewery helped set the mood!

With the snow and slush we only got to hike down to the Deschutes River twice because footing on the switchback trail was a bit dodgy most days. Got good use of my new real winter coat and hiking boots! Almost every day I walked the two miles between my in-laws house and the condo, snow, wind or shine. My old hiking boots fell apart on the first time they got wet and I hobbled back to my in-law's with the soles flip-flopping. Wore borrowed boots until I could get to REI for an after-Christmas sale (and no sales tax! whoo hoo). They will help with my New Year's resolution to do more trail walking.

It was almost dark on our last hike, but you can still get a hint of the amazing colors along the riverbank from these photos. The red dogwood sticks and wheat-colored grasses next to the steel gray river where stunning. This was a high point of the trip for me.

Happy New Year everyone. Next time I'll share what I'm going to do with Mr. Greenjeans ... once I decide for myself.