Dear Cynthia,
Please pardon my language. I am running out of yarn. (No, not "in general", as if that is possible, but for the Fana Cardigan...) I had an entire skein of Heilo left with which to knit the front bands and the neckband, and as I was working on the neckband, I began having the "I'm going to run out, I'm going to run out" thoughts. And so, I figured, since it is a neckband which is folded and stitched down, the inside won't really be seen too much, maybe I could use some of the extra white on the inside of the neckband. However, I don't like it this way. And so, I decided I would get rid of the white, and re-knit using the black. (See photo above for all remaining scraps - now, this is going to be a close call.) I decided that I've come this far on the thing, it's not the time right now to do something which I end up thinking looks really shodd
y... There is a lesson here, which I learned from reading something on Wendy's site, and that lesson is that Dale of Norway patterns are chincy on the yarn requirements. Her recommendation is to purchase yarn for the next size up. 
I asked my three-year-old if he wanted me to make him a sweater, and I was showing him some possiblities. He was very adament about wanting a sweater just like his brother's Fana, except with no buttons. Aaugh. I'm not excited about knitting the same pattern any time soon, but my boys would look very cute....maybe in a couple of months. Anyway, here is the sweater having *ALL* of the sleeves sewn on (seemed like four, but really only two). I still have to sew some of the facings down, and re-knit part of the neck band. The next time I show it to you, I hope it is completed, having buttons, and with my son modelling it. I can almost hear his words already: "But Mommy, it itches!"
In other news, there still is the sock. It's not big news, but small progress is still progress, right?
I hope that your great niece is doing well. I agree with your assessment about mothers in labor trumping works-in-progress. I wonder... I have a godson who has a birthday in July, and I'd like to make him a sweater. It seems like birthdays which aren't necessarily the original birthday should trump wips, too, yes?
I'm anxious to see your completed baby sweater!
Warm regards,
Laura (aka YarnThrower)
That sweater is looking wonderful!!
ReplyDeleteYou know, I wonder if you knitted that neckband in black/white stripes, or even just added some of those black flecks every so often, it wouldn't look shoddy, it would look like "WOW! She even patterned the facings!!"
Just a thought.....