September Yarn Along: The Birthday Sweater

Despite my best intentions, I've not visited this little space since last month's Yarn Along! Since last month, I finished the Rye Light socks I was working on and cast on a new pair for my oldest son. I'm a bit uncertain about the KnitPicks Palette as sock yarn -- after a day's hiking in Yosemite, Rosa's socks appear to be felted in certain areas. I suppose this is why most people use superwash wool for socks! But I just can't reconcile myself to superwash wool (which typically uses harsh chemicals and removes wool's amazing natural properties). I did buy a skein of O-Wool's fingering weight yarn, which does not use harsh chemicals. I'm excited to try that, but it's not cheap (you get what you pay for!), so I'm not sure how feasible it is for children's socks. I'll definitely finish the Rye Lights I have on my needles now, and see how both pairs do over the coming winter. Rosa's were made with leftovers and Little Man's are using up stash yarn, so it will be an inexpensive experiment -- and I can't begrudge time spent practicing sock-making.

My current project is my "Birthday Sweater" from Maria Olson's August Sky pattern. This was a total birthday splurge, using Rosy Green Wool's Merino d'Arles. It's absolutely luscious! The squish factor is really quite absurd, and I'm loving every minute spent knitting with it. I picked the pattern without even paying attention to the name, but it was perfectly appropriate since my birthday is in August. It also uses less than 1,000 yards of yarn in my size, so it's a bit more economical than many patterns. I started this on August 20th, so I'm hoping I can finish it off in a month or less; I like (relatively) instant knitting gratification...

My reading this month has not been of the most page-turning kind -- a book on dog training (finished last night!), and still reading Gavin de Becker's excellent book, The Gift of Fear. I am just starting Our Mutual Friend by Charles Dickens. It's been years since I last read it, but after re-watching the film adaptation last month I had to pick it up again! Granted, I watched over half of the film on Amazon Prime before realizing that they had cut out a number of scenes -- including some that are essential to character development. Why?! So I got out the DVD and re-watched most of it. This particular volume is part of a set of Dickens' novels that I bought in Scotland over a decade ago. They were 1 pound apiece ($2 American at that time), and they are minute! The pages are as thin as Bible pages. 

Picture purposes only -- I really have only just started! But I do love this passage in the book:
"'I wish he was so very strange a man as to be a total stranger,' answered [Jenny Wren]."

I've also added a pin to my knitting big, despite really having no more room -- but during our trip to Yosemite last week, I found a Steller's Jay pin at the Tuolomne Meadows visitor center. I've wanted to see one in person for quite some time, and fortunately they are plentiful in Yosemite!

I have plans for complete winter ensembles for all of the littles (hats, mittens, and scarfs), so I'm eager to finish up my August sky sweater and get to work! And I really should finish those socks...



Joining up with Ginny's Yarn Along: