Look. I’m not a doctor. I don’t even pretend to play one on this blog. And I don’t know anything about tinctures or mother’s with warts or garden remedies and such stuff like some people. All I know is that since Wednesday, when my wrist/hand was hurting really bad, I’ve eaten no less that three boxes of Junior Caramels. And today, well, today my wrist/arm feels good as new!!! I’m not saying that Junior Caramels are a miracle cure or anything. Maybe it was the box of Skittles gum I ate like candy because hello if it has the same consistency as regular Skittles how can you call it gum? It could have been the Twizzlers chews or the Entemman’s Brownie things (can you say PMS?) but I’m sticking with the Junior Caramels. I believe! I believe!
So, yeah. I don’t know what to think. Saturday I was all set to call the doctor and make an appointment for MRIs and stuff. A little bit of Advil. A little bit of Aspercreme. Some icing. And by yesterday afternoon I barely felt a thing. The last couple of nights I didn’t sleep with the brace and today it feels no better or no worse than my right hand. Which is good. (Not great, but good.)
I did knit this weekend. Whatever. I did what I had to do. I finished the sleeve on the Almost Everyday Cardigan, as well as the neckline (twice) and the buttonband (four times.) I’m not entirely happy with it. I think it’s got too much of a Nehru look to it. If I were to do it again (which I’m NOT) I would make the neckline a bit deeper. I also bought buttons, but I’m not sure about them either. After two hours at Tender Buttons on Saturday basically feeling like I’d never knit again, I left with some buttons. I started out with all these red buttons and then I asked the store clerk for advice and she told me absolutely not, stay away from red. So I went with a distressed brown black button. Opinions please. Just don’t tell me the buttonband looks like it’s all wrong. I started out with 74 stitches and ended up with 106. I have 143 rows to deal with – I may be one or two stitches short, but I used a calculator and I think it works now. Please, please don’t tell me it doesn’t.
I’m thinking it’s not so boxy on. Opinions welcome. Honesty appreciated. The bloom’s off the rose, so to speak.
BUT, there are better projects on the horizon!
Triangles. Two. Blue.
You may remember I ordered a bunch of Oat Couture blanket patterns after seeing Grumperina‘s Curlicue Blanket in action. Well, they came in the mail two weeks ago and when I saw the Prairie Blanket it was epiphany time. As some of you know, my good friend Jen is having a baby, a boy, around Thanksgiving. I’ve been thinking on what to do/get for her. We met on a fertility site, but our friendship quickly turned to knitting. So I wanted to do something knitterly for her. Or I could take pictures of her baby. But I figured I was probably going to do that anyway. And then I saw the pattern and I knew. It would be done in Zara. Of that I was certain. And I wouldn’t tell her about it. It would be a secret!
I order the yarn (color #1481 – a denim heather) and I wait. I tell a couple of people about it, but I say nothing to Jen. I’m so excited. It’s going to be perfect and she’s going to love it.
And then she comes over to knit. She calls me to tell me she’s coming and before we get off the phone she says, “Hey. Did you ever get those blanket patterns?” I panic. I’m an AWFUL liar. I stammer out a no, sure she knows. I rush around, hiding the patterns. I can’t tell her. I’ll ruin the surprise.
She walks in the door and even before she’s through I’m saying, I lied, I lied, I have the patterns, but you can’t use it because I’m surprising you! I am SO PATHETIC. She laughed of course and was very appreciative and the best part is that I can now blog about it.
How freaking beautiful is that? Such a wonderful pattern. I just started the center section so it’s just knit knit knit on from here. I made another baby blanket with Zara and I’ve forgotten how completely luxurious this yarn is. I NEED to make a garment with it. I want to wrap myself in it and go to sleep. I hope you love it Jen! Mwah!
What’s the second blue triangle you ask? Well, I started another shawl as well. I started this a couple of weeks ago and I’m up to row 34. There are 198 rows. I’m not rushing. 😉 But I like it!
The first picture shows the color better, the second shows the pattern better. This is Robert Powell’s “Knitted Triangular Lace Shawl with Undulating Edgings Design 106,” available as a kit from Catherine Knits. (Fabulous pattern title, don’t you think? I’m calling it Powell 106 for the intrigue factor.) I’m using some more Twinkletoes Yarn (in Denim Multi) instead of the Jamieson & Smith that came in th
e kit. So far so good. It’s a garter stitch shawl (knit the odd rows) which I’m a little unsure about, but I like the pattern. It looks really nice all stretched out. I haven’t gotten to the big diamonds yet.
LOTS and lots of cleaning. And maybe a buttonhole band on the AEC. Anyone have any favorite buttonholes? Now’s your chance to pipe in. Oh and I’m not promising anything, but today could very well be the day that I hit a nice big round number in my comments. A prize, a special prize from Rhinebeck, to the person who hits that number.
The A.E. Cardigan looks great. Don’t stress about the button bands. I like the buttons (although I would’ve been tempted to go with a dark purple, but maybe that would’ve been too close to red?)
the buttonband looks great and I think those buttons work well. I love the shape and the color works just fine! I think that sweater is wonderful.
that blanket is going to be gorgeous! Gorgeous!
[good luck with the wrists/hand… I will have to try junior caramels next time! 🙂 ]
The cardi looks wonderful and I like the button choice…better than red, it is. The blanket actually looks fun! I’ve shied away from knitting for babies but that looks like a nice, fun pattern.
Yay for feeling good and knitting;-)
The button band looks just fine – excellent job. And I think those square buttons are perfect. The color is a nice contrast to the yarn and they seem to be just a bit shiny which is always good. As for the shawl – simply stunning. =) And I can’t wait to see how the baby blanket turns out. It’s always so much fun knitting for babies.
The AEC cardi looks great– not Nehru-like at all (not that there’s anything wrong with it 🙂
What an beautiful pattern for a baby blanket; such a generous baby gift — look forward to seeing it!
Lovely cardi! I like your choice of buttons… I believe buttons should be special on handknits… great choice!
And holy cow, your blue triangles are fab!
I like those buttons and think they look great. But what I like even better is your special remedy (just like those sisters on the Waltons!). I am tempted to whack my elbow into something just to have an excuse …..
the square buttons add a really cute touch. perfect. and you’ve inspired me to check out Oat Couture — thanks!
The AEC looks terrific! The buttons are perfect.
Personally, I’m going for those brownie bits as the miracle cure.
Good grief, this is what you accomplish with a bum hand? Whack the other one, hon, and take the cure. (Yum.)
Love the buttons, love that cardi! I cannot wait to see and feel that blanket in person — am I gonna be detoured? And that shawl! Mmmmmm.
Pretty pretty pretty! Your cardigan is dreamy, that baby blanket is very mysterious, and that lace is looking mighty fine.
What’s wrong with red buttons? Or were they RED as opposed to maroon, burgundy, deep pink and other variations? It all depends on how much you want the buttons to stand out. The ones you have make a nice contrast.
And if you should happen across some others that you like better it would be easy enough to change them.
Your cardi looks so lovely. The beginnings of the triangular lace shawl are beautiful – I love the yarn!
I love the buttons, and the buttonband looks fine. Besides, after wearing it once or twice and breaking it in, it will look like it was supposed to be exactly like it is.
And I like Powells 106… sounds so mysterious.
See you on Saturday! Yippee!
Well you already know how I feel about your blog and now I LOOOOOVE that Robert Powell #106!!! That is gorgeous, I might just have to do that one..you (as usual) have given me food for thought.
Hello! This is my first time to your blog, and I just thought I’d let you know I think the cardi looks great. I like the collar and the buttons – I think the quasi-nehru collar lends a nice sense of structure. And that baby blanket looks like a fun knit; let us know how it ends up!
I like the buttons, too. They have a great shape and the color is a really nice accent. And I’m sure the neckband won’t look so boxy once you’re actually wearing it. I own twinset-type cardigans that look an awful lot like that and they’re not a problem. Hey, if worse comes to worse, fold down the corners and attach them with two of those adorable buttons and tell people you meant to do that!
Wow, beautiful cardigan! and the triangles…I’ve been dying to try one of those baby blanket patterns, and in Zara, gawd…just gorgeous! Zara’s stitch definition is really phenomenal. Lucky baby 😉
Hey Cara! I love your AEC! Beautiful and so wearable. Glad you can join the Socktoberfest group too. I added your name 🙂
Holy crap. I’m cracking up. I just finished writing my entry for tomorrow, and I’m going to leave it as is. When you read it, you’ll see why I’m cracking up. Hee. I had NOT read yours first, btw. Too funny.
But glad your wrists are better. I do think they needed the caramels. In fact, I’m SURE of it! 😉
Good call on the buttons. Really. Things like buttons can truly make or break a handmade garment and I think you made a great choice. I love how peppy you are in this post and can imagine you dashing around your place, hiding all evidence of baby blankets. You’re a sweet friend! Oh, and I’m going to go find me some Junior Caramels… I figure I’m due for some cramps at the end of the week and I should be prepared with a miracle cure. 🙂
You’re absolutely correct. It was the caramels. Indeed, although I did not have any Junior Caramels to soothe the tendonitis in my index finger (preventing me from spinning as the pain from drafting was getting out of hand…so to speak) I do have a rather large bag of Kraft Traditionals Caramels, sort of on the bottom rung of the caramel delight index, but nevertheless, effective in curing what ails ya.
Caramel in hand, I’m off to spin.
Love your blog!
~Susie
I have a theory about all these sorts of orthopedic pain/overuse/muscle spasm things: if you can somehow, someway, get yourself to forget about them for a good stretch of time, they actually go away. So I do think the Junior Caramels were probably a major factor in the miracle cure. They sound very distracting.
Of course the button band is fine. What is it about knitting that makes us look at a button band and think it is not fine? I also think the Nehru effect will disappear when you put the thing on and it stretches slightly from its own weight. Not that the Nehru effect is not cool.
I was at Tender Buttons on Friday and I actually saw those square buttons. And many others of course. Too many buttons there. xoxo Kay
Beautiful Cardi. I love the color & button band too! Honest …Honest… I think the buttons are too dark and square. I think something tonal in deep deep red or a burgundy brown would look better. Also a flatter round shape. I’d like to draw attention to the knit and wonderful colors. Sorry I might be wrong but that is just my eye. Do you think the caramels will help my tennis elbow? They do have calcium you know. All the best!
Your cardigan looks fabulous. I love love love the yarn you’re using… as for the buttons: I love the square-ness of them, perhaps a change of color? Beige? A stone like color would be my suggestion.
Glad that your wrist feels better! I think the bakers over at Entemman’s are genuises and secretly have the cure to everything via their cookies, crumb cake and brownies.
Lovely cardi! Wonderful choice on those buttons, they look fab. I can’t to see more of your blue triangles…
The buttons are perfect. Boxy cardi is what you want for “everyday” – very comfortable.
Deb sent me over here … please add me to your Rhinebeck list. I see a few names I know on there – this should be fun! I’m flying to Louisville from CA on Weds, then leaving the kids with my parents to come to NY on Fri. I’ll be the one floating 10 feet off the ground.
Honestly, my favorite button hole is no button hole! I hate doing button holes. I have yet to complete a button hole/band that I’m completely happy with, but when I have to do them, I prefer the one row button hole where you cast off, turn your work and cast on the same number of stitches and then knit two together and knit back… or something like that… I got it out of the Vogue bible…
i love the buttons and the blanket pattern.
i used a buttonband instruction from nancy wiseman’s knitter’s book of finishing techniques (although for the life of me i don’t remember which one, maybe the two row?) and it worked out great. i love that book – it’s my bible.
the picture of your cardigan just changed (I think?) my mind; I wasn’t sure what I was going to do about a button band for my sweater-in-progress and seeing your button band has me seriously considering that style. Thank you! (now back to the books…)
I knit a Prairie Blanket this summer — I used Cotton Fleece in “Nymph” (a paler blue than you’re using). It is a wonderful pattern … wait until you get to turning the corners! It’s so cleverly written, and the result is sooooo cool.
Aw, Cara! Thank you so much. It’s taken me a few days to get over here, but oh my that blanket was worth it. This little guy is already so blessed by friends like you. Thank you so much. mwah back at you!
The cardi looks gorgeous – but let me go post on that entry directly.