I Don't ♥ Wool, THERE I said it!

A travesty, I know. But to clarify, I hate cheap wool. You know the kind that turns to crap the minute it hits water. I'd show you a picture, but I'm too disappointed, discouraged, angry and sad all at the same time. Remember that Shawl Collared Cardigan? You know, the one I knit for the Knitting Olympics from February 2006? Yeah, that one! Well, last night I was on a roll. I decided, "What the hell, I finished Scout's sweater, why not finish my sweater and the pockets?" All I had left was to finish one pocket lining and both outside pocket trims. So I did. Another FO! But that's not where the story ends sadly.

This morning I think, "Why not soak the sweater and get it nice and clean?" (It had been Dalton's cozy napping spot for a while.) So I do. I soak the 100% Merino Wool, (Paton's btw, you know the cheapy stuff you can get at Michael's), in cold water, (because as I'm sure you know, if you soak 100% wool in hot water than it will felt the material). All should be well right? No. The wool still felted in the cold water. How in the **** does that happen? Someone, anyone, please explain this to me. So now I have a halfway lovely sweater that I will probably never wear.

Shawn said it's not that bad. It didn't completely felt. There isn't much stitch definition though. I am telling myself that I don't care because a.) in the end, the sweater wasn't long enough, (though I measured relentlessly), b.) the arms came out too long, (though I measured relentlessly), and c.) I had run out of yarn at one point and could not find the right dye lot and you can tell (now that the felting has screwed me).

I never thought that this could happen to me. So don't let it happen to you. Please. I can't bear to read another horror story like the one I just typed. I'm still stunned.

BUT, (it's a good thing there is a but), I have good news as well. I finished something else! Three FO's in just a couple of days, aren't you impressed? Truth be told, the sweater had been finished for some time, though I hadn't weaved in the ends. I hadn't weaved in the ends because I hadn't finished the bonnet. (I attribute that to the fact that when I first knit this, I could not finish for the life of me. It took me a while. In fact, I think this was the first project where I learned how to do a three needle bind off for the shoulders.)

It's from a book called, "Monkey Knits", and I haven't decided if I will do the blanket stitch in white around the sweater yet. I don't have buttons for the front closure, but it is in the shape of a bone and matches the dog eared bonnet. I made it in a grey Debbie Bliss wool, but I honestly don't remember what kind. Or what needles I used. That's how long ago I knit it.

The body is garter stitch, with stockinette stitch sleeves and garter stitch borders. It's actually pretty plain without the closure and buttons. I will have to grab some at JoAnn's this weekend.

And of course, the obligatory, "Does it fit Scout yet?" shot.

Nope. Not yet. But all the same it's cute. Just needs buttons and the doggy bonnet needs to be blocked.

So, my list of fourteen is slowly decreasing and now down to twelve. I have a dress that needs to have the shoulders seamed and the armholes need to be picked up and have an edging, which I'm thinking I might do a single crochet, rather than go through picking up the stitches and then binding off.

I think I'm doing pretty good. I did get back to the Dalton Socks and the Cabled Tunic, which I need to measure. It's a bit discouraging though, it's just a lot of cabling. Lots and lots of cabling. It will be worth it though. In Winter. Of 2008. Maybe.