FO: Golden Hour

I started this back in February, just a few days before the baby was born. I'd done so much baby knitting that I needed a break... Well, 6 months later, I'm finally done.

Raglan construction, fingering weight yarn... I used Tosh Sock in "Antique Lace", which was bought on a whim at my LYS. The wheaty color is something I usually don't wear, but I am finding I like it with my skin tone.

The chevron detailing was easy enough to do without the chart, so it was great tv and knit night knitting.

I need to block it, because right now it's this weird mid-crotch length, and I'm hoping to get an inch or two out of it. I already added a few rows of chevrons to the bottom to accommodate my long torso, but I really should've just started the chevron charts later. Ah well.

The little cable/button back closure is so cute. Completely unnecessary, as the neck is generous, but it gives a nice detail. I chose a blue button at the advice of some twitter friends, but also considered bright red and hot pink ones. I have a lot of buttons.

Oh, and before I go... That little green Wee Austin Hoodie I did for the baby? Well...

- YX

Technique: Cables

Awhile ago, I was talking about knitting techniques I love or would like to learn. Today's is cable stitch patterns.

So, this is the most cabled project I've done:

It's a pattern for a cowl, but I made it extra long and turned it into a crossbody vest thingy. I'm super happy with how it turned out, though I'd like to reblock it wider to show the details on the cables.

I've done some other cable projects, but I don't find myself particularly drawn to them. Indeed, there's something kind of annoying about having to remember which row is a cable row, which direction to cable, etc. Small projects can be quite fun, though:

And I do enjoy them as a design element. My most recent sweater has a few cables, and they were fairly easy to manage:

There are always row counters to help, and quite a few people like cabling without cable needles. I've never been able to cable without a cable needle and have it come out properly. Like the linked video says, my knitting is too tight to make it work with anything more than a stitch or maybe two. Instead, I use a darning needle, which I stick into my yarn cake and use as a cable needle. I have some actual bent needles for cabling, but I find that the darning needle is twice as useful, and much smaller.

I'd like to do more things in the spirit of my Pinctada, but a girl can only have so many cowls in Texas...

- YX