The Neptunes are in!!!

Yes, believe your eyes. I got my shipment of corrected patterns Monday. I'm back on my swatching! I've got some laceweight hand-dyed alpaca that I'm going to hold with some mercerized cotton this time, since I didn't like my first swatch. Heck. Maybe I'll just knit a bunch of SKIFs, all the while trying different combinations! I don't have the Mateo and Bellagio yet...the Bellagio is men's pullover, the Mateo is the cardigan.

SKIF News

I received an email from Donna of Deep South Fibers, the distributor of SKIF patterns. She alerts us to the following:

FYI…..Skif patterns have been corrected and are being distributed to retailers today. Folks are encouraged to re-visit their LYS or on-line source for a corrected copy of the pattern(s). Corrected versions will not include the hardware.

Also, she mentioned that there are two new SKIF patterns: Mateo, a cardigan, and Bellagio, a man's pullover. Hmmm...with the name "Mateo", perhaps both are men's patterns.

Lastly, Donna would like to join our KAL! She will bring along some insider knowledge and be a direct source of contact with the designer. Welcome, Donna!

Neptune-2-B

So, once I've got a few WIP's completed, this


should turn into a Neptune (or button back, as the case may be...)

(Apologies, I can't figure out how to import the photo.. Rgh...)

Irreconcilable differences
















Zena and I have agreed to separate – temporarily. It just isn’t working out the way I’d imagined. There are issues and setbacks that I can’t be bothered with.
I need a break.
I’m giving it a week or two. I truly hope we can work things out by then.
If not, there’s someone else, waiting for me - Neptune. Or Jess.
A girl should always have options.

It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Zeeeennnaaa...

Well, just a little, really.

I have miles and miles and stockinette stitch to do before I can even start on the sleeves.
Still, it's progress.

I've made my peace with the Zena pattern, problem child that it is. Aside from the obvious mistakes, the pattern isn't written in the standard knitting language we all know and love. The terminology is vague and the syntax is weird. I would be quite suprised to learn that it was test knitted at all. Or edited. However, I'm happy to know that SKIF is aware of the problems and appears to be acting upon them (Thanks, Teri!).

So, in the mean time, if you remain calm and draw upon your previous sweater knitting experience and focus on the schematics (which appear to be accurate, so far), it is possible to muddle through and come up with results that are similar, at least, to your expectations. At least that's been my experience, so far.

After all, the Habu loves this pattern and that's what's important!

Cross posted at Knitopolis.