Oops!

I think I just cast on something for myself...

The Christmas Sweater checklist:  The mammoth undertaking that is the husband's sweater is under control.  I have a couple of inches left on the front to complete the entire body.  YAY!

That, of course, will leave me with the sleeves and collar, but it is still October, right?

Wee One's Tribeca has the back and right front done.  I am a third of the way done with the left front, then I will be onto the sleeves.

Drat.

More sleeves.

But, those two are the last of the holiday sweaters (although, I may give Tribeca to Wee One for her December birthday and cast on for another Christmas sweater).

In addition, I have an owl sweater cast on for Sweet One at her request and two more ready to go for Wee One.  She asked for another Hoodie Vest, but this time with long sleeves and longer in the body.  Neither of these are for Christmas.

Notwithstanding, I did an inventory of the non-sock yarn in my stash and remembered I had some very nice dk, about 1900 yards worth.

Classic Elite Yarns Soft Linen (35% linen, 35% wool, 30 % baby alpaca) in Lupine.

I bought this almost two years ago because I loved the color and it was on sale, but had no specific pattern in mind.  I have used almost a whole ball on swatching for different things, but ultimately nothing seemed "just right."

The swatches are awesome, though.  I learned early on to use the tail to tie little overhand knots in to tell me later which size needles I used.  I usually start small and gradually increase my stockinette stitch swatch with a row of purls to denote a change in needle size.  Once the swatch is complete, I mark the last needle size I used by more little knots in the bind-off tail.

For instance with this swatch, I started with size 4 needles and worked my way up to size 7.  The cast tail has four little knots in it and every time I switched needle sizes (from 4 to 5, 5 to 6, and 6 to 7), I purled a row to separate the areas.  One tail had four little knots in it, the other end had seven.  Thus, I had a neat little progressive swatch that I stashed with the yarn, after it was soaked and washed.

Pulling it out and studying it yesterday, I realized I saw a pattern the other day that might work with it.

Jamison Square by Marnie Maclean

While cowl necks are normally not my thing, after I bought the pattern, I gleaned from the schematic that it is a scoop neck, so I am not limited to cowl neck only.  Besides, according to my swatch, my gauge is spot on!

So, after I completed the neck shaping on the husband's sweater, I set it aside with the end very much in sight and immediately cast on for Jamison Square.

On size 5 needles, it is knit in the round from the bottom up.  As such, this one is going to take a while, but that is okay.  A row or two here and there makes me happy to be working on something for just me. 

And, that is okay.