Xena-sized Knit Lighthouse Keeper Pullover Designed by Lindsey Fowler

Well, the momentum kept going and I managed to finish knitting Xena's pattern matching Lighthouse Keeper Pullover in under a week.  It might seem quick but for me, aside from knitting with 100% pure cashmere, there is nothing smoother, quicker and more enjoyable than knitting with silk and mohair blends.  Some people despise mohair; some are allergic to it.  I never really gave it much thought until I really started knitting a few years ago and now it's safe to admit, I'm obsessed.

   

I used the same size needles for Xena's sweater as I did for mine.  I used Kim Dyes Yarn Stroopwafel DK (55% SW BFL/45% Silk) in her Shrimp Bisque colorway + La Bien Aimeé 70% Mohair/30% Silk in her Tang colorway.  Xena is 5.5 yrs old and this sweater only used a 2 1/2 hanks of Kim's yarn and less than 1 hank of Aimeé's.  This will come as no surprise, but I am obviously knitting matching socks for Xena and I with our leftovers.  I was so excited for Xena to wear her sweater, I still haven't blocked it, so I apologize for my wavy stitches.  I promise they will look better soon.

 

As a transracially + transnationally adopted Korean, it was very significant for me to knit something, for the first time ever, with yarn dyed by two different Korean women who also grew up in the USA.

I knit the smallest size of the sweater.  The smallest bust measurement was a few inches wider than Xena's body but the upside of knitting garments for kids is that inevitably, they will grow into them.  That's why I generally intentionally knit longer sleeves to maximize the mileage on Xena's handmade garments.

This sweater is very easy to modify.  For instance, there wasn't an exact corresponding separation point for exactly where I wanted put the sleeves on hold but because the pattern has a 20 row repeat, it took minimal math to calculate when to stop and which pattern row to pick up when I started the sleeves.

These are all of my failed attempts of, "Smile for the camera!".

We went even further into our backyard for this photo shoot than for mine.  I'll post photos of the pool when (hopefully) we successfully open it in a few weeks.  We're making a super quick trip up to NAPEX next weekend and then Xena starts summer camp the following week so my plan is to open it mid-June.  

What's on my needles next?  Well, I still have to finish the lace top I started over a year ago.  

 

I also have to add pockets and buttons to a couple cardis for Xena.  

Then I am already well overdue to get started on my official Rhinebeck sweater which Amber and I are knitting matching patterns of.

 

Happy to see these pretty mushrooms growing behind our shed.  It makes me curious about what died to help feed them.

Anyway, I am super stressed out about all of the wack algorithm BS that has been going on with Etsy.  They've already threatened to shut my account down on numerous occasions because of their messed up algorithm that seems think there is something wrong with selling postage stamps?!  I just don't understand how much of it is real or bots or what.  It's infuriating because I have been selling on Etsy since they started.  I even tested their BETA version and assisted with multiple software upgrades.  Yet now, even though I am a Star Seller with nearly 9,000 sales, they continue randomly deactivating my listings, not responding to any of attempts to contact customer service and ignoring all of my emails.  Ex.) 3 different Hanukkah and carnivorous plants postage stamp listings were randomly deactivated for "being against Etsy's policies".  Are they now anti-Semitic with something against meat eating plants?!

Knit Lighthouse Keeper Pullover designed by Lindsey Fowler

As I mentioned in my previous post, I had originally intended on knitting a pattern from Lindsey Fowler's Salt and Timber book prior to knitting my recently finished Hotdish Cardigan and the Lighthouse Keeper Pullover was it.

 

I used Wandering Flock Worsted weight 100% Extrafine Merino in their Dune colorway for the MC and their Lace weight 80% Kid Mohair/20% Silk blend in their Mother of Purl Rhinebeck custom colorway as the CC.

 

I knit size 6 of the pattern.  I used the recommended needle sizes which I can generally only get away with if I'm knitting in the round because I knit really loose when working flat.  I simply spritzed and steam blocked the sweater on my ironing board; no wet blocking required for this one.  

 

I love the woven textured chain created with a simple alternating repetition of purls and slip stitches.  I also love the extra structure created by the alternating slip stitches on the sides of the body and sleeves.  It has a thick double-folded collar that will offer extra warmth and fuzz in blustery weather.

 

It's a lazy Sunday afternoon and when I was getting ready to take photos, instead of getting all dolled up, I decided just to be my natural-self, unbathed, sweatpants, old Vans, no make up and messy hair since technically, this sweater is specifically intended to be that special handmade sweater that you can pullover anything to feel good and cozy.

I think part of the reason why I finished this sweater so quickly is because I was so excited to a knit a matching (pattern) for Xena with 100% Korean dyed yarn from Kim Dyes Yarn and La Bien Aimee.

Photos coming soon, maybe even before the end of the week if I keep my momentum going.
 

 

Do you ever make something that fits so perfectly, you just want to wear it everyday and never take it off?  Well this is it!

 

I first met Lindsey Fowler at the Indie Untangled event in Saugerties, NY last fall.  She autographed a copy of her Salt and Timber pattern book (published by Laine) for me.  I planned on knitting one of the patterns from that book first but while I was attending what I now know was my first and last Stitches ever (XRX just declared bankruptcy today) she released her Hotdish Cardigan pattern.  That gave me a great excuse to buy yarn and I ended up using Midwestern/IL-based 2 Guys Yarn Tweedy Toes.  It's their fingering weight 85% SW BFL/15% Donegal Nep yarn.  I used the Cuppa Cream colorway for the MC and Freshly and Road Hazard for the CC's.

 

One of the highlights of returning to Southern living is the realization that on a hot, sunny day, you can wet block a sweater outdoors in the sun and it dries in just a few hours!

I actually finished this sweater back in April but then life got in the way.  I knit size 6 of the pattern.  I went down a needle size and used US size 5 and 6's.

I bought multiple set of buttons to add to it but after wearing it around for a while, I now think it looks most flattering worn open and that it doesn't even need buttons.  This is Kristine and I on her birthday.  I am so glad we got to celebrate it together IRL in the Eastbay even though I no longer live in CA.

I've really had a lot going on within and outside of fiber arts.  I haven't had much time or energy for blogging but I do want to at least note that I discovered this super cute yarn store in DC the other day when I drove up to meet my former crochet student, Tiffany, for dinner at Dukem, my favorite Ethiopian restaurant.

This was my first time participating in the James River Yarn Crawl.

It kicked off last Friday and I celebrated with all of the regulars who attend the Friday morning sit stitch at Dances With Wool out in Midlothian.  It has really been an emotional and financial struggle since we moved, especially now that I am no longer working and teaching at a yarn store.  The group at DWW has been so kind and welcoming and just meeting up with them when I can has already brought me much newfound fellowship and peace of mind.

I was immediately drawn to this Sunshine colorway from the Red Stag Fibre trunk show.  I bought sweater quantity without a pattern but I'm sure I'll figure something out soon. I also bought a couple yarn crawl custom colorways.

I was LYS-famous for being the first customer of the day!

 

Then I headed over to Center of the Yarniverse which is actually geographically closer to our home.

Everything I bought was picked out by Xena but since it was Mother's Day weekend, it was simply a reaffirmation of the joy of being a mom who makes things for a kid who truly appreciates them.  Xena is posing with Laura, the lovely lady behind FXBG from Fredericksburg, VA.

 

On Saturday, Xena and I picked up Aaron's mom, Clarisse, down in Williamsburg.  She's a knitter and her husband, David, is a wood turner.  He's made me yarn bowls in the past and he also sells them at yarn stores around central VA.  First we stopped at Baa Baa Sheep in Norfolk where Kim Dyes Yarn was having a trunk show.  Connecting with her on IG and then meeting her IRL was very inspirational.  

She is also a Korean mom (of 2 boys) and she has been dyeing yarn for 13 years!  I bought 4 hanks of her gorgeous Shrimp Bisque DK colorway.

 

Our final stop was Yarn Matters in Williamsburg.  I was so excited to shoot a photo of Xena in their photo booth, I didn't realized the book she was holding was upside down.  A Yarn About a Tree is an adorable children's book.

There's one final store, The Yarn Club, in Virginia Beach, that I would need to visit to complete my JRYC passport.  Originally we were going to check it out yesterday but the weather wasn't great and now there's supposed to be extreme rainstorms today.  Tomorrow, if I wake up early enough and the weather is accommodating, I will drive down there but I really don't want to make the trek unless we can make an actual beach day out of it.  We'll see!