Shawl Together Now

And it came to pass, as the sun set upon the third day, that the collar was done at last.  And she looked and called it Good:

Yes, I think I can now say that I like the collar, though since this is version 8.0, it may be that I just want it over with.

I have no freaking idea why the thing is so, well, LARGE.  There is about 300 yards of yarn in there, if you can believe it.  Obviously, garter stitch uses more yarn, but how there ended up to be so much acreage in the thing is beyond me.  I'm thinking that the depth of the V neck is to blame: shallower would have been preferable, because it just takes so many dang stitches to get around the wee beastie.  But there comes a point where you just have to press on and see what happens.  Apparently for me, that point is somewhere between the 7th and 8th version of the shawl collar.

Which translates to a collar which, even when folded in half, is pretty freaking high in the back.  For someone short of neck (like me), it's really more fabric than necessary.  But if cozy was my goal, I think I have well and truly got it.  This thing is not just a shawl collar, it's an actual shawl, attached to the neckline of a cardigan.  Epic.  Practically a hood. Beware of sudden updrafts: Sweater may achieve liftoff.

Still, I think the project's headed in the direction I had hoped (Knitting Gods; insert SMITE here).  I was going for something that looks tailor-y and fitted-y and sorta, well, period, if you get my meaning, but without being costume-y.  Although, if it does end up costume-y, I will still love it. 

Strangely, after all the time I have spent with this wool, as fleece, as spinning, and now as knitting, I'm only now starting to think about what it will be like to actually wear it.  And I like what I have so far.  Two challenges left (that I am aware of, at least): 

1.    Make sleeves that work the way I want them to, and
2.    Don't run out of yarn.

Same thing we do everyday, no?
 

Collarless

Progress on Caora Dubh continues:

Here you can actually see the cables:

And today's goal is to do the shawl collar.  That was yesterday's goal, as well, but it's proving surprisingly elusive.  I have gutted and started the collar over no less than 7 times, stymied by the geometry.  It's not that I haven't got other people's instructions for how to do this, it's that they yeild shapes that completely defy my ability to make clothes from. 

I'm harboring guarded optomism for version 8.0, having unearthed a machine-made cardigan of Phillip's which has the collar I (think) I want.  Seeing the shape I'm supposed to be knitting (different from anything I have found in my books, by the way) is bound to help.  Failing that, I plan to make blood sacrifice to the Knitting Gods.  Wouldn't be the first time, after all.
 

My New Old Friends

The incomparable Joan Schrouder recently hatched a cunning plan, whereby all the knitting teachers she could find in Oregon, weather or not she knew them yet, were invited to a retreat with her at the coast.  She thought it would be nice for all of us to take a bit of time to get to know one another, network, compare war stories, and of course, knit.  Of the original 14 invitees (you would not believe how many high-profile Knitterati live in Oregon), 7 of us made it (this first time).

Joan's clever house-marker, propped up in the yard

In addition to their careers as mild-mannered knitting teachers, the group's secret identities include: 30-year Phlebotomist, Private Practice Optometrist, Computer Scientist, Copyright Attorney, Wife and Business Partner of a real-live Rock Star, and a Wall Street Investment Banker-turned-Cattle Rancher.  Oh, and there's me: Cube-Farm Refugee.  These are some smart, powerful and busy women.

Nautical sunset on the Oregon Coast

In addition to taking in some of the greatest coastal scenery the country has to offer, we genuinely enjoyed one another's company.  We did a lot of show-and-tell, exchanged many problems and solutions, ate like kings, and knit like maniacs.  We all surprised ourselves by making a lot of progress on our projects du jour as we talked and bonded.

Clockwise from upper left: Parna Mehrbani, Angela Davis, Joan Schrouder, Shelia January, Mary Scott Huff, Anne Berk, JC Briar

We promised ourselves and each other to do more of this.  In addition to including the others who couldn't make it this time, we all agreed that we want more of this kind of restorative and inspirational time together.

And we have several evil schemes brewing.  Which should come as a surprise to no one who knows me, or my New Old Friends.