like a much loved old sweater....

here is my latest knitting that pays hommage to elizabeth zimmermann but also to knitting tech geek montse stanley. and then of course it is an hommage to peter, a thank you for being friends for 25 years + and a present for his 51st birthday. he came to collect it this morning and later i got a text that said: it is like a much loved old sweater. and it made me think that this is what elizabeth's directions gives us, no matter which of her designs we are knitting. new old much loved garments. i do think it has to do with the yarn too. it is beaverslide dry goods : glacier heather worsted weight. and this yarn has something really retro and honest about it too. i have it sent to denmark (unfortunately i purchased the colourcards) and it usually arrives in one week and is not similar to anything i can get here.

i love elizabeth's directions and the reminder to swatch everytime. it saves you so much agony and then i love to play around with wool and patterns and in this case different stitch patterns. the sweater's stitch pattern is moss-stitch panels combined with an aran braid from barbara walker. i made the tubular cast on and cast off as explained by montse stanley in knitter's handbook. she also solved my problems with slanting purl stitches on the left side of the cables. it all comes down to how you wrap. and then, i am afraid to say, i finally realized what the ssk is. i just k2tog through back loop and thought it was something continental knitters couldn't do........ yay for life long learning.

i have to recommend montse stanley. it complements elizabeth beautifully and teaches you everything technical you would ever like to know. right down to not placing your ball of yarn on a dirty floor (oops).