Closing In

Mafia is quite correct, of course. I still haven't had time to spin, but the sweater is moving right along. I finished the hem and the neck today, and found picking up stitches surprisingly painless — that along with seaming being a large part of my sweaterphobia. I still blanch at the thought of picking up stitches along a side edge, as for a button band (why are button bands so often made that way? wouldn't it be easier just to knit them as part of the sweater?), but I'm beginning to believe all things are possible.

I can no longer say I'm knitting the sweater exactly to pattern, as I decided to go with ribbing instead of rolled edges. It's very boring and traditional, I know, but I just think it looks neater.