I’ve been knitting Matt about one sweater a year since we’ve gotten married. December is our anniversary month and it seemed time to tackle another sweater. He really wanted something in fingering weight, and navy. At Rhinebeck I came across Miss Babs Yarns Keira in the color McHales and that met both requests. It’s also a “heavy fingering” so it’s slightly more sane.

I began the search for the perfect fingering weight sweater. He was not fond of several of the options I presented, and one that we both loved needed a larger supply of yarn. Naturally, I just decided I had to do it myself and started swatching some different stitch patterns. We settled on one we both loved and I got to planning the design.

I’ve been quiet on the blog primarily because this is almost the only project I’m currently working on aside from the occasional foray into past projects that I’ve already mentioned on the blog that have fairly unremarkable progress. This month seems like a tough month for blogging, though it’s in the height of wintertime knitting love. I am really excited about this upcoming pattern. I haven’t put out a sweater pattern in a couple of years and it’s fun to figure out how to make it look like I want it to look, but I’m also very grateful for tech editors to make sure all of my math makes sense.

I have a wee bit of gift knitting to do (one very small project). I tend not to pressure myself with gift knitting, but instead decide to tackle designing a sweater and writing up the pattern! This was technically going to be my NaKniSweMo project in November. I definitely worked on it most of November, but did not even come close to finishing. Writing patterns (at least for me) involves revising things as I go. I originally knitted about 8 inches of the sweater front, then doubted the sizing and ripped it out. I also ripped and revised shaping when I didn’t like how it was turning out. It’s a slow, but pleasurable process. I can’t wait to share more, and to get this knit on Matt!

Also, in honor of the giving season, I’m helping to spread the word about a group that is giving away yarn to groups of knitters that knit for good causes. If you are part of a group that does that, consider applying for some free yarn that could be used to knit for a good cause. Check out the page that describes this in more detail at Yarn Canada.