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Baltasound - Sleeve One Done

I finished the first sleeve last week, and here is a picture, unblocked, of course.

Baltasound - Sleeve One Done

I have picked up the second sleeve, and I hope I can finish up the sweater in another week or so. I hope the sleeves block out smoothly. I had to do most of them on four dpns, like I work socks, because my shortest circular is just too long. I had a bit of trouble maintaining tension across the needle changes. Perhaps I should have turned them inside-out, as I've seen advised, especially for working on dpn's, to keep the floats making the longer path around the corners, instead of taking a shortcut. Once I thought of trying that, the sleeve was half done, and I was afraid the difference would be noticeable. As it is, I'll just have to block carefully, perhaps using a crochet hook to tug out any particularly stubborn spots. Hopefully, it won't come to that.

I've been thinking of ordering a wooly board. There is a particularly nice one at Camilla Valley Farms, which I've seen recommended on Ravelry. I like the way both the shoulder and wrist of the sleeve can be independently adjusted. I just haven't given in and ordered it, yet... I'll have to make a decision, soon, as I've almost reached the point of blocking my first (completed) Fair Isle jumper...

I'm totally enamored with Shetland yarns and Fair Isle. I have several Alice Starmore books, and I've just started looking at her and her daughter's online shop, "Virtual Yarns." They have many lovely kits! I ordered a Roscalie vest kit, and it came in eight days! I also ordered a Rona cardigan kit, whose colors absolutely make me sigh and even made Chris say, "Wow." That kit has not come yet. It shipped separately. Since it is so much bigger, perhaps the customs office took a special interest in it! It should be along, shortly. In the meantime, I have the vest kit waiting to cast on the moment I finish Baltasound.

Roscalie - kit

The Shetland yarns and tradition have been captured in a new book that looks terrific, "Shetland Textiles: 800 BC to Present," by Sarah Laurenson. I read about it on Kate Davies' blog, here, where Kate wrote a very detailed description of the book. It has a link to the book, available in the Shetland Museum. I also stumbled up Sarah's own blog, here. I suppose you already guessed I ordered a copy of the book... It looks awesome!

Happy Knitting,
Lisa Kay

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