Last summer I picked up a book called The Friday Night Knitting Club by Kate Jacobs. In addition to it being an engaging story, it also inspiried me to try to knit again. I have always been pretty good at crocheting since my Mom bought me a kit for Christmas to make a window pane vest when I was about 12. Remember those? I could never knit anything I liked because I hated purling. Also, on my last attmept to knit a few years ago, my granddog dachshund Frank kept running away with my needles and yarn. Crocheting can be rescued and repaired from the jaws of a mischievous wiener pet but knitting is a lost cause. This time around I first attempted a scarf and then got really brave and bought $75.00 of yarn at an amazing yarn shop in Basking Ridge, N.J. called Down Cellar.
This is the leftover yarn. It is hand-dyed wool, alpaca and silk and feels amazing. I used two strands at a time with size 11 needles and it took me about two weeks to make.
And here is the almost finished sweater. I just need to find a really cool button to put at the neck and a shirt to layer under it and I can wear it. I acquired two new skills while making it, using circular needles and double pointed needles.
Even though my husband is probably right and I'm nuts, I would love to see at least one of our pastures change from horses to alpacas. He's had horses and I've helped him and the kids with theirs for the last 30 years. I think I'm entitled to an alpaca if I want! Now I just have figure out how to come up with the cash. These babies don't come cheap and they have to be kept in pairs or they get neurotic or something. The only good news is I like the less expensive breed, the Huacaya which is shown in the picture below. They are supposed to be very friendly and gentle and they don't spit like llamas. Yet another maybe someday.
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