I am so glad we are awash in leftovers. That means no one needs to drive any where today. I have been promised a fire and hot cocoa and I have a nice little pile of homemade Maple Marshmallows for toasting. (Recipe on my new “Recipes” page!) After last night’s dump of snow and the weatherman’s promise of several more centimeters to come, I’m declaring today my first “Snow Day” in 12 years!
Isn’t it lucky that Dear Aunt Pat gave me this beautiful thing to keep me busy? This is a sweater kit from Philosopher’s Wool Company and I am so excited! Philosopher’s Wool Company, located just outside Inverhuron Provincial Park along the Bruce Peninsula in Southern Ontario, produces eco-sustainable, organic yarns. The colors are breathtaking, subtle, muted shades and are gathered together in these cleverly designed “Color Your Own” Fair Isle Kits. A basic chart is included; you decide which colors to knit in each band. 
I’ve been dying to learn Fair Isle and I guess this is the year. As you can see, I’ve opted out of the ribbed edges, replacing them with a very traditional braided edge usually seen in Nordic knitting. (The directions for this edging can be found on my Patterns page.) I’m still struggling with the left-hand tension, but it got better once I got far enough along to transfer the sleeve from dp’s to the circular needle. Anyway, by the time I get all the way through this thing, I shall have tension down to an art 🙂
If this is the year of Fair Isle, last year was the year of lace. You may recall my struggles, documented here in the “I Hate Your Stinking Guts” posting of January, 2012. I’m happy to say that I finally vanquished that pattern! Hard to believe, isn’t it?
Mumsie was delighted with it and I am delighted to have added another 450 yards to my KnitMeter! I’m really hoping to break 5 miles before years end. I figure if I finish Carl’s birthday sweater and the cashmere gloves I started last Christmas, I might just make it…either that or my fingers will fall off. Happy Snow Day!
Cindy
I have failed to keep up my knitmeter! Terribly sad.
I love that you’re tackling fairisle and it looks great with the braided cuff. Nice choice.
🙂
Pearl
Thanks for stopping by, Betty! I’ve just been over at your blog admiring your handmade craft room storage ideas! Goodness knows, I need some help 😉
Betty Minnes
The knitting looks amazing! Love the colors. The picture of the window is beautiful as well.
Pearl
Hi Garret! Thanks for stopping by! Do you have a KnitMeter? If not, here’s the link http://knitmeter.com/ . You can grab the button for your blog, log on and document your progress and it will automatically update on your blog! I only count finished projects and I don’t count anything I’ve frogged (if I did, I’d probably have logged a whole lot more 😉 I go by the ball band or, if I don’t have one or knit short of what’s on the band, I try to honestly estimate. Weighing yarn? Yeah,….NO! Not happening 🙂
garretw
I love Colorwork! Even more so yours! The Philosopher’s wool method is just about the best out there — and the same one that I use when I do colorwork. (It’s one of those thing I love and hate to do. I always make it too tight. I’m working on it.) Looks great and you’re doing a fantastic job.
Also lace looks great to do. How does one calculate who many miles you knit. Does it go by ball band? What do you do if you don’t have a band, measure each yard of yarn? (Don’t tell me you do that whole weigh the yarn thing. Not happening.)