Sugar Cane, Oh So Sweet!

So what does all this have to do with sugar cane? I’ll get to that shortly.

I’m definitely not the fastest knitter in the world. So last fall when Peggy Stuart decided that we needed to have an Elizabeth Zimmermann’s Baby Surprise Jacket KAL, she and Susan the Blue Lake Knitter had me hooked but I knew I wouldn’t be able to get started until after the first of the year. Too many obligations before the holidays.

Susan forged ahead with her little Sam due in January. She was the first to finish and she did a terrific job. Look at the wonderful little buttons she found. We know Sam is going to be so cute in his BSJ.

Peggy was a little slower in finishing because she had her second thumb surgery last fall. She managed to finish up her BSJ for Daphne in January, just about the same time as I began. We can hardly wait for Miss Daphne to arrive sometime in late May, early June so we can see her in another cute BSJ.

The yarns I chose were a wee bit crazy for a baby. It’s not machine washable. I chose Araucania’s Multy Ruca, color #1

and Debbie Bliss’s Pure Silk, color 27005.

The reason for the choice of yarn is simple. The Multy Ruca is 100% sugar cane. I couldn’t have found more perfect yarn. How could I not use this to honor those family memories of that sweet taste of sugar cane from our family farm? And well, the silk is simply because it was what I found that could trim this beautiful sugar cane. The silk reminds me of that green sugar cane swaying in the fields.

So I forged ahead and before I knew it, I was making great progress.

It soon managed to evolve. So many buttons to choose from.

Before determining what buttons to use, I decided I wanted longer sleeves.

And I knew I wanted a collar. It took a long time to decide what type. I really wanted a sailor collar, but the front lines weren’t quite right for a true sailor collar. So I decided to go with a square collar. I ended up doing the collar separately. It took me forever to decide the best method for attaching the collar. I ended up whip stitching it. I placed the right side of the collar next to the wrong side of the BSJ. As soon as I find where I hid my directions for the collar I will post those directions in the BSJ KAL. Then I whip stitched around.

It was starting to look good but still wasn’t exactly where I wanted it. So then I decided to do an attached i-Cord around the edges and I’m in love again. And what buttons did I choose? I really wanted to use the bees. We used to have beehives in our backyard. So wouldn't sugar cane and bees be appropriate? But the little bees were too washed out and need something else to show them off. This has yet to be blocked but I didn't want to wait another week before posting this blog.

Since I haven’t decided on a recipient yet, I thought my little baby doll could use a little warmth on this nippy day.

Here’s a little bonus. I took pictures of the chair backs I did for the chair my baby doll is sitting in. We bought 2 chairs for $10/each. The backs were vinyl and the seats were just cloth. They had obviously not been Waters boys tested. The vinyl and seats were torn. I had some scrap upholstery fabric which I covered the seats with, but I couldn’t figure out how to do the backs. I knew I wanted to knit something but I didn’t know how. One day while staring at the chairs, hmmmm….. it reminds me of the toe of a sock. Finally, I knew how to shape it and voilá: beautiful new chairs! [Okay, I realize the backs could stand to be fulled again. What can I expect after 5 years and Waters boys testing?]

On my Needles: The Yvette Beret and Mitts. The band is completed and I’m ready to start those magical triangles for the entrelac set up. Please check out the discussion in the Entrelac KAL and join us if you like.

On my iPod: As always: At Knit's End by Stephanie Pearl-McPhee, Stephanie Pearl-McPhee Casts Off, Mason Dixon, Knitting Outside the Lines by Kay Gardiner and Ann Shayne, The Secret Language of Knitters by Mary Beth Temple. As well as the following videos: Drafting: the Long and the Short of It and Respect the Spindle by Abby Franquemont, Baby Surprise Jacket by Elizabeth Zimmermann. The mystery book of the week is The Lincoln Lawyer by Michael Connelly. No, this is not a story about Abe Lincoln, but a modern day lawyer that loves Lincoln Continentals.

What book am I reading?: I’m still enjoying The Knitter's Book of Wool by Clara Parkes. What a delightful book!

Breed of the Week. Navajo-Churro: This breed is the descendant of the Churros. The Navajos bred these sheep for meat and fiber. The fiber is more suitable for weaving that knitting. There is some efforts today to breed for a softer fiber more suitable for knitting. The Knitter's Book of Wool by Clara Parkes. Please consider purchasing Ms. Parkes book. It is an excellent resource book with some very nice patterns.

Word of the Week. Hinky: Slang for nervous or jittery; slang for suspicious. This slang word has been around since 1956 and is alteration of argot hincty suspicious. Thanks, Susan for using this wonderful word this week.

Until next time, Happy knitting to all.

♥cheryl