So now that I am all done spinning all that green fiber, I sat down to finish some projects I had been half way through.  I had started Reid before the move.  It was a quick knit, but the lace pattern was very fiddly.

 I used this yarn.  It is Berry Pickin’ in Merino from Spunky Eclectic.  I spun up this single back in  March.  I used just a little over 4 oz to make the sweater.

 And this is how the sweater looked after it was all finished and blocked.

I am glad that I checked Ravelry before I started.  Just about every version of this sweater had notes added about the sizing being wrong.  And they were right!  I knit this in the 2T size, guage swatch and everything.  When I went to block it, there was no way it would block to the specs at the end of the pattern.  I ended up just blocking it to the size that made the lace look best, I think it was close to the 6T size, and it ended up being just about the right size.  The sleeves are just a little long, but they look fine when they are rolled up.  The important thing is that Teeny loves it!  When I put it on her I had to chase her around the house to get it back!

I also learned something very important and frustrating yesterday.  The green yarn is too thin!  It would be beautiful in a shawl with an all over pattern like Print of the Waves or some other traditional shawl, but not the pattern I wanted to use it with.  The pattern I am using has beautiful pictures of bugs and flowers.  Great garden scenes that need to have very solid areas to contrast the open areas. 

I tried using US 0 needles, the pattern was too small to see.  I tried US 3 and 4, the pattern dissapeared in all the loose stitches.  I was so frustrated!  I had been planning this shawl as my county fair entry for next year (ours is in April) and I was so disapointed that it wasn’t working!  Then, late last night it hit me.  Hold two strands together!  I thought for a second about spinning the two yarns together in a cable, but I didn’t know how that would change the texture of the yarn, and I was sick and tired of spinning this yarn.  I wanted to START!  I am just about to the 4th increase row and so far it is stunning with two strands.  I am a super happy camper!

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