Time to scratch the knitting itch

The holidays are over and so is the rush to get those heart-felt, hand-made gifts finished. January is over and hopefully everyone took a deep breath and relaxed.
I know I did. I didn’t knit for awhile; happy for the break from “required” knitting.
But with the cold winds of January, I began to feel that welcome “itch.” I have no projects. I have empty hands and a lap with no yarn in it. Have to remedy that. It truly is a favorite time of year. The time to search for new patterns.
My annual search for a sweater for my husband is underway. I have several new books and leafing through them is like reading a mystery story. Who knows what will be revealed on the next page. An intricate cable? A mind-spinning Fair Isle? I know his birthday isn’t until November but half the fun is the selection.
Right now at the top of my list of possibilities is an argyle vest in new Knitting Classic Style book by Veronik Avery. I like it because it is a vest (no sleeves) and because it’s some color work but not make-me-crazy color work.Of course making this sweater depends on finding an appropriate yarn in appropriate colors. My middle-aged husband is not a fan of wild color combos. I’ll update you on my search
Meanwhile, I’ve decided it is time to make something for myself. Like so many of you, I’m often knitting for the world and have little on my project list that says “Me.”
But that has changed with our new year’s Knit Along. The appropriately named Tangled Yoke Cardigan from Fall 2007 Interweave Knit magazine.
I am not intimidated by the fact that I have to use #4 needles (the pattern suggests #5, but I am a well-known loose woman) and casting on 298 stitches (it’s worked in one piece to the armholes). Indeed I am quite taken with the challenge and look forward to the payoff -- an intricate cable across the yoke of the sweater. That I won’t reach it for another 8,000 rows (give or take a thousand) doesn’t really bother me. I look forward to the garter rib, the mindless stockinette. By the time I’m ready for the yoke, I’ll be ready for the somewhat hard work. And I love the Rowan Felted Tweed I’m using.
And so begins the new year, full of hope and expectations for yarns and patterns that will thrill and delight and make my fingers fly, my head think, my eye seek color combinations and my heart happy.
Lucia Herndon