Endings and Beginnings

Yesterday was a day of endings and beginnings.  

Over the weekend I finished the knitting on the striped sweater.  I am generally pretty darn pleased.

It worked.

It needs a good wash and blocking and while I have the buttons chosen, they still need sewing on. I wore it out to spinning yesterday to check one small trouble spot to see how it would perform while wearing.

I think I got a little overly excited by the german short rows and knitted too many.  There is a pouchy bit at the back of the neck.  While wearing, it forces the collar to stand up.  Well, maybe not stand up, but it does sit weirdly.  Before it gets a wash, I am going to have to fix it.  I am debating taking the entire collar off and reknitting it. What with all the ribby goodness of the collar, that will mean that there will be a half stitch off where the collar joins the knitted in button band, but I think that this will be a small price when comparing it to the thought of grafting two such grabby yarns.

And they do grab.  I would have been finished at least a day earlier had it not been for yarn strands grabbing each other and going along for the ride, as I did the stripes.  

Don't get me wrong.  I even enjoyed all the yarn untwisting I had to do.  I enjoyed this whole sweater immensely.  It was a great yarn combination for me.  There is a little textural interest because the yarns, Noro Silk Garden and Briggs and Little Regal do have a slightly different weight.  I think that slight difference will only last till it gets a good bath.  The Regal will bloom just the right amount.

After wearing it out and about yesterday, I can tell that no matter what, this is going to be a sweater I treasure.  The full length sleeves are perfect and it was cozy and warm and oh so snuggly for my kiddies.

And then, the big win of the day and the end of all my horrible stress.  

My oldest and his family has been living in my house with me and without me since Brian died.  I couldn't have done it without them.  There was just too much work for me in that big yard and long hill up the drive.  It meant everything to me to have them there so I could go and sort out all the things I needed to sort and have the space I needed to decide what I need and want. I promised to help them buy a home of their own when it was all done and now I can say I have done that.  Meet their house.

It is an older home, built about the same time as my house was, with all the big upgrades complete upstairs and a basement that is finished enough for them to upgrade and work on as they can afford it, but usable as is.  Alongside their home is the walkway for the neighbourhood to the elementary school.  The kids won't have to cross a street to get to the school and mommy won't have to drive them at all.  She just has to throw her coat on and walk with them till they are big enough to go on their own, something mommy is completely thrilled about. The small town it is in is only 10 minutes from one of Edmonton's satellite communities and daddy's drive to work is only 6 minutes on a very good highway. I am completely thrilled to be able to help them.

They take possession in 2 weeks, so moving day is coming fast. That may be a little stress yet, but my job is mostly to stay out of it!  

So the days have been of endings and beginnings and that is exactly right.  And now I have to go decide what I am going to knit next.