Welllll, I did the Cotton Cable Sweater Swatch. It is very pretty and elegant looking. I must have taken 100 pictures of the dumb thing, and this

was the best I could come up with. I don’t know what the problem was, but that is a pathetic picture of a nice swatch.

In some ways, it isn’t as difficult to knit as I expected. The cotton has been knitting up nicely and it isn’t difficult to handle. On the other hand, for a ribbed sweater, there seems to be a lot of stuff to pay attention to. The ribbing is inconsistent, so I have to watch it to keep in pattern. Additionally, on the right side, I have to twist the knit stitches, but only in the cable portion and knit them straight everywhere else. On the wrong side, I have to twist the purl stitches in the cable section, and purl them straight everywhere else. A lot to remember for something that didn’t look particularly difficult in the photo. It isn’t hard, just fiddle-some.

I have a question about cotton: My gauge is right on, (right on!), but the swatch seems a bit see-through. It isn’t knit loose, but I can see through all the little holes, easier than I would like. Is that characteristic of mercerized cotton? Considering the remarkable stitch definintion, it seems to make sense, and I’m hoping that when it is on my mom’s body, it will look more solid. Does anyone have any experience with this?

I finished the body swatch for the Lily shawl.

I’m glad the magazine posts a picture of what the swatch is supposed to look like, because it looks a lot different than the shawl itself, as does mine. I’m guessing that the way they block the shawl adds some curve to the straight lines of the pattern.

It’s been really hot here. I left early this morning and got a great bike ride in on the Burke Gilman Trail. (Wow, what a beautiful area this is!) So now, I don’t have to exercise in the heat later. That means, maybe I can start on mom’s cable cotton sweater!