Tuesday, May 15, 2012

Vitamin D

Is done!  I finished the second sleeve on Friday night, in time to throw the sweater into a bowl of water, press it dry-ish, and lay it out to block.  It wasn't even close to dry when I woke up on Saturday, and I knew that I wanted to wear it Saturday evening to go out, so I set it out in the sun (some vitamin D for Vitamin D?), and it was dry in a jiffy.  We had to go to a midday party, but when we came home, I wove the ends in, stitched up the itsy-bitsy seams under the arms (I do love things that are knitted in the round), and it was good to go in time for us to go out to dinner before Cirque du Soleil on Saturday night.  I have worn it every day since then.  (Heh.)

On Mother's Day, I managed to get a few modelling shots.  Both of my girls (and my husband) took me to the beach for a walk at low tide.  I love the way the beach changes with the changing seasons.  At this time of the year, much of the sand that covers the beach by the fall has washed away, laying bare rocks that we don't normally get to see.
 Not to mention the anemones that live on those rocks.
In the spring, seaweeds and grasses begin to wash in from the beds just off-shore.
There is something wonderful about seeing the small, subtle, slow changes that a landscape undergoes from day to day, week to week, throughout the circle of the year.  It's the kind of thing that only comes with going to the same place time and again, season upon season, an intimate relationship with place that depends on time.
 The girls (all of them) were willing to get in on some of the Vitamin D modelling shots with me.
 But since, beautiful as the girls are, they blocked the sweater, Rick also took a few with more of a focus on the knitting.
Although Younger Daughter (and Tilly) still got in on the action (see all that seaweed there?  Tilly thought it smelled just marvelous).
I am not kidding when I say I've worn the sweater every day since finishing it.  This one is going to be a staple in my wardrobe, no doubt in my mind.  It's the perfect weight, it fits beautifully, it hangs nicely, and I like the bracelet-length sleeves (making a virtue of necessity, as I was afraid I'd run out of yarn - but the fact is that if the sleeves were longer, I'd just spend all my time pushing them up).  Even better, this was knitted out of yarn that I had in stash.  Hooray!

Some details:  The pattern is Vitamin D, I used the recommended needle size (which I think was a six, but I can't remember right now).  I knitted it out of Mirasol Nuna, which is 40% Merino, 40% silk, and 20% bamboo (shade 1002).  It's a fabulous combination, both in terms of drape and weight for San Diego. 

A walk on the beach is my idea of a perfect way to spend Mother's Day, especially since all of my very favorite people were there.
(Younger Daughter wants you to know that she took that picture.)

And to make things even better, the afternoon was devoted (aside from doing laundry, which doesn't stop, even for Mother's Day) to knitting.  So next time, I can share one new project OTN (using yarn from stash), and one renewed WIP.

15 comments:

Jane said...

It's so satisfying to finish something and then find it's perfect. It looks lovely, I don't blame you for wanting to wear it all the time.

Lori said...

ooh! That's a gorgeous sweater! I love the detail on the back too, a sweater that's as beautiful going as coming. I'd wear it every day too!

and older daughter is going to take after dad in the height department, i see. my son loved it when he became taller than me. :)

EGunn said...

That looks like a perfect Mother's Day. (Though really, any day at the beach looks like a perfect day to me...two more weeks!!) Tilly must have required quite a bath after all that seaweed...dogs have the strangest taste.

It's wonderful that Vitamin D has slipped so well into your wardrobe. Love it when that happens! It is a great color, and that style looks so comfortable, too.

Brandi Schoch said...

Isn't it awesome when you make something you love enough to wear all the time!!!

Nana Sadie said...

Oh it's gorgeous! And you all look so delightful together, yes, even Tilly.
:)
That's a cat-thing btw, with the seaweed, I'm kinda surprised Tilly was interested!
(((hugs)))

twinsetellen said...

Happy smiles, happy mother's day!

I grinned at the last photo, the way it echoed ED towering over you in the first. Beautiful girls and beautiful sweater, indeed.

Stell said...

I want to comment on how fantastic vitamin D is finished and worn, the perfect cardigan, and how yes laundry is there even on mothers day, and how yes - revisiting a favorite place is a great way to be reminded of the rhythms of the world .... But all I can think is omgosh look at how tall OD is!

Carrie K said...

Perfect timing! It looks like a great go-everywhere sweater too.

Nice way to spend Mother's Day!

Mary Lou said...

Looks good, and I see that older daughter could now block you out of any photo!

jan@twinset.us said...

I have a hunch you will soon be the shortest member of your family...except for Tilly. :-)

LOVE the sweater -- I can see why you'd wear it every day.

AlisonH said...

Love it! The sweater, the happiness, the modeling, yay!

Michelle said...

Looks like you're on a vacation and a great time to get vitamin d via sun exposure to avoid having low vitamin d.

Anonymous said...

What a lovely sweater, made even better by being a comfortable go-to addition to your wardrobe.

Love the pictures of you and your daughters! And yes, YD did a great job taking the picture of Mom and Dad. :)

Lynne said...

Vitamin D does fit you very well, though I suspect you are not wearing it every day now!

Chinoiseries said...

Your Vitamin D looks gorgeous :) I'm knitting mine in Mirasol Nuna as well, can't wait to wear it in this cold! I'm just wondering... how does your Vitamin D hold up? Did it grow much when blocking? I knit longer sleeves, and praying for the yarn to not grow at all o__O