Saturday, May 03, 2008

Guy Knits

Right now, I'm knitting for the men in my life. My sister has 2 pairs of socks, my mother has a Clapotis, but Mr. Batty and my Dad don't have anything. I'm a little bit ashamed because the Dad Sweater has been on the needles since last April. Yes, folks, it's taken me a year to get this far on a sweater that's mostly stockinette (or rather, reverse stockinette, but let's not split hairs...). So how am I doing with it?
Well, I have about 6" left on the first sleeve. Almost there! A second sleeve, a wash, a block, a seaming session and some ribbing around the neck... and it'll be done.


Mr. Batty is getting a hat and a pair of socks. I have started the socks, a simple twisted stitch pattern from The Knitting Man(ual). It's hard to see in this picture, but it's turning out very well, if I say so myself. After a friendly knittyhead explained to me that k2tog without taking the stitches off the needle, then knitting into the first stitch again refers to the stitch closer to the end of the left needle, that is. I was initially quite unable to figure out if they meant the one on the left (first stitch you slip the needle through on the k2tog) or the first stitch towards the end of the needle. Sometimes, things aren't as straightforward as they seem...


Oh, and about that skein of yarn from my previous post. The color is called Providence. Methinks 'tis Providence brought us together... I want to go back to the store and buy another skein in that colorway so I can knit one up while having another one around the house to look at and pet, because it is perfection. Just a book collector has a first edition of a book, but then keeps a reading copy around for when he actually wants to read the story.
If anyone had asked me what the perfect yarn looks like, I probably would have described something different. Funny how the things that turn out to be "perfect" for us so rarely are what we thought they would be before we found them...

14 comments:

IrishGirlieKnits said...

Hang in there on the Dad sweater! At least its being worked on (some of my projects from last year are hidden away!).

The socks look great too!

cpurl17 said...

My poor Dad also has a few knitted gifts of good intentions but never materialized.

That sock pattern is cool!

Kate said...

I've had a manly sweater on the needles since December 2006! I think mindless stocking stitch just gets too boring on large projects. Well, that's my excuse, anyway..!

Anonymous said...

Aren't sleeves a bear? The relative length of the human arm never fails to amaze me. But, your Dad Sweater is looking good. Maybe some more Providence would be a nice reward for its completion.

Kristin said...

I was always afraid of the man sweater because they are so big! I can't wait to see the finished products! :)

The Kelly Green Rogue said...

very cool sock pattern.

You're almost done with the sweater! :)

Bezzie said...

Nice thing about guy knits...usually the guys in question don't grow any taller and you don't have to worry about the fit afterwards!

Go dad sweater go!

Rebel said...

Lucky guys!

weezalana said...

I've got a man sweater for Hubster planned for this fall. Then again, I promised him a pair of socks for Valentine's Day last year and haven't gotten around to those yet, so who knows when it'll actually get done. You're already into the knitting, so I'd say you're way ahead of the game! ;)

Kathy Kathy Kathy said...

OMG--Kate! I've had a Manly sweater on since about that time as well. That boy is now 16 and has outgrown it anyhow! Batty, I too have trouble with things like the "first" stitch on the needle. That's why I can't get the hang of My So-Called Scarf.

Mary, Mary... said...

First, I gained 5 pounds just looking at those profiteroles. I, too, am working on sleeves for my kids' sweater--I don't think I can get away with a sweater vest. Good luck!

Lauren said...

You are almost there on the dad sweater!

I like the twisted stitches on the sock. :)

schrodinger said...

You really shouldn't feel guilty, boy knits are generally not that interesting because the recipients tend not to like anything 'too fussy', it's hard to keep a knitter interested. But it really looks like you are coming along with the Dad Sweater.

Eileen said...

I'm lucky...DH has decided he can buy great sweaters, but he can't usually buy hand-made socks. I'd MUCH rather make socks!

Speaking of which, what are you using for Mr. Batty's socks? It's beautiful. Merino, by any chance?