NaKniSweMo, Part the First

Ever since Nov. 1, I've been busily knitting away on my project for NaKniSweMo, or National Knit a Sweater in a Month. So far, I've finished the body.

I'm knitting the Rocky Coast Cardigan from Coastal Knits, designed by (surprise!) Hannah Fettig. She's my favorite. So far, FIVE of the sweaters I have knitted/am knitting this year are her designs.

This pattern is great so far. I've been flying along, mostly because I've had a bit of time off this week. On Monday, I had a freak allergic reaction to something and had to rush to urgent care for an emergency injection of Benadryl. (We have no idea what it could have been. I was minding my own business at work, eating Halloween Kit-Kats, and all of a sudden, I was itchy ALL OVER. Fun fact: did you know you can get hives on the palms of your hands and the soles of your feet? NEITHER DID I.)

But that crisis was averted, and I had a lovely day off on Tuesday, Nov. 1, while my reaction cleared up, which gave me a whole day to hang around and knit. Then I had Friday off while our office was moved from one building to another here in town. So between that and time spent sitting on the couch knitting this weekend, I got a lot done.

I'm using Berroco Ultra Alpaca in cardinal. I've got five skeins, which is nearly 200 yards more than the pattern calls for. I've knitted 10 pattern repeats down the body, so it's a wee bit longer than the pattern dimensions. I picked up and tried to magic-loop the sleeves, but then remembered I hate magic loop. I tried the sleeve on before I ripped it out, and it seemed a bit tight around my upper arm. When I pick up again with DPNs, I'll pick up a few extra stitches under the arms so it's a bit more roomy.