I Dream of Short Sleeves

This whole wedding planning stuff has really thrown a bucket of cold water on my knitting (which is better than hot water because then it would just be a felted mess). I finally finished knitting the Chiton top and even seamed one shoulder. But that other unfinished shoulder has been staring at me from inside the knitting basket for about two weeks now, and I’ve done a good job of giving it the cold shoulder. Ha. I REALLY hate seaming. I try to avoid it by finding knit-in-the-round projects, which I love. I don’t quite understand why this pattern couldn’t have been done in the round—and had I given it more thought ahead of time, I probably would have modified it.

The good news is that we’ve booked the reception place, the photographer, videographer and DJ, or as I like to call them “the biggies.” I’d add the church to that list if I could, but unfortunately we can’t book that until June. They have parishioner guidelines, and I just haven’t been one long enough. Anyhoo, booking all these biggies is good news because it means I can stop being such a stress ball and get back to knitting. I’m thinking about starting one of the following: Kate Gilbert’s Peregrine super cute short-sleeve top; Cecily Glowik MacDonald’s Castle Pullover or her Streamside short-sleeve cardigan.

Short-sleeve knitting and the coral nail polish I’m wearing are just my ways of willing spring to happen here in Chicago. It’s really like the home stretch as far as weather is concerned. I like cool/cold weather for about four months and then I’m ready to break free of the 30s and 40s. We’re at about the end of the fifth month of cold weather here, approaching six.  At the end of Fall, I really look forward to wearing my new scarves and bundling up in my wool coat, breathing in the cold, brisk air and the smell of burning wood in fireplaces. But, by the time the end of March rolls around I just want to wear a hoodie or light jacket and stop wearing socks. There's an episode of the Simpsons where Homer asks Krusty the Clown "Don't you hate pants?" Right about now my answer to that would be "Yes. Yes I do." Bring on the skirts and sandals and shorts. I'm ready!