Thank you for your sweet comments on the Irish Hiking Scarf! One of the best reasons to keep a little knitting log like this one is for all the positive reinforcement constructive feedback the process yields. Anyhoo, a few additional notes based on your questions.
On School Products cashmere... it's good stuff based on my limited experience with cashmere and teensy beer budget. It does vary, though, in terms of construction and color. The yarn used for the IHS was a 2-ply (? two thickish strands wrapped around each other), whereas before I've bought cashmere that was more like 6 or 12 threads that ply as you knit with the yarn. They must have a few different distributors for the stuff. The quality does seem to vary: the IHS yarn was the best, the white 12-strand I used for these glittens was decent (though knitting with all those little threads is a bit of a pain, and the navy I used for Colchique was, I think marginal since the strands sometimes broke and were not as sturdy as in the white yarn. But price-wise, you can't beat it - something like $5.50/oz, if I remember correctly.
On the dimensions of the IHS - it's about 5" wide and 68" long - long enough for 2 wraps around my neck.
The next sweater project I take on will with about 90% certainty will be an aran-type project. At some point in the next year, or even in the next several months, I'll be designing a shawl-collared aran sweater for Chris using Ann Budd's Handy Book of Sweater Patterns. I have in mind some diamonds, some honeycombs, some cables, but at this point these are all swimming around in no particular order. I have no concept of how to make my vision hang together as a coherent pattern. To create some order from chaos, I've ordered a few vintage aran patterns on eBay just to see some classic designs. It's amazing how timeless aran patterns really are compared to a lot of other knitting. Also of some help might be a good book on aran knitting - can anyone recommend one (besides Alice Starmore's Aran Knitting which sells used for like $300!)?
Speaking of the timelessness of aran designs, this sweater from J.Crew looks remarkably (with the exception of a little closer-cut modern shaping) like the vintage patterns out there:
I love it. Should I get the aran bug reeeeal bad and design a sweater for me as well as Chris, it would look something like the above.
Posted by jess at December 2, 2005 11:08 AMI love that JCrew sweater too. I'm planning to check it out in person and take some notes on it. A yarn like Rowanspun Aran would probably be perfect. The catalog says it's a chunky 3 gauge knit, but that might be a little bulky for me. I think I'll knit in a nice soft merino lining for the neck too, so it won't itch me.
Posted by: Jessica at December 2, 2005 4:58 PMThe alice starmore "aran knitting" book is avaiable from the new york public library. i currently have it out on loan. i requested it 2 months ago and when i finally got it in my hands yesterday all of those crazy ebay auctions suddenly made sense. i just checked and there are 2 copies of the book and 8 people in line for it (that is less than there were when i requested it), so if you requested it today you would probably get in about 6 weeks. shelagh hollingworth's "the complete book of traditional aran knitting" is pretty good, it is also available from the NYPL and there is no one in line for it right now.
Posted by: laura at December 2, 2005 5:49 PMDon't you just love J.Crew? Unfortunately, they're out of my price range. But fortunately, I can always knit like I shop at J. Crew. :) Good Luck on your sweater design. I'm sure it will turn out gorgeous!
Posted by: Cathy at December 3, 2005 9:56 AMHi there, I have Gladys Thompson's "Patterns for Guernseys, Jerseys and Arans". It is a simple book with great patterns, but you would have to do the working out for the garment shape. I always refer to it. It isn't fancy, it doesn't have the fancy look of the other books around but I think it is a gem. Worth a look at least. Hope that helps.
Posted by: Vicki at December 3, 2005 9:54 PMHi - I second Gladys Thompson, having just received my copy. It definitely doesn't have modern shaping suggestions, but my Lord, the authenticity!!
Gladys shlepped all over northern England and Scotland in the late 30's, took hair-raising ferry rides to remote islands and accosted fishermen mending their nets and wrote down all their patterns (sometimes she made frantic notes as said fishermen were retreating into the pub to get away fromm her). It's terrific stuff and if you also have Alice Starmore's Fisherman's Sweaters you will notice (ahem) strong similarities between some of the patterns. AS is all charted, of course, and glossy - but for my money, Gladys is the real deal.
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