just made it...

I finished the Tappan Zee Cardigan, and was able to extend the sleeves to bracelet length instead of the short sleeves the pattern shows.

And see that little nifkin of yarn at the bottom? All 1 metre of it? That was what I had left over after casting off the bottom. I JUST made it...Can I say a few things about this? I love working with Elsbeth Lavold Silky Wool. Love it. Love. It. Is now definitely one of my favourites to work with.

I also loved this pattern. Top down (my favourite way to work), cardigan style, easy to modify by lengthening the sleeves. Instead of casting off when separating sleeves from body, I left the sleeve stitches live on waste yarn, and then knit down with the last ball of wool I had. (I split the yarn by weight - gotta love the digital scale!) I had a half ball of wool in reserve to ensure the sleeves were even, then used it to get as much length in the body as I could.

And, best of all, it fits, it looks great, and it's finished in time for me to wear it on Saturday to the KW Knitters Fair!

And the reason I"m happy that it fits and looks good is this:
Yup. There's the Rowan Wool Slinky Ribs sweater. Or what WAS the Rowan Wool Slinky Ribs sweater. It didn't look good, I didn't have enough wool to make the sleeves the length I wanted, and really, the wool was too rustic for the design. My mother in law almost had a stroke watching me unwind the whole thing on the weekend. She could not understand why I would do that. I asked her why I would keep an unattractive sweater that I would never wear. I didn't want to give it away because I loved the wool and wanted it for myself. She understood the logic, but still - it pained her to see "all that work" go away. Not me. It just freed up some beautiful wool for me to make something I will love and use.