Hubby's Sweater: Two Times the Fun

I'm slogging along on the sleeves for Hubby's Striped Sweater.

Now I think I'm on sleeve island.

Why do sleeves feel like they take forever to knit? Is it because I'm almost done but not as close as I think? Similar to the last few days before vacation seem to have more than 24 hours. I thought the sleeves would be more interesting than the back and front because of the increases. Instead, they are happening frequently enough to be distracting when I'm trying to watch TV.

I'm almost done with the first set of increases. Then I'll have two more to work before I "knit even" to the specified length.

Actually, I tend to knit sleeves first if I can.

I also like to knit them at the same time on one long circular cable if I can. Which is what I'm doing with Hubby's sleeves. I wasn't planning to, since they are going to have over 100 stitches each by the time I bind off, but when I was running short on charcoal yarn I worked them to the same point so as not to loose time.

It's working out just fine. I haven't needed to go up a cable yet.

Potential Pitfalls
There are some hazards to working both sleeves simultaneously. Here are some tips.

• I find it best to treat them as one long row. That is, make sure you work both sleeves before walking away, otherwise you might work one twice and then be thrown off. I actually worked one sleeve twice without putting my project down, but it was easy to catch because of the stripes (oh, this sleeve has 3 and that one has 2).
• You could knit them together by forgetting to switch balls. I've never done this, but I bet it could happen if you are engrossed in your show. Sometimes I put a hanging row counter between them as a prompt.
• Your balls of yarn are going to tangle. This is easier to manage if you are working from two balls of yarn. I'm using both ends of one ball and it's getting messy. Happily, since the stripes are only 10 rows I don't have to wait long to cut them and free myself.
  

Seriously? You want to learn?
Earlier in the week Bossman declared that he wants to learn to knit so he can make himself a scarf. He says he hasn't see any he likes in stores.

I laughed at him and walked away.

Now, I remind you that his wife knows how to knit (although it sounds like she doesn't) so he has another resource to pursue this goal, since I'm just taunting him. I've also directed him to knittinghelp.com and I found these helpful tips (you have to click through to get a PDF) from my Twitter friend BlondeChicken.

I know you are thinking that all potential knitters should be encouraged, but you don't know my boss. He could be up to something. This is the same man who over the summer at our company's conference convinced me and the Other Associate Editor that we had suddenly been slated for a speaking role the next morning. This was while the team was a dinner the night before our supposed stage appearance. It didn't help things that the Deadline Setter and The Guy in The Art Department picked up the gag seamlessly. Of course, TGtAD cracked first and started laughing, so he can be forgiven.

Bossman is being persistent in expressing interest, but also telling me to talk him out of it. Like that's going to happen. Potential knitters and crocheters must be encouraged. The more of us there are the better the industry is financially.

However, I've tipped my hand. I told him I'm going to convince him to buy some nice cashmere yarn. That way when he decides knitting isn't for him I'll be able to graciously take it off his hands (and have myself some yummy new yarn). hehehe. I've also threatened to distribute his picture to the KC staff so they will know what to do if he shows up when I'm not around.

Speaking of encouraging knitters...I wonder whether my nephew has stuck with it.