WIP: The Gifted Reindeer

I feel the need to express my gratitude for this place and for all the wonderful people I have “met” here.
I live in a place that there is no one to share my passion for knitting, thus the existence of this blog.
When I say that I really enjoy knitting, I get some very weird looks.
I’m sure you know what I’m talking about 😛

But I found my place here!
What I never expected to find, was friends!

Alina from The gift of knitting is a true friend to me even if we have never met. She is sweet, kind, generous, a true gem!

If you don’t follow her blog, you really should!
She’s inspirational!

And now she’s designing!
Her patterns are jaw dropping!

When she released her Reindeer, I was drooling over my screen! 

It was exactly the cardigan I was dreaming about!

I wanted to knit an open cardigan with a cable pattern down the back but since I couldn’t find the perfect pattern, I had to improvise.

I had told Alina at some time and not only did she remembered,
she gave me her pattern as a gift!!!!

I could be more happy, grateful and moved by her generosity!

The yarn was patiently waiting for F’s blanket to finish.

I have regretted million times my promise not to cast on anything till the blanket is ready.
I learned my lesson…. 😛

While swatching (applause please, this is rare for me), I was off.
Being a tight knitter, on size 4,5 needles, I had 20 stitches per 4 inches instead of the pattern gauge of 17 sts. 

I tried going up some needle sizes but I liked the fabric on the 4,5 needles.
I was thinking modifications, doing crazy math until I got a headache.
I decided to take a break and visit my favorite blogs.

And then the weirdest thing happened!
The first post on my feed was this one.

I was aligned with the universe!

Everything turned crystal clear and I casted on for the large size hoping to get a small size.
So far it works! Thanks Karen!

I’m so in love with the cable pattern!
The cotton yarn really makes the stitches pop.

The color is really difficult to show. It’s more like the first photo but I think it changes depending on the light.

I’m going fast with it because I can’t wait to put it on and proudly say that I knitted this! 😀

A huuuuge thank you to Alina!

Joining Frontier Dreams and Yarn Along