Thursday, February 12, 2015

Valentine's Day: A February Bright Spot (or Not?)

The thing about being in my late fifties is that I can enjoy the romance of Valentine's Day without the angst of the young. When I was very young, the day was all about making cards, taking them to school, and receiving enough of them. Oh, and the candy, of course! At a later stage, there was the fear that flowers/gifts/candy might not be offered, especially from the right person. One very nice Valentine's Day I found two little boxes sitting on my desk at work: one was a pretty set of silver earrings, and the other some rose-scented, heart-shaped soap. They were both from Bill, who a few months later proposed to me.
These days, the knitter in me likes to do a little Valentine-themed knitting around this time. A look at Ravelry tells me I'm not the only one. So, what are we knitting?
For some it might be a pair of socks for a partner, or something small and red, or even something big and red, or something with a heart theme. You get the idea.
Let me suggest Wakefield Redux for those who are not heart-phobic when it comes to garments.(Isabel is, which is how Zora was born. Same shape, but cables instead of hearts.) This cardigan is a great way to fool yourself into making an aran design--lots of stocking stitch, just enough cabling and moss stitch.

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The buttons were some of the last available from Mission Falls. I still have a stash of bone-coloured hearts waiting for some yet-to-be-determined project. Maybe something cream coloured for next year's Valentine's Day? 
P.S. For the well-endowed, who might not want bobbles marching down their frontage, this design can also be made bobble-less.
P.P.S. For the larger sizes, I'd advise casting off the back neck stitches at the same time as joining the shoulders. This will provide more stability for the area. At some point I'll add that in to the instructions and send out a notification, but now at least you know.