I have a confession to make. Something that I have been keeping secret and that many of you will find scandalous…. I don’t really like crochet and I never do it for pleasure outside of my studio. Don’t get me wrong, the firm fabric you can achieve, the mathematical logic of it and the way it lends itself to sculpturing make it perfect for constructing toys. But after that structure is built, I add as many other media to my toys as possible to sort of mask and distract attention away from the bumpiness. So there you go, glad to have gotten that off my chest…
But I ADORE knitting. And I am just dying to start this sweater.
I just ordered a bunch of different colors for swatching the design. I already tried a few and I wasn’t really happy with them. They looked great held next to each other on the skein, but the turquoise and raspberry are sort of awkward knitted up. So I think I’ll go with a warm palette of coral and lilac and mustard. The yarn is coming for Camilla Valley Farm in Canada, and I haven’t seen the colors in person so I’m taking a bit of a gamble. This is going to be a sort of expensive sweater especially since I bought Addi Turbos in the wrong size and they cost an arm and a leg! Oh well, I’m sure I’ll use them sometime.
I love fairisle knitting but I’ve never steeked before and I’m a bit nervous. But I never let that stop me; I sort of like learning things as I go along. And I would get really bored if I never tried new techniques.
And I may be being foolish, but I am going to make the sweater in a size small. And as you can see from this pic that I posted awhile ago, I am not small. 
But I used to be. I gained a bunch of weight after going on anti-depressants, and, frankly, everything I like doing is sedentary. So I’ve joined Weight Watchers online. And I am totally psyched! I started the week of Thanksgiving and so far I’ve lost a bit over 15 lbs. Which, considering much of the time since was over the holidays, I think that’s a good start. My next goal is to have a total loss of 30 lbs by my 30th birthday. That’s May 6th and it’s going to be tough, but I think I can do it. Then I’ll be about half way there. I’m just 5′ tall and buying clothes has gotten difficult and impossible from my favorite brands. So I am really looking forward to being able to enjoy clothes again, which I have in the past. I’m thinking of doing a bit of an image make-over when I get to my goal weight. I’m gonna go for a layered hippie look. I’ve already started growing my hair out so that it will be nice and long to go with the bell-bottoms that I plan on making for myself 
1:46 pm on March 5th, 2010
You go girl : ) Love the sweater , can’t wait to see it made with the colors you’ve chosen.
2:33 pm on March 5th, 2010
I love knitting and enjoy crochet too-I like the break one gives me from the other though I do much more knitting these days. That sweater is beautiful, have fun with it! I like to learn as I go too, otherwise the boredom kicks in just like you said. Congratulations and keep up the good work-at 5′ myself I know what you’re talking about. Have a great weekend!
3:31 pm on March 5th, 2010
Lol, so scandalous! I don’t really like crochet either, except in sculptural pieces. I adore knitting too, but it takes me 3x the amount of time to knit than it does for me to crochet.
I wish you luck on your weight loss goals, I’m trying to lose 30lbs. by my birthday too. I’ve been buying clothes that are too small for me because I know I’ll make it down there by the end of this year (since I lost 30lbs. last year).
Just remember, sometimes you plateau and you need to switch things up to keep losing weight and soda, coffee, juice = bad, water = good.
3:52 pm on March 5th, 2010
I picked up knitting a couple of years ago and I find that I know many more projects than I crochet anymore. I like the speed with which crochet goes while being worked, but I don’t like how painful it is on my hands and wrists. I only crochet for ami’s anymore. Everything else I can possibly make is knit.
That is a lovely sweater. I can’t wait to see the finished product. And congrats on the weight loss. It’s so hard to do as you find yourself getting older (trust me on this one) and much harder to be bothered with all that motivation nonsense. Good luck!
7:23 pm on March 5th, 2010
i hate knitting and love crocheting!
It takes me too long to knit, but crochet is so fast. I like being able to sit down for a movie and then when it is is over, have a hat in my hands.
BUT, i think you can do the sweater! and good luck with the weight loss! you can do it!
8:15 pm on March 5th, 2010
Great Job one the weight loss!! I have that much to loose too…only mine is from having two babies, and going from one sedentary desk job to staying at home and pretty much either crafting or “couching” with the kids.
That sweater looks like a great challenge, I LOVE craft challeges like that, which is why my husbands knitted beanie is going on four months now…there’s just no challenge to it. >:( Your idea of putting fabric on your creations has inspired me to put fabric on mine…only I’m sewing a green long haired bunny for my son, I’m just gonna add splashes of fabric on his soles and ears.
9:09 am on March 6th, 2010
The sweater is GORGEOUS! What a fabulous idea- but my first thought was “Oh, yeah, it looks awesome… on *her*.” Nothing like buttons lining my belly to give it that much more attention! I love to crochet, and I’ve never knitted before, but my mom uses circular needles (like the Turbo) and loves them.
I joined Weight Watchers about 9 months ago, and have lost around 30 pounds (the holidays were challenging, to say the least). I still have far more to go, but it’s been really encouraging to me to have the support and ideas I get through the program and its people.
My unsolicited advice:
Take it step by step. If you don’t get to 30 pounds by your birthday, don’t be crushed. The first few pounds come off a lot faster than the last ones do, and it all has to do with how much you need to lose to reach your ultimate goal. It’s a realistic goal, and it’s a safe rate of loss-but road bumps happen. I don’t know if you experience the same self doubt I do, but for me, the journey is definitely bigger than the destination, and reaching a *sustainable*, healthy weight is the important part for me.
My regular meeting leader says a few things that I keep in mind as I go through day to day. My favorite is:
“Your tracker is not a judge; it merely PROVIDES INFORMATION.”
Go to town with that li’l tracker. Tell it EVERYTHING. It should be your food-related thoughts and actions on paper. A history. Nothing more. If you exceed points one week, you can expect a gain, or at least not a loss. But the tracker doesn’t care. It just knows why (or at least, it should, if you tell it the truth).
10:03 am on March 6th, 2010
Just adore the sweater, lovely little blue birds
Steeking is not difficult but I have found with my need for perfection I tend to put grosgrain ribbon over the seams. If you do not pick stitch (German style http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_9XImtoQmZ8) this fair isle would be a good opportunity to learn that way you can work your colors with both hands.
I have always preferred knitting MUCH faster at it, no need to look at my work, literally if I lost my sight I could knit but don’t think I could ever crochet again. Crocheting has its place and I love the type of fabric it makes for Toys and baby clothes, of course lace is fantastic too, though I don’t have the patience for the yards of lace I use to make.
Good Luck with your sweater and enjoy. Also Congrats on the weight loss and Cheers to meeting your goal:D
10:47 am on March 7th, 2010
you can do side bends or sit ups, but please don’t loose that…
that sweater is fab! can’t wait to see it.
9:41 pm on March 7th, 2010
Beth-
just kidding! Congrats on the weight you’ve lost so far, and can I just say.. I remember you being taller.. but that’s just me 
Post pics of your sweater progress on Ravelry – love to see it! and I bet you might be able to trade those Addi-turbo’s with someone for the right size!
Nothing wrong with being a closet knitter
Best of luck on the sweater
11:41 am on March 8th, 2010
Thanks so much for the encouragement, everyone! It is nice to know that many of you can understand what it is like trying to loose weight. I’ll keep you updated from time to time and we can support each other. Joni, your advice about the tracker is helpful. It is hard sometimes to make sure that I am entering everything little bit of food, but that’s the whole point so I will try my best. Melissa, there is very little chance that I will ever have a small ass. So never you worry
I’m glad too, that you guys don’t think I’m a traitor because I prefer knitting
It’s interesting that some of you say that crochet is faster. I am a way faster knitter. In fact,(to brag a little bit) when I first joined my local stitch and bitch, some of the other girls were amazed at how fast I am…I think they were jealous 
7:11 pm on March 9th, 2010
Yeyyyy!!! Thank you for sharing your secret. When I read it, I felt that it was me the one confessing. I think that the fact of being able to finish a proyect faster crocheting than knitting make us crochet sometimes. I knit only on winter time, for some reason I love it. Crocheting only for special proyects (but not love it).
9:36 pm on March 9th, 2010
I love that sweater as well. I also like knitting better than crocheting because you can do so many different stitches with it. It’s also more of a challenge, I think, because some of the stitches are pretty complicated. Regarding you weight, if WW still has the little calculators, they work really well to keep track of things – much easier than writing it all down for sure.
5:36 am on March 12th, 2010
ha ha haaaaa! I know exactly what you mean. I LOVE Ysolda Teague’s designs. Along with yours, her blog is one of 4 or 5 that I read regularly. I think you’re both such talented you women. Wonderful.
I have this pattern downloaded and waiting until I can lose the many many kilos of weight I have gained over the past couple of years. I can’t put it down to prescription drugs or creating masterpieces whilst I sit on my expanding behind, just 2 pregnancies and an over loading on cake and all things yummy.
Losing weight is Damn hard (especially with so much yummy cake around) and it takes a long time. Best of luck with your weight loss, stick with it. I hope dieting isn’t the reason behind your recent illness, take care of yourself!