Revisiting the Main Line Disaster

I posted about this disastrously pilly yarn a while back. I think the worst feeling in the world is spending hours of your time and a fair amount of money (not a lot, thank goodness) on a sweater only to wash it and have this happen. I remember I swatched, but I guess I didn't put the swatch through the washer and dryer.

So, I'm getting up, dusting myself off, and trying again. This time using Lion Brand's New Cottonease. I've made two sweaters from this yarn (one with the old and one with the new) and I know it holds up and washes well.


Here's the swatch, which has been machine washed and dried. Looks fine. I haven't done a shrinkage check yet, but I traced it on a piece of paper before I sent it through, so I just need to do a comparison.


This is what I've knit so far. You start at the neckline and work down to the yoke, making raglan increases on the way down. It's definitely a boring, TV project, but I know the finished result fits so well that it's worth it. My mom made this for me about ten years ago from a yellow acrylic and I wore it so much that it's nasty looking. Maybe this time it will work out. I would love to have a soft springy-looking pullover to wear next month during the cool mornings.

In letterboxing news, the kids and I planted our first one on Monday. Now I'm just waiting for someone to find it. It's actually sort of thrilling, but I was reading on a letterboxing message board about box placers getting nasty emails from boxers who couldn't find a box, stuff like *your directions are bad, we got muddy, what a waste of time!* etc. I guess I hadn't considered the possibility that people would get ticked off if they couldn't find it. It's supposed to be a fun hobby, after all. Ah, people, you gotta love 'em. . .