Christmas in July!

Perhaps for the first time in my life, I'm getting started on Christmas stuff at a reasonable time! I've been wanting to make my favorite uncle a sweater and believe it or not, I'm going to start it NOW, in July, rather than in, say, November, which would be more typical for me (you know, when I realize I have no gift ideas for him and make a stupid decision to whip up a sweater that is sure to end in stress and gnashing of teeth!) This uncle is totally worthy of a handknit sweater just in terms of my love for him, but he's definitely not the kind of person I'd normally knit for because there's no way in the world he's going to handwash anything, and I'm pretty sure blocking is also totally out of the question. I think he stores motorcycle parts inside his stove - he's that kind of bachelor. But I didn't want to make him some acrylic sweater either - I decided that superwash wool was the way to go, but I'm still a little worried about the washing and drying thing - I mean can you throw superwash in the dryer? or is that asking too much of it? Anyway, I got some Lamb's Pride superwash worsted in a charcoal heather from Suzoo's Wool Works in Cali, which I only knew about because I saw a post on the Yarn Sales Rav board (god help me - I should NOT read that board!) - they had some crazy huge sale and I'd been on their site several times, filling my cart, then being rational and emptying my cart. And, as you might suspect, because I was getting John's sweater yarn there, I also threw in two sweater quantities for me - and left it in my cart this time! but get this - it's Nashua Creative Focus (single ply wool and alpaca - heavy worsted weight/aran) 220 yd. skeins for $1.99 each!!! whaaaat? I pretty much feel like I stole them at that price. And it's such pretty stuff!! I got black and red: Oh, the pattern I decided on for my uncle's sweater is from a Rowan book, which means all the people in the book are so beautiful, and the photos so picturesque, I'm never sure if I really like a pattern, of if I just want to live in the picture.

This sweater, Beau, seems simple and classic, and like something I think John would wear. Once he was talking to me about seeing pictures of old fishermen in those Aran sweaters, and said "well I guess they have people like you at home knitting for them." That was when I decided he deserved a sweater. 'cause he's the best.