I can’t tell you how great it feels to be working on a new sweater project that excites me so much. I started swatching for Sahara this afternoon, and I determined that the gauge I get on 6s and 5s not only match the gauge I’m supposed to get according to the pattern, but also give me the nicest fabric. And what fabulous fabric it is – it’s soft and drapey, it’s got a subtle sheen thanks to the silk, and it’s a tremendous pleasure to knit with.

I haven’t blocked the swatches yet to see if the gauge differs at all between pre- and post-blocked states, but I may do that tonight before I go to bed. And then tomorrow evening, if I have enough time, I’ll start the dyeing process. After talking to mom, I decided to go with a semi-solid all the way around instead of using a variegated for the body. And we decided on a coppery orange base color. This isn’t quite the color I was trying to get, but it’s a good estimate of what I’ll be aiming for tomorrow:

I’m definitely excited to be working on this project. I can’t wait til I have more to share!