Northmavine Hoody - quite a lot of progress

I started this Northmavine back in April. Then we had the hottest summer we've had for years and really, Shetland wool in 28 degree heat is a bit unmanageable (by the way if anyone is reading this in a farenheit type of country that's 82 degrees, which we like to revert to in the UK when it gets really hot, as it sounds so much more impressive). So I put it away and went to see Bruce Springsteen and to several festivals. All the time though, in the gaps between events, I could see it lurking in knitting corner...

I fear if we were to remove all the yarn and Lego from the house it would collapse

Come September and we had a bit of a cold snap, so the Shetland wool suddenly seemed quite attractive again. We also bought a new TV, which came equipped with Netflix and other such wonders of the modern age. There's nothing like immersing yourself in a TV series to help the stockinette along, but it has to be the right kind; not too challenging, and easy enough to follow if you decide you actually should check you have 196 stitches now. I do like a silly cop show (CSI NY is pretty much a grown ups version of Scooby Doo after all) - so 'Castle' seemed to fit the bill - all 34 episodes of Season 1 and Season 2.

This is how it's been going:

18Sep2013 - first sleeve done to joining stage, second sleeve begun. Speed of knitting can only be explained by recent subscription to Netflix and availability of easy to watch while knitting fairly funny/cute/silly/unresolved sexual tension filled murder mystery cop show ‘Castle’ starring Nathan Fillion out of Firefly.

Even the wrong side is lovely.

25Sep2013 - Sleeves and body joined in perfect harmony. I feel I am on the home straight. Nice reference to ‘Firefly’ in S2 Ep6 of Castle.

Clever hem bits. Also on sleeves. Ends.

28Sep2013 - Raglan shaping almost done (well 19 out of 29 repeats which is more than halfway). Meanwhile in Castle S2 - Beckett’s flat was blown up by a crackers serial killer. Later, in my favourite  episode to date, Castle though he was cursed by a Mayan mummy (I love it when they have crazy archaeology story lines, real archaeology is so much more humdrum).

Raglan, my favourite kind of shoulder. Must find out more about Lord of same name.

Then I ran out of Castle (though Season 3 is now on Channel 5, so I have set the magical recorder box to record it). And started on 'Battlestar Galactica'. Because there's nothing better than a silly cop show than some Sci-Fi...

03Oct2013 -Finished all the raglan decreases, and got to the bit where the hood is started. However I am not yet decided on the whole hood thing. So I have started the pockets instead (in J&S again but some natural white I had left over from Sheepheid). I have moved on from ‘Castle’ while some episodes accumulate on the magical recorder and started on ‘Battlestar Galactica’. This was slow at first but then really delivers (oh, the revelations and major plot points!)  in Episode 2. There was almost too much delivering as I actually had to put the knitting down and watch what was going on. Also, really very good space battles...I quite like the look of those Cylon spaceships, even though I know them to be (probably, but who knows really?) evil.

It looks like its on the wrong way but I believe you tuck it in after. I trust Kate.

 I will continue pocketing, and then decide if I'm doing a hood or not.

So almost finished I can *feel* it...apart from the massive i-cord edging thing.