Pursuing warmth and a super-quick knit that would a) show off the shawl to advantage and b) go with the dress. But there was no time to source yarn before flying. I decided on Carbeth because it would be both quick and warm. Also because it has a lovely structure.

Thank you so much, Cynthia of Stitch Your Art Out, for coming up with a wonderful way of making an off-white Carbeth. I found the shop through a combination of web search and Ravelry. A desperate email before getting on the plane - “I need something white to make a Carbeth cardigan, do you have anything?” elicited a swift response even though Cynthia was allegedly on vacation. Texts back and forth between Cynthia and Joyce (in the shop) apparently ensued while I was attempting to sleep on the plane.

Arrived in State College from London late Saturday afternoon and went straight to the Stitch Your Art Out shop where the lovely Joyce not only provided me with the yarn but also a really lovely hug. That’s service for you! I’ve never used silky wool before and it’s both light, super-drapey and because of the silk content really warm. The solution from the available stock - one strand of white and one of a creamy natural held together. I also got shiny green shell buttons.

Saturday - tubular cast-on for the body with 3.75mm needles (because that’s what I had). Seemed to work well, and moved pretty seamlessly into 2x2 rib. Started body.

Sunday - finished body (just over one skein of each colour required) and started first sleeve. Same tubular cast-on and then knit the ribbing flat rather than in the round since I didn’t have the right needle/cable combo for anything else. Also, it might allow me to seam the cuff with a thumb hole if it’s long enough.

Monday - acquired two short 6.5mm circs from a chain store (after acquiring the self-uniting marriage licence from the prothonotary in Hollidaysburg) and finished the first sleeve - added an inch to the length. Started the second sleeve. It is decided the wedding will take place on Friday afternoon.

Tuesday - finished the second sleeve. Joined the sleeves and the body and started the yoke section. Now I’m concerned that I’m not going to have enough yarn to complete the project. I can make the collar much shorter but even so…. fingers crossed.

Wednesday - finished yoke, have front bands on spare yarn, awaiting bind-off, completed two thirds of the collar, wondering whether to leave it shorter or work to the full length. Yarn might hold out. I shall sleep on it and decide tomorrow. We decided the wedding will take place in the grove of oak trees that are the oldest on the property - averaging around 200 years - on Sapsucker Ridge.

Thursday - in the end worked about four rows less for the collar than the pattern called for. Probably would have had enough yarn but better safe than sorry. Finished the button bands and sewed on the buttons. Blocked on a flat surface after spraying with water but without pinning out.

Mods: 1” extra length on each sleeve; sewed cuffs leaving hole for each thumb. Used a 3.75mm needles to pick up the purl bumps for the collar fold-down join (so much easier to pick them up with a smaller needle); having completed the collar join did not break yarn but picked up and purled the stitches of the side of the collar then turned to work the band to save another couple of ends to weave in.

Very pretty, light and drapey. Very happy with this.

ETA: wedding video