Sweet Baby Sweater

Probably the sweetest thing I've knit.

Pattern: Babies Neck Down Cardigan #982 [Rav Link]
Source: Knitting Pure and Simple
Materials: Plymouth Encore Worsted
Amount: 2 skeins
Needles: US 8 & US 6
Started: March 1, 2009

Finished: March 8, 2009

The buttons make the sweater.

This is a thank you for a friend that recently helped me out with some work stuff.
She's due in August.

The 30 Sweater

I turned 30 in June. I didn't talk about it here, but I was pretty excited about it. For my birthday, Hubby and I went flyfishing, had lunch at one of my favorite places and rounded out the day with a trip to WEBS, where I was determined to buy a sweater's worth of Rowan.

I purchased Rowan Scottish Tweed Aran in my favorite color, gray. I had no idea what I was going to knit with it, but my goal was to knit a sweater during my 30th year. Here is the result:

Pattern: Garter Yoke Cardigan [Rav Link]
Source: Knit.1 Fall/Winter 2008
Materials: Rowan Scottish Tweed Aran
Amount: idk. maybe 5 balls?
Needles: US 7
Started: December 26, 2008
Finished: January 17 2009

This was a such an easy, quick knit. It flew off my needles. I've been wearing it for weeks now waiting for the sun to return to New England so I could take some pics.

My only mods were to include decreases in the sleeves. The pattern intended for somewhat bells sleeves and I just wasn't sure that the Scottish Tweed would provide enough drape to make this look right. I decreased quite a bit and if I were a better person, I would have taken notes to share with you.


I do love it, but I have to admit that I am seriously considering re-knitting this.


Yes. Yes, I am.
See how much ease there is under the arms and across the bust? I have a 36 bust and I knit the 36 size. The sweater taught me that I really should knit a 34. More to come on exactly how I know this is true in my next post.

I am only confirmed that perhaps re-knit is needed by looking at my photo from the back.

:( frump-a-dump. Anyhoo...


The button are spectacular and come from crazy ol' Joann's. Who knew? The perfect compliment to my 30! sweater. I loves it.

New sweater

I'm on day 3 of this sweater and making excellent progress. I would be on day 4, but I lost a bout with food poisoning and I'd rather not talk about that. I'm still not at 100%, but my knitting is on fire!

Drive by Sweater Post

I've got no time to blog. I've been having fun. Too much fun to blog.

This is the best I can do.
A quick pic taken weeks ago before hopping on a plane to go to my sister's wedding.

Pattern: Divine by Leanne Prouse & Lorraine Tweddle
Source: Ella Rae Book Seven
Size: Small
Materials: Ella Rae Silkience
Amount: 8 skeins ( I think)
Needles: US 6 & 7 Addi Turbos
Started: September, 2008
Finished: November, 2008

Disgustingly Cute Sweater

I think the hood took as long to knit as the rest of the sweater. The pattern said to bind off at the top and seam. Eh. Didn't like that idea. So I decided to kitchener. Well, it took no less than 6 attempts to get the purl ridges on the right side. Looks fabulous now. I'm not crazy about how the arm sleeves look and I have no idea if it'll fit. Good thing there's a mess of babies in my life.

I voted against monkeys and went for mother of pearl. I think it was a good move.

Satisfaction

I think there is no better satisfaction for a knitter:

Remember this sweater? I forgot to take a pic with the buttons. I asked momma to take a pic for me and this was in my inbox this afternoon with this note:

"just wanted to show you how fabulous your sweater looks!! i LOVE it. i may have to commission you to make another! i put it on her all the time!!! thank you so much"

Aren't the buttons perfect? What about that dimple?! Oy!

Cobblestone

The Cobblestone is done. DONE! ...and I'm very happy with it.

I think Hubby likes it. He says he does. I can't tell. It doesn't really matter. If it sits in his drawer, unworn, I don't care. It's good looking and I got pretty close on the fit (try sizing a runner whose weight fluctuates like New England weather!). The first time he put it on he immediately rolled the cuffs. It doesn't change the look of the sweater, but I winced. That's 2 inches of knitting I didn't need to do!

He hasn't worn it yet because I had to block it in the basement during our visit to Ohio. 5 days, damp without turning, flipping, proper circulation. Hubby says, "Um, can you wash it again? It smells basement-y." And so I did. And so it dries upstairs on the drying rack. I even searched for the manliest smelling wool wash for him. Which, in my opinion is SOAK Aqua - which smells like nothing actually, but it's not girly.

Pattern: Cobblestone by Jared Flood
Source: IK Fall 07
Materials: Classic Elite Skye Tweed in #1206; roughly 11 skeins
Needles: US 7 Addi Turbo Circulars
Start Date: August 2007
Finish Date: December 2007

I highly recommend this pattern. It is well written, beautiful in it's simplicity and classic, yet different. I love it.

The yarn: I would use something else next time. The lack of give in it makes it really hard to work with. If you're looking for leftover Skye Tweed, stop looking. Find another tweed, my friend.

Blocking and filth.

Before we left Boston, I finished Hubby's sweater. The one I started in August. It's been a long ride, but I finally made it. Hubby tried it on when it came off the needles and it was a bit wonky and looked a bit like a homemade sweater. I decided to wash it and wet block it. Ah, yes the great blocking debate. Get it soaking wet or spray it? This yarn was so filthy that there was no way this could be worn without a bath. So here it is:


After only a little bit, I noticed this:


I hope that you can see the filth emerging from the interior of this sweater (ok, maybe I hope you can't). Ewwwwwww! I let the sweater make a filth stew for a while, then drained and filled the tub again, this time with some wool wash:

I think it went through four tubs full of water.

Ah. That is better. I laid it out in the basement on a blanket. I didn't need to pin it because it was naturally meeting the measurements on the schematic in the pattern. I just tried to flatten the wonky bits.

Hubby tried it on tonight. He claims the sleeves are long. He immediately rolled them up one turn. I'll try to get a pic of him in it tomorrow in natural light. I might have to wash it again. It smells basement-y.

Sweater Slog

It's too big for the train, so it's my tv watching knitting. Thank God it's football season.
This thing might actually get done.

My favorite project

Cobblestone update: I finished the sleeves and cast on for the body.

I figured that deserved a reward.

So I cast on for Composed Mitts. I started on the way to Maine on Sunday morning. I finished the first mitt on the bus this morning. There's something disappointing about finishing a project on public transportation. As with any project, there's that split second "I did it. I made this." moment and no one cares. Truly. Especially on a morning commute. No one cares.
Unless of course you made coffee.

Seriously, I think this is my favorite project. All time favorite. So much fun to knit, it went super fast and it's tres jolie.


It has baubles:

It doesn't have fingers.
Perfect for commuting, phone clutching and T-pass digging:

It's fair isle in great colors:

I did mess up my tension a bit, especially in this section:

I don't care though.
I'll try to work some of the tight stitches free, but I love it how it is.

I love it inside out.

A Sweater's Worth

Frogging a whole sweater is no fun.


Takes way too long. You gotta undo seems (just one more reason to knit seamless), wind it up again. I probably should have "refreshed" the yarn, but I'm afraid this particular yarn isn't going to take to too much more findlin'.

It is all done.
Thanks to felted joins, I've got huge center pull balls for the body of my sweater.

p.s. There's a quilting project in the works. Yes, that's wood fabric. Awesome.

One Sleevie

The start of one man sleevie:

I got a lot of attention on the train yesterday. Everyone wanted to ask about my knitting. When I notice that people are watching me knit, I either smile and get back to work or I pretend not to notice them. Unless of course it's a knitter and you can always tell another knitter (think gaydar, but different). Muggles usually want to remark about how talented, brilliant, creative, etc. you are. I am not. I am pulling a yarn loop through another yarn loop. Don't get me wrong. My current state of knitting is the by-product of many a failure, but really before 8am I'm hardly capable of brilliant. I'm happy to talk about my knitting. It just gets weird sometimes, ya know?

Wow you're fast!
How do you do that?
What is that?
That looks hard!
I couldn't possibly ever do that! I'm not smart enough!
Bet that takes a long time!

I finally introduced myself to a regular train buddy. She said, "I've been watching you knit a long time. Goddess of knitting. I'm not worthy." I told you it got weird.

When I got home, it hit me. My nail polish. I'm usually au naturelle. Perhaps that's why it was more noticeable? I don't think I like it. Next manicure: not red.

Look at this!

I cast this on Friday morning on the train. I finished it Sunday night! Officially my first completed sweater! Pretty sweet, huh?

The woman who cuts my hair is due in May and my last appointment with her is Saturday. She's having a girl and this pic doesn't do the cuteness justice. It's all orangey and pink. I also found the PERFECT buttons to match. I'm hoping to put the buttons on and block. Anyone know if I should block then button or button then block? I'm leaning towards button then block.

I did learn a bunch with this. My gauge was off by one stitch and it did make the whole thing smaller. I don't really care, cuz it'll still work. Plus, I got to experience stockinette stitch again... which is the gauge instigator. More info for the file...

Knitting Night

Tonight it's just me, the pooches, my DVR and my knitting. It's going to be a cozy evening on the couch. Hubby is leaving straight from work to go to a funeral in his hometown. He shouldn't be home until 9 or so. I plan on getting that sleeve close to finished.

Note to self: Start sweaters in September next year.

one third done

It's been a while since the last sweater update. I have been working on it. It's just so dang slow. I finished the first sleeve yesterday and decided to go ahead and do the seam instead of starting the other sleeve. I think I may go ahead and do the neck first. I'm probably breaking all the rules, but I don't care.

Sweater Back

I'm done with the back. I'm procrastinating on the front.

 

 

Been Busy...

I've been busy and not blogging.
1. New dog. Meet Roxy. Yes, she looks just like our man Griffin. She may be smaller, but she's got his spunk.

 

 

2. Sweater's coming... slowly. I had a mild set back. I don't advice knitting on a train without a tape measure... I went way to far and had to come back for the arm decrease. whoops.

3. Fair Isle! I CAN knit two colors at once! YES! I can't show you proof as they will probably wind up as gifts. ;)

sweater update

 

Worked on my sweater today. Added about 4.5 inches for a total of 11.5 inches. Only 8.5 to go. 

Sweater Update

 

So I'm almost done with the first ball of yarn and I'm not even half way done with the bottom of the back. This is going to take a while. 

My work bag

Any signs of work stuff? Of course not! The tan is my sweater. The green is for my slippers. I brought that today in case I got bored with the sweater. I picked up the gray at Windsor Button.