If All Else Fails, Start Something New

I haven't refashioned any of my garments just yet. It seems to take a little bit of time to build up to getting the scissors out and really start snipping. Or at least a bit more planning since it's a good idea to measure 15 times and cut once. The scissors are at the ready. I just need one more week to get brave enough to actually use them.

In the meantime I've got a new idea for a new sweater. How come it's always so much easier to start something new?

I have my little pile of Cotton Tweed in the Faded Denim colour. A lovely soft blue. What? Blue again you say? Yes, stick with what works, it's blue again.

My idea is to do a Top Down with both fronts worked on the bias with eyelets. It might be cap sleeved or maybe longer sleeves. I'll have to see what I think once I get going. I have a different idea for working the V which will lend itself to the bias. I need to get my carpenter square out to check on the angle and width for the fronts. Ha, ha. No really I do need to do this.

A new project. Kinda makes one a little giddy.

Cheers,

Deb

Knitting behind the glass

It's fall now. The season is marked off for us by the beginning of the competitive curling tour. Since our daughter has been competing I have knit many, many garments sitting behind the glass. I began again on Labour Day weekend, a couple of weekends back, knitting the first of the many garments I will knit this year at curling rinks watching Team Flaxey play.

My husband is holding up the Top Down Ridges sweater in a new Cotton Tweed colour, Rose. It's very pretty but not tooo, tooo pink.

Just back from a second weekend of curling spectating. I have a sock in Comfort Sockenwoole going.

and started a hat and scarf in Red, White and Black Norspun. Garter Stitch is easiest in a crowd sitting on bleachers.

Go Team Flaxey.

Deb

Red Done

This is proof that I finished my red sweater. Well, almost finished. The knitting is done so I'm doing a happy dance (I'll leave that to your imagination). 

I have to find buttons and sew them on. I have to sew in all the ends but I'm celebrating anyway. This is one UFO that's almost there. Whoo, hoo.

This is the basic V-neck from the Button Up Your Top Down book with a couple of modifications. I've knit from this book several times so mixing it up is fun and keeps my interest to the very end.

I made the buttonband 8 sts wide, just because I could.Then I played with it some more (see last post).

I made it an A-line by increasing stitches at the sides. I also played with the ribbing on the sleeves and at the bottom by starting the ribbing (p2) and working extra (k2,p2) every 8 rows. I also did this starting in the centre back. No photo because for some reason this red is very difficult to photograph. I'll try it in another room and see if that works better.

This is 100% wool (Naturally Nazareth Worsted by Kraemer Yarns) , not a superwash, so I knew that if I worked the bottom ribbing with the body-sized needle I could block it out flat and it wouldn't pull in. My figure does not need that!!

I'm so happy to get one done. I have a great big smile every time I look at it. Enthusiasm is spilling over to my next UFO, the green pullover.
Deb

not going to the pond

Took a sweater off my UFO list and was going to frog it but ... I didn't. I kept looking at it trying to figure out why I wanted to throw it in the pond. I love the colour. It's cherry red although you wouldn't know that from the photos. I also thought it was too plain looking. But everyone needs a regular everyday sweater to throw on last minute as you run out the door, right? So I'm naming it the Everyday V. And that's what it's going to be for me.

But I had to make it a little more interesting to knit. So I played with the button bands. With my trusty crochet hook I undid a set of stitches and rehooked them up like this.

It is more interesting and will look even more so once the buttons are on. I have to pay attention at the beginning and end of every row to get it right. That keeps me engaged. It should also keep the bands from wanting to fold under when not buttoned.

The second reason I was having difficulty continuing was that I was worried about running out of wool. I think I have enough but not enough to be really confident. What is really important for this sweater for me? I want long sleeves and a long sweater too but the sleeves are the thing. So I've deviated from my regular routine and worked the body until I got to the end of a ball and started the sleeve.

Once they are both done I can make the sweater as long as I have wool to knit. Hopefully nice and long but I can live with a shorter length.

How are your UFO's going?
Deb
P.S. Thanks Brenda and t_a. The "grandfather" type sweater was just what my son asked for. I think he's wearing it regularly which makes me very happy.

How many UFO projects are in your cupboard?

All of my knitted presents were winners this year. Sometimes it all works out. My daughter wore her hat all day and my son wore his sweater. Yay, scored.

But now it's all over and it's time to face normal life again. That means getting some knitting that has be languishing in the cupboard back out. The trick will be figuring out where I was and what I thought I was doing. I keep saying I'm going to take notes as I knit but that doesn't seem to be happening. No, I'm not making a new year's resolution.

This one is going to the frog pond since I want to do something more with it. Not sure exactly what but I've got a little idea. It's a great colour (but a lousy photo) so say good bye to it. It's going.

This is one I'll finish. It's in Briggs and Little Heritage which will wear like iron once it's done. I wasn't sure about the cable but now that I look at it I think I like it.

And one more that has been on again and off again since the summer. Oh, yeah, I do that too. It's in Turquoise Cotton Tweed so will be great when spring comes around again. Phew, some time on this one. I've even got most of one sleeve done. Wow, that was unexpected.

I'm not quite sure what the collar will become. It may be on speaking terms with me now that it's not squished in a plastic bag.

Oh my god, I have some work to do!! How about you?
Deb

Neapolitan

I've put the cable knitting aside for the moment and have continued to knit up several more children's sweaters (1-6 years old).
I finished the Neapolitan.

It has what looks like random garter ridges but they are not really random at all. At the beginning of every wrong side row I looked to see if the stitches on my needle (from working the RS row) were the same colour as I was about to work the wrong side row in. If so, I knit. If the WS was a new colour, I purled. It's fun. For the pattern I wrote out every row. Tthen wrote it out again for the sleeve which is totally different because it's worked in the round. And then, just because I would use it, I wrote out the stripe rows and a chart for the colour sequence because maybe you, like me, might find it easier to follow than row-by-row instructions.

I also am knitting it in true Neapolitan ice cream colours.

I really like this colourway but at the recent K-W Knitters Fair it didn't attract any attention so I may be totally off base here.

This pattern has an I-Cord edge to the Fronts. It works even with coloured stripes. I was really happy with it. You do have to carry the yarn up inside the I-Cord but if you twist the colours at the beginning of every row it's very neat and tidy, even on the inside.

That's one. I'll show you the other new patterns in the next week or two.
-Deb

Cold Spot

Here I am taking advantage of a public a/c cold spot.

Shhh, read this post very quietly so that you don't disturb the other computer people in the library. I'm trying to knit very quietly. Although I think the typing at the next table is probably louder.

I'm just finishing up my second ball of Cotton Tweed Turquoise and it's looking like a sweater. I did decide to put the stitch pattern down the sides. I never feel like I'm getting anywhere if there is too much stockinette stitch, especially on an adult sweater.

Now I'm working the same pattern 4 different places as I work across my row. It always surprises me every time I get to the cable crossing row. Wow, already? Yes, 8 more rows done. I'm feeling like I'm really moving along.

Do you use a cable needle? I never do. I don't even own one any more. Lost them all and decided to do without. I'll take some photos and maybe you'll also be convinced to try knitting without a safety net. Yes, it's scary, very scary!
-Deb

Knitting in the cold

Today I am in a flap. I'm going to be sitting in an arena watching curling for the next 10 days. Yes, this is a holiday! I've looked through my sock drawer and I have 9 pairs of wool socks, check. Turtlenecks, not 10 but good enough, check. Flannel lined jeans, check.

But what am I going to knit with fingerless mittles and my coat on? I have 2 sweaters to finish up. I was going to start something new but ... these 2 sweaters want to get done so that's my first priority.

This Shawl Collared Cardigan needs quite a bit of work.  It's pretty straight forward going now but with the panels of broken rib it does take some attention so I might end up working on the sleeves first. If I miss a round or two between decreases, well so be it.

Then I have the sleeves of the Lattice Pullover to work on. I'm wondering how I can knit sleeves with my coat on. Since I am short, the sleeves on my coat are longish so double pointed needles poke into my cuffs. I've tried it and it doesn't work for me. I'm not a huge fan of the magic loop method. My 40cm long circulars won't last long. So I'm thinking I'll work with 2 circular needles instead. None of my stitches will go astray that way when I have to stuff the whole sweater into my backpack along with a blanket (wait, the sweater will be a bit of a blanket, bonus!), my lunch, a book, a thermos of tea, geez is it all going to fit? Do I need a larger backpack? I just wish I was gone already!
-Deb

Stalled, why?

I'm stalled on my Blue. It just sits there making me feel guilty. I need to decide how long to make it which isn't a huge decision but I'm not making it. How come?

I like the colour.
I like the design.
I like the knitting, of course. But still, there it sits.

I don't want to write it out as a pattern. AH-HA, There it is.

The thought of writing it out has stopped me in my tracks. I think I have been knitting ahead of the writing. There is a tricky part around the buttonholes which has me questioning myself. Could I have worked this out better? Maybe and maybe not. I don't think even if I had anticipated the entire design before I started I could have set this up any better. Besides I don't generally work that way. I think up things as I knit along and then figure out how to do them. I did that several times on this sweater with much ripping back and reworking. I like the result.

It's easy enough to work the buttonhole, A-line increase and add another stitch pattern repeat, all at the same time, while I'm knitting but I'm anticipating a challenge when it comes to writing it out coherently. Did you catch those magic pattern writer words, "at the same time"? I know all knitters are a little suspicious when you see those words so I'm going to try not use them.

Reframe how I think about this:

It's a challenge I'm capable of meeting.
It will improve my pattern writing skills.
This may open up new avenues for more complex designing and writing.

I've almost convinced myself. I'm going to take this on and write a little bit of this pattern each day. And finish knitting it of course. Let's not forget about that. LOL.
-Deb

Decision week

Kathy, one of the students in my Mittlets by Formula class, reminded me that I haven't written my blog in several weeks and she was checking. So here I am, thanks for the kick in the ... I needed it.

I get mired in projects that are partly done and can't seem to find my way out. My Blue is stalled. I can't decide if it's long enough. I'm going to make a decision this week and stick to it.

It looks long enough to me but trying it on is the test and I've done that several times which usually means I'm close or waaaay off and don't want to believe it.  I really like the Back.

Done in Cotton Tweed, Just Navy. I love this dark, dark navy. Much darker than photo shows.

And then to get ahead of the season I started a summer knit. A circular yoke following the Need A Circular Yoke numbers, in Saucon Fingering (cotton/acrylic) with a 3.50mm needle to get 6 sts = 1".  (It's really Cherry red, I don't know how the camera makes it pink.) 
The yoke has a mosaic colour pattern. I really enjoyed the affect. It's great to only have to work with one colour at a time and get a great two-colour affect.

Down to the bottom of the bust now. I'm putting in a line of purple and going to work out some sort of columns of increases down the front and back. Another decisions to make.

And because these are bigger projects I had to start something smaller to carry around with me. I'm calling them Catch The Wave Socks. They are surprisingly easy to pick up and put down again. That's the beauty of stitch patterns that work the same every round. Very little angst about which round I'm on. Who needs more angst?

Decision week. Do you have to make some this week?

-Deb

Ribbing for waist shaping

I'm not a shopper but I do venture out occasionally for an afternoon with my friend to wander and see if anything catches our eye. We can hit the expensive stores then and shuffle through the racks looking at garment shapes and style, under the eye of suspicious sales persons, without any thought of buying. On one of our excursions we found a beautiful sweater with the look of a frock coat. It comes in at the upper back above the waist and then fans out again. It was a long sweater which I don't intend to make but when we were looking at this sweater with the centre back panel we thought that pinching it in just above the waist by working straight ribbing might give a similar affect. 

- Cotton Tweed Just Navy

This ribbing is just above my waist, although even to me, it doesn't look like it in the photo. I put ribbing in at the sides too but the jury is out on that. It may be coming out. Not sure yet.

Now I have several more inches to work until I'll know if this is going to work. Patience, I hear it's a virtue. I read a quote which if I can remember correctly goes like this: It is not necessary to have Patience it is only necessary to wait. So I'm waiting and knitting.
- Deb