There's More

There's more blogging and thinking about knitting going on. Just not here anymore.

I've moved to a NEW BLOG SPACE: debgemmellmods.wordpress.com

Where I'm exploring:

Top Down knitting,
getting a Good Fit,
Any Gauge patterning,
Pattern Recipes and
Gaugeless knitting.

I'm talking about how you can adjust, modify and have creative fun with your knits. Come over and FOLLOW to check it out.

Skew

I'm over the BlueV now. It's time to move on. Although I seem to be spending more time ripping back than knitting forward. I ripped this one back to the neckband.

I've started again with a 2x2 rib with twisted stitches in the K2 sections. I've also introduced a skew to it. This is turning out to be lots of fun. The line of twisted stitches is going to follow alongside the raglan line on one of the fronts ...

and alongside one of the raglan lines at the back.

I'm feeling quite avant-garde doing an asymmetric pattern since I usually really like patterns to mirror on each side. We'll see what I think once the skew is more obvious. So far I'm loving it.
Deb

Admitting defeat for the moment

I'm not moving at all on the BlueV. It's sitting in the time-out corner because no matter what I do, and I gave it two good tries, it is misbehaving. It's tough love time. It's staying there until I can work up some enthusiasm to try one more time. If that doesn't work, well, it's three strikes, you're out!

I was going to put a huge X across the photo but that seemed a bit harsh.

I've realized that I'm not fond of the eyelet all-over pattern. If every time I see that row coming along I'm groaning, that would be a clue, right? Not my favourite stitch. Next time I'll rethink the front lace pattern. Oh, no, see what just happened there, the knitting optimist is at it again, I'm thinking of next time.

For the moment I'm knitting little people sweaters. This one with cables. I have a couple more little sweaters in mind. They are so quick to knit that I can think ahead to the next one and not get too far ahead of myself. It is frustrating to have so many ideas and not be able to knit fast enough. But these little guys are pretty quick.

I'm turning my head away from the time-out corner and having fun with cables.
Deb

Still moving slowly

As you can see I'm still exactly where I was last week.

I seem to be stalled on this for the moment. Well, not stalled exactly. In fact I have been going backward. I ripped out another several rows in order to contemplate the fit. I think I have it worked out now. Ha, we'll see.

This has been a forward and backward design project. Often new construction ideas are like that. Not frustrating exactly, OK frustrating, but also challenging. You see how I'm trying to reframe this!

The best way forward I have found, through past experience, is to move slowly, almost at a crawl. Not easy to do but in the end it saves quite a lot of ripping back. I wish I had remembered that at the beginning of this project but, alas, I was excited and have paid the ripping price.

Now, onward to the Great Divide.
Deb

Olympics are bad for knitting

Watching the Olympics was not good for my knitting. I was watching the curling and knitting 3 rows forward and 1 row back. Unfortunately nothing I did provided any luck to our Canadian teams. Sigh.

I have progressed on my Mulligan, sort of. I think I'm back to where I was on the first Blue V. As you can see I still have to recover from the last rip out when they lost!!  How am I supposed to keep track of my knitting when I'm sitting on the edge of my seat?

I am also working on my Take It From The Top KAL where we are all using the Take It From The Top pattern as a basic guide and having our way with it. We've just started if you want to join us.

I have finished the neckband and worked a different kind of short row to lower the front. I am ready to add a panel down the centre front. I'm looking forward to getting into the stitch pattern.

But that's not all, ha. I am also knitting a Mosaic hat which I am writing up and hopefully will be out soon. I have to tell you that I love, just love, knitting mosaic.

It's a huge amount of fun. It's colourwork where you use only one colour at a time and work knits and slips to make the pattern. Here's the matching cowl in solid colours.

And a close up of the matching red cowl.

The colourwork is so pretty that it's hard to put down. But I must because I have yarn to make up after the big rip on the Blue V. Must be firm with myself!

Deb

Mulligan

I'm allowing myself a do-over.

This second try is looking much better.

I laid it on top of the first sample and the angle of the front is already showing a better line.

I also charted the beginning edge of the first front and the far edge of the second front. I am working the increases at the front edges much further apart than my first sample. Now it's an 8 row repeat. I'm feeling like this is on it's way to a final sweater. I'm excited.

I'm keeping my first sample because I would like to try sewing and cutting away the front. Then do something attaching a new front to it. Cut the front away, leaving the neckband stitches intact and open. Nothing lost if it doesn't work but I'm intrigued.

Then work some sort of stitch to join the neckband and the raglan edge. I can envision it.

I could work?! Maybe.

I'm trying to stay on course and not jump to trying this out. Must get this sweater done first. Must get this sweater done first. Must get this sweater done first.

I'm going to start knitting right now so I don't lose focus. Bye for now.
Deb

Denial

It's a wonderful thing isn't it? I kept knitting and knitting ignoring the little voice that said something was definitely wrong. It was. The Front is much too big. Now that I take a look at the math it's quite obvious.

So did I do a swatch? Nah. I started another cardigan with bigger yarn and I took a good look a the math this time and I think this one is going to be good.

Already the angle of the front seems better.

You'll have to take my word for it since all the stitches are crammed around the needle since I'm fairly close to the bottom of the yoke. The V is deeper which I'm quite excited about. I'll be working on this over the weekend. I can't wait to get to the Great Divide.
Deb