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

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.

Mosaic boxes

It's the end of our Knitting Guild year. Yesterday we spent it at Linda's house learning to knit Mosaic boxes and V-neck Top Down knitting. It was a great day. Here we are, knitters hard at work, ha, ha.

Really we were learning how to read a mosaic chart. They are different from other charts.
Mosaic is colour knitting, working with only 1 colour across the row at a time. You knit the stitches you want to show in the particular colour you're working with and slip all the other sts. It's often found in your stitch dictionary in the Slip Stitch section.

Each row of the chart requires two passes (rows) of the same colour. With the Light Colour work the first row of the chart two times (Rows 1 & 2), once with the Right Side facing and back again on the Wrong Side. Now move to the second row of the chart and with the Dark Colour work it across on the Right Side and back again on the Wrong Side (Rows 3 & 4). Every row of the chart is worked twice with the same colour. Then the next row of the chart is worked twice with the next colour, alternating 2 rows Light and 2 rows Dark. It makes mosaic charts different from any other type of chart. Geometric designs result. The different colours make it look different.

These two below, have the colours reversed. The boxes are Light and the Background is Dark. To read the chart above and switch the light and dark is a real challenge and K & T did a terrific job.

Boo, hoo, that's it for Guild nights for a while. I'm going to miss my knitting buddies over the summer. Looking forward to seeing everyone in September.
Deb

V-neck Testknit

One advantage to not having internet service is that it concentrates my "on line" time into several hours of at-the-library time. I have to be more organized about what I need to do every day. No chance to "oh yes I should just check that right now".  I make a list of jobs and get to tick them off one by one. It makes me feel so productive. It's good to get out of the house and sit at the Quiet tables with, from the look of them, young students from the University. I'm sure I blend in, NOT. Lots of clicking (some of it's my needles), no talking. Ahhh, it is lovely.

Update on the testknitting for the 4-14 year old Pullover book: I'm knitting the beginning of all of them. I have no idea when I will get around to finishing them. I do have other people knitting them too. Lots of information is coming in every day to finalize all the details.

I'm knitting the V-neck. Making the V employs short rows. The same technique is used in the Baby V book (downloads available on Ravelry: Baby V & Patternfish.com: Baby V) and the Button Up Your Top Down books. Cast On lots of stitches for the neckband, including lots of Front sts. Then work short rows, back and forth, with a decrease at the end which attaches the Front to the neckband and decreases a stitch. It works. It's awesome.

Last night I worked my short rows back and forth. I just realized that it looks like the V is attached in the round but it's not. I'm half way down the front neckband with my short rows.

Today I'm ready to join in the round.

Joined Up.

 The V will be closed with a button. I put a dime where the button will be just to give you the idea.

Now back to regularly scheduled raglan increases and knit rounds to the bottom of the yoke. Already most of the way there.
-Deb