WIP Wednesday

Finishing up my last sweater has left me craving for more sweater knits.  I've been lusting over Strikkefrenzy's Garden Pesto (rav) a Drops pattern.  I picked out colors and bought yarns and well-It all kind of fell apart from there.  Begin the long hard search for a pattern in the right gauge.

Nothing seemed quite right.  Every pattern I found was too "geometrical" or too "Nordic-y"or not the right gauge again.

So get this I was so enamored by this pattern that I swatched just to see if I could rework all the math and get the sweater I adored. Crazy right?

The front.

The back.

The read area is what would actually be the yoke of the sweater and the rest would be grey.  I'm still loving this pattern.  I think I will go overboard and try to regauge an entire Drops Design just to use this yarn.  What y'all think?  I'm crazy right?

Starting the week with a finish-

I am happy to say that Tree Duo (rav link) is done!  It's actually a rather quick knit regardless of what the time frame on my ravelry account says.  I'm going to tell you that I drug it out, because it's such a great knit.  But y'all know me well enough to interpret that correcting as-I am lazy so it took three times as long as it really should have.

Still, I love this knit.  I was happy to do it again the second time.  Unlike some socks I know...

This was knit up with the yarn I bought two years ago at SAFF.  It took 99% of both skeins.

 I'm glad I got two and didn't double up the yarn like one of the ideas I was throwing around.  Can you imagine?  YIKES!

Better FO shots to come!

"Oh boy more of my favorite hobby!"

Not for the first time EZ's writing struck a chord with me.  But I can say this is the first time I have been happy to knit the same sweater twice.

I get to fix all the errors that I was willing to live with last time, but makes for a much better sweater this time.

• Like raglan increases.  I have discovered with my small, but long frame that it is much better to stop increases before separating the arms from the body and throw in a few regular round to keep the size small and the length long.
• And sleeve decreases.  Even doing the above doesn't quite make up for twiggy arms.  I can decrease at each end of the row about 4 or 5 times to get a close fit on my arms.  YAY!
• Waist shaping.  Every sweater needs it.  You know that and so do I.

 

Now back to knitting.

Progress

This is how far one skein of Ms. Babs Yowza-Whatta Skein will get you on a size XS, and really long Tree Jacket.  The remnant is just 5 grams.

This is what 5 grams of yarn knits up as a gauge swatch in pattern.

This is the size of the pattern around the neck.  It's much wider between the yarn over's than the pattern suggested for the body.  I am not sure how I feel about this.

This just because I love a good yarn cake.

Admire the yarn cakey goodness and ignore my dust.

Do over

I've finally gotten around to starting another tree jacket (rav).  I loved the color of my last one, so I decided to remake this one in the same color.  I'm using Ms. Babs yarn purchase from SAFF 2009. 

It's gauge is slightly smaller than that called for in the pattern.  This shouldn't pose a problem as it's knit from the top down and I can try it on as I go.  Why am I getting the feeling like those are some famous last words?  Oh, rigght.  The Undead Vest.

Still, so far it looks great. 

Oh second thought, maybe I should have styled my hair....

I'm knitting at a slower pace which seems to be natural for this do over.  I know what to watch out for-extra large sleeves-and I know that the final product will be something that I will not only wear, but wear often.  So, there's no need to rush to the end.  Instead, I am knitting in snatches here and there so that I  can enjoy it for a long time.

Undead Vest FO (finally)

The Undead Vest (formerly know as the Gilmore vest) had it's first day out.  I wore it to work on one of those snowy days Georgia never has.  It was deliciously toasty and I got tons of compliments on it.


I heart the little tiny hand prints on my mirror.


I added two inches to the waist to lengthen it for my extra tall physique.  As I look at this photo I can help but wonder, "Where did my boobs go?"  They are there.  I know they are.

Lil Turbo and I make faces in the mirror and he can't help but pat it.  :)

Besides my fears that the neckline will fall off at any moment there is just is just one problem with my handknit.  The interesting pocket that forms on the back of my armhole/shoulder.  It's the lump that lines up with the lampshade.

Also, I am thinking our house is looking pretty dang clean for corralling a one year old. 

I think is this simply a knitter's notice meaning only another knitter would notice what we might consider a glaring flaw, but is really a non-issue for muggles.  I'm not ripping anything else out on this vest.  I refuse.  Plus, I don't think picking up less stitches for the edge would be very comfortable on my armpits.  And crocheting an edge would just tempt the Knitting Gods. So there it will live.  Thankfully it's on the back and out of sight, out of mind.

Resurrection

The Gilmore Vest is back from the frog pond!  After miscalculations, errors in judgement, and some troublesome directions it landed in time out despite what I might have though in August 2009.  And as I began to knit on it again I wondered why I continue to persevere on a knit that is riddled with woes.

What you see below is a perfectly graphed shoulder seam.  On a arm hole which is too small.  I graphed before seaming the sides because finishing up the front and back of this knit without any hiccups was to too good to be true, and I was right.

Having trouble seeing anything in that picture?  Here, this shouldn't clear anything up.

The front may look a little funny, because I plan on steeking.  I am much more knowledgeable about steeking now.  I took a class and have five, count them, five stitches added to cut into for my neckline.  For some reason, I am staying positive about this knit.  I've already ripped back and corrected this issue. 

Next up, I am seaming the sides and cutting the steek to pickup stitches for the neckline.  Don't worry I plan on videoing that progress!

Today it's snowing and we got the Christmas tree up with little tyke today. Maybe I'll be up for it on tomorrow's snow day? 

Knitting is for the Dogs

-My dog that is.  I am reaching the finish line for PoPo's Cabled Delight.  Based off of Jill Eaton's Cabled Delight for little dogs, I've heavily modified for my-wonderfully-large-in-desperate-need-of-clothes-dog.  Basically, the only think similar about this pattern is the color and the fact that it's cabled.

My dog's measurements are by circumference unless otherwise noted and taken at her largest girth.  Poor PoPo.  She's gonna be totally embarrassed if she finds out I am posting her her burlesque figure's measurements online.  You know cause dogs get embarrassed by these things...  

• Collar 15"
• Bust 28"
• Belly 21" (length)
• Back 18" (length)

Her best fitting sweater (PoPosaurus Rex), which despite it's acrylic nature has become a little misshapen:

• Collar 21"
• Bust 29"
• Belly 13" (length)
• Back 23" (length)

My working notes:

• Knit from the bottom up cast on 66 stitches in 6x2 cabled rib (repeats of 8 +2).  Start with 2 purled.  About 12 inches wide.
• Knit in pattern for about 6 inches, or the length between the start of the tail and the bottom of the ribs.
• Increase one stitch at each end every other row until 12 inches long.  On PoPo, this is the point at which her chest ends and her belly begins.  I like to follow the edge her ribs as a guideline for increases.  A edging knitted on later will add more coverage to her sizes.
• Cast of 44 stitches (or enough stitches to cover the distance between sides) and begin knitting in the round. 
• Knit for 7 inches or until you reach front legs.  If your dog is barrel shaped like PoPo, multiple tryons will help you add length for proper fit.  I cast on less stitches than would fit her at her widest point, so the stretch of the material around her "bust" decreases the overall length of the sweater.

You can see I originally planned for decreases prior to the leg openings before deciding on using negative ease to accommodate her barreliness.

• For the placement of the leg holes, I used the measurements on PoPosaurus Rex.  This sweater doesn't bunch between her legs, nor does it pull awkwardly.  I placed 15 stitches (about 3 inches) for each leg on stitch holders on each side of the center line with about the 5 inches of sweater between her legs. 
• Knit the back separately from the chest panel for 3 inches.  Break yarn.  Knit the chest panel for the same distance.
• Join in round again making sure to cast on for the 15 stitches per leg opening.
• Begin decreasing at the outside edge of each leg opening.  I used the Rainbow Pooch Sweater (rav) pattern as inspiration on how I wanted my decreases to look.  I carried my decreases through the purled section of the ribbing, so that my outside cables would "travel" up and in across the chest.



Photo copyright Caron®

• Continue knitting until the desired collar circumference is reached.
• Switch to 2x2 ribbing for desired collar length.  I'm planning on about 2 inches.

It's a race to the finish line to see if my yarn will hold out.  I still need to pick up stitches for the leg openings and the bottom hem.  I know I don't have enough purple to finish it out.  I don't mind the idea at all of a contrasting color like the natural from my hemlock ring blanket, but I think don't even have that!

Dog sweater revisited

My dog loves a good sweater.  Don't let the colors fool you.  She's hairless.

So, I purchased this plum colored ecowool yarn a little over a year and a half ago with the idea that it would make PoPo a good and affordable sweater. 

I wanted to make the cabled sweater from this book, which is suited for smaller lap-type dogs and not 60 lbs pitballs.  Whatever, I thought, with a heavier weight yarn and the largest sized pattern I could adapt it to fit PoPo.  I cast on and promptly found that it would not work.  I won't go into the gory details, but "gauge" and "pattern" and "increasing" were not friendly to me at all.  In fact, they were down right rude.

In a mature fashion, I crammed it back into it's bag and left it there for a year.  After some number crunching, tape measure using, and forethought, I decided to knit it from the bottom up.

So far so good.

Like Father, Like Son.

The Weasley sweater fits!


And Baby O does love it.


Though he may not look like it.
(He just had his diaper changed-you think he would be happy.)


I love my Matching Men.



You asked I supplied.

Cambridge sweater revisited

Ugh. Has anyone ever finished a project, in this case sweater, just to find out it isn't quite right? Even after a million questions and try-ons as you go?

Well I have. And I have learned the body cues/language uses to tell me the truth, mostly by watching my husband try on his Cambridge sweater. There are really only four cues, but they can really screw with your FO.

Cue number one If you are tugging at the sleeves, you need to add some inches.

Cue number two If you are pulling the front of the sweater down, it isn't long enough or the neckline is riding to high or both.

Cue number three If you are yanking at your armholes, you must rip and re-knit them bigger.

Cue number four If you are trying to flatten the front of the sweater by rubbing your belly, something is wrong. It's too wide...the zipper is puckering...you used the wrong type of yarn...something must be fixed.

I am so only knitting sweaters from the top down anymore.

Ribbed for His Pleasure

This post has been sitting around a while, because all the good words are taken. Seriously, all humorous and/or clever phrases have zipped right out of my head while I have NOT been sleeping. That's it. I can blame this cruddy post entirely on the lack of sleep. "Lack of sleep," the one topic the whole facebook community can agree on.

Anywho, when we got a few snow days off from work back in early January I completed this gorgeous jacket. And then I took really boring shot of it in the snow as proof.



I've made a more girly version before (rav) and loved the pattern, so when I found out I was having a boy I was a little depressed that I wouldn't get to use it until I saw capattbb's Prince Aaron Sweater on Rav (non-rav link), who totally jazzed it up masculine-style.

Details
Pattern: Ribbed Baby Jacket by Debbie Bliss (a random non-rav link)
Yarns: Main color was Miss Babs Merino/Bamboo in colorway Light Gray and contrast yarn was Cascade Heathers in colorway Sapphire left over from the Hubby's Cambridge pullover. Since, I subbed the yarn with a silkier blend for this jacket, it's all about the drape and it is gorgeous. *in singsong voice*
Needles: US size 8
Size: 9 months (My yarn was underweight, so I knit up the 12 month size and came out with the correct 9 month size.)

Mini Weasley

I picked up some very Weasley-ish buttons from Strings 'n Stitches in Ellijay last week, you know, the store with the great door. Only $.40 cents a piece, so I have one to spare. I should have bought the whole dang tube they are so fantastic. Rustic without being overly so. This picture does not do them justice, they are more worn (i.e. blackened with age) than they appear.


Just in time to finish up a very tiny Weasley sweater. A Mini Weasley sized to fit a newborn with fabulous buttons in the back to help it fit over larger heads. It's knit from the top down with raglan sleeves. I turned the hem to give it a more polished final result. The "O" is adapted from the alphabet in the this book.


I have been working on this project for ages and am super thrilled to share it with you. Crunching numbers. Researching measurements. Checking and double checking sizes. Referencing EZ. Crunching more numbers. Writing it all down for another post. And I'm very pleased with the end result, however, untested it is until Baby O arrives later this month.

Did I forget to mention that? Sorry. As an apology I promise post pictures of the boys in their matching sweaters.

I WANT IT!!

OH MY GOSH HAS EVERYONE SEEN THIS SWEATER?! (non-rav link)

Now you wear it, now you don't

This post as taken forever to actualize. I am so sick that I have done this to my own knitting. I did not want to post about it. But having finally past the stages of sorrow and anger, I am on to resignation.

In my resignation, this is the best picture I can muster. An on top of the dryer, next to the recycling sweater shot. Yes, this is a sweater you have seen before. It's my beloved Tree Jacket.


You've never seen it felted. That's right I "washed" it in a bowl of soak and put it into the dry to spin dry (which I have done with other tops before) and wha-la!


Felting. I knew there was a reason I didn't like it.

Delightful PoPo

I have plans for another PoPo sweater. Cabled delight (rav link). I am hoping that the huge gauge of this yarn will make up for the fact that the pattern is for purse dogs.

I'd really like to use my leftover cream/natural ecowool as trim detailing and the gorgeous plum that I recently picked up at a not so local LYS when I visited Turtlegirl in Charlotte months ago.

But I'm not so sure that I have enough cream/natural for a trim. If you have any scraps, I'd love to take them off your hands.

Can you say no to this face?

Comeback

After a horrendous defeat-I won't even repeat the tale-I have made a victorious comeback.

After going round and round on four bitty socks and an oddly shaped dog sweater, I was craving some flat knitting, so I inhaled deeply and slowly while casting on the back of my Gilmore Vest for like the fourth time.

But this time I decided to follow the instructions, like a wise person might do on the first try. Me, it takes several more tries and many more months. But I catch on quick ;) so after many rows of things going right, I knit this puppy up over several Bones episodes. And I am oh, so happy with it.

( no a red as pictured here after a quick wet blocking)

Now I just have to knit up the front! I love not having sleeves looming on the horizon.

One hint that your stash is starting to get large

I know that I have some ecowool leftover from my hemlock ring blanket. It natural in color. I cannot find it anywhere.

I need it to gauge the beginnings of a new sweater for PoPo.

It's snowing today and she likes to be warm.

Battlestar is over and so is this sweater (almost)

For some reason I find myself relating this sweater to cylons...I think it's because I just keep knitting multiples of the same thing. Two sleeves...two fronts...a pratically identical back to the front. I'd say that I could knit this thing with my eyes shut, but I'm not a machine ya know. *groan*

In true cylon fashion, I followed directions to the letter on the fronts, which I knew I was seaming together for a pullover, but not collar, which I had no intention of diverting from the directions but there was no way I had room to pick up all those stitches.


And in true TURBOchic fashion, I began this sweater in the winter (december) and am finishing it up just in time for the beginning of spring (or what I hope is the beginning of spring with no unlucky cold snaps).

Houston, We have blockage

Ewwww. That title makes my blog sound constipated and in a five year old way makes me giggle for a long time. *hehehehehe* Sorry, but I won't apologise for my potty humor. (ba-dump ching!) What all of this means is that I have completed and blocked two fronts and a back of a sweater:

I am lazy, but efficient so I blocked them all together. It was glorious. Speaking of which, how bout these apples?