Category: Projects
Monday, July 14, 2008
I was away a whole week and there’s not much knitting progress to show for it. Therefore there are no pictures to share. I did finish up sleeve one for my cardigan. Mom suggested I tack it in place to make sure it’s going to fit before I start on the second sleeve. Which I think is a good idea. I have a feeling it’s still going to be tight on the underarm area and I’ll still have little room for moving my arms. I think I was a bit hasty in knitting the smaller size. My measurements came out as I expected, but I forgot take into account that I would be wearing somewhat bulky, sleeved shirts underneath, so after all the issues I’ve had with this thing, I probably should have knit one size bigger than I did. And here I thought I was doing it all perfectly. Sure it fits, as a shirt (with nothing underneath), not a sweater.
But all is not lost, because I will wear it as much as I can, then save it for Amelia. :) That’s another great thing about having a daughter. Knits that end up too small for me can be passed along to her. Then I can make something bigger for me. I really like that sweater so I might try knitting it again with a different yarn at a bigger size. Maybe the next time I can get gauge and actually knit the size 41, so that I have room underneath for the bulk of a shirt.
I also finished the first repeat on the body of my cabled bag. This project is small yet, sometimes it feels like it’s taking forever, because I’m doing the pattern twice around (once for each side of the bag). So it feels like it’s taking longer than it probably is. But there’s progress. And I think I’m going to make it my focus project for now so I can finish it.
I also completed 2 color blocks on the 2nd strip for DH’s afghan. I like this project because it’s mindless knitting, but it can also get boring, because of the simplicity of it. At least it’s done in sections.
Mom and I ordered the yarn for the Saffron Cables afghan. We ordered 30 balls of KnitPicks Comfy in Cashew (a soft latte-colored brown). I have just under a year to make this afghan as it’s my sister’s wedding present and she’s getting married next June. I definitely need to get started soon, but I really want to finish something first. So I’m going to try hard to get the bag finished so I can cast on for the afghan by the end of this month.
Posted in Afghans, Knitting, Sweaters and Cardigans | No Comments
Thursday, July 3, 2008
OK, so the a/c in my office has not been fixed. But for some reason, when my handspun socks were finished, I got an urge to work on the cardigan. You know. The one I was making as an office sweater. Well, it’s still hot, but I’m actually enjoying working on the cardigan. I’m re-knitting the sleeves because I knit them in the wrong size the first time. I’m crossing my fingers that this time it works, because after all that work and excitement, I will be extremely disappointed if the thing doesn’t fit me. I’m about 1/2 way through the length of the first sleeve, then I move on to the sleeve cap.
Going on vacation next week to Florida with the baby. I plan on taking all my WIPs so I can work on each on. I just need to make sure to take enough yarn. That’s always the hardest part. Trying to decide how much yarn to take with me. Just exactly how much knitting time will I get? If I take an extra skein of each required color for all 4 projects, plus my drop spindle and some fiber, I’m sure to have enough to keep me knitting all week, even if I do run out of yarn for one project and can’t continue it. So I should be okay.
One thing I’m hoping is that I make significant progress on the cabled bag and the cardigan sleeves. The afghan and the shawl can be my side projects for now.
Posted in Knitting, Sweaters and Cardigans | No Comments
Monday, June 30, 2008
I hardly got any knitting done this weekend. I left early on Friday because of a major headache, so I was able to get a little spinning time in before the husband and the baby got home. But then, the husband brought home the new Indiana Jones Lego game for the Wii and we played that all weekend. We managed to finish the story and unlock free play for all 18 chapters.
Hubby did take the baby for an hour yesterday to give me some quiet time and I managed to finish the top portion of my Quinn bag and get it grafted. But, somehow when I grafted the ends together, my cable got off by one stitch. What’s really weird is that it worked beautifully all the way across to the last cable, so it’s like 5 stitches that don’t line up right. And I have no idea how that happened. I may have dropped a stitch where I shouldn’t have, who knows. Oh well. I’m not going to fret about it. Now comes the challenging part of picking up the 144 stitches all the way around the top band. I think that’s the plan for tonight while we watch the movie we rented on the xBox. We’re going to watch The Bucket List.
Posted in Bags | No Comments
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
My handspun socks are done. I cast off sock # 2 last night and wove in all the ends. I even wore them and took pictures. :) Hurray. I think they are pretty comfy. A bit loose, but being 100% wool, maybe the next time I wash them (by hand, which I really need to remember), they will shrink just enough to be a bit snugger. I really like them. This pair of socks marks my first toe-up socks, my first knitted item using my handspun yarn and my first short-row heel. And for a first time, my heels and toes look pretty darn good.
Posted in Socks | No Comments
Monday, June 23, 2008
I’m up to the heel on my 2nd handspun sock, but last night I decided to polish my toes, so I couldn’t work on it because I couldn’t try it on. So what did I do instead? I started a new project. Gah! I’m doing Quinn (a cabled bag) in some TLC Essentials that I have in my stash from the old granny square project I abandoned. I’ve only gotten one repeat done of the top band and it looks awesome. I consider this an advanced cable pattern, because it’s an 11 row repeat and every row has a cable cross. After one one repeat of the pattern, I can already see the cable pattern forming. It’s so cool.
I’ve been wanting to do cables for a while now and I think this is a good practice to get me a little more comfortable with it before I plunge into the Central Park Hoodie. My husband of course, was teasing me about starting yet another project before finishing the ones I’m working on. LOL! But he really is supportive of my hobbies.
I’m itching to work on it again, but I do want to get the heel done on my sock so I can get it finished. There’s just something about knitting with yarn you made yourself.
Posted in Bags, Socks | No Comments
