Category: Sweaters and Cardigans
Monday, August 4, 2008
I’ve finished the Minimalist Cardigan and I actually wore it to work. My thoughts about it are this:
It’s a bit small. A bit tight in the armholes, and a bit snug around the bust and midsection. The reason for this is not because my gauge was off. My gauge was perfect and the garment came out to the exact dimensions I was expecting when I swatched. The reason for the size issue is even more idiotic than bad swatching. It’s because I was not thinking straight when I was trying to figure out what size to make and didn’t consider that I’d be wearing this over a shirt. Duh! I was so concerned with getting gauge and making sure to knit the size for the gauge I was getting, that I totally forgot that little important factor.
But besides that, it fits pretty well and I like it. It’s warm and stylish and I made it. I love the color and I love the fabric made by the moss stitch and I love how the moss stitch looks in tweed. So overall, I’m quite pleased with this, and can definitely see me making another one (in a larger size).
Posted in Sweaters and Cardigans | 1 Comment
Monday, July 28, 2008
I’m gearing up for the Ravelympics. I will be competing in 4 events, but only actually doing 2 things. Ha! I’m going to be knitting Evangeline (fingerless mitts) for the Mitten Medley, Cable Steeplechase and Hand-dyed Hurdles. The yarn I’m using was hand-dyed (well, over-dyed) in a gorgeous semi-solid red. I really can’t wait to start working on them. I’m so excited to see how the yarn knits up and I’ve wanted to make these mitts for a while now.
I’m also competing in the Handspun Heptathalon, and will be spinning and plying 3.5 oz of royal blue Corriedale. with the 0.5oz I’ve already spun. I’ve gotten back into my spinning and having a blast. I’m hoping to get a nice 2-ply laceweight yarn out of it, but if it ends up fingering weight, I don’t mind.
In the meantime, I’ve started working on sleeve #2 for my Minimalist Cardigan. I’m almost 1/2 way done and hoping to get that finished very soon so I can finally seam this up and be able to wear it, even though it’s too hot still.
The Quinn Cabled Bag is finished. I really like it, but do have one slight issue. I think I braided my strap too tightly because now it twists on itself, but it’s pretty sturdy. I want to eventually line it and put a snap or some other type of closure on it, because it hangs open.
Posted in Bags, Knitting, Spinning, Sweaters and Cardigans | 1 Comment
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.
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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.
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Tuesday, June 17, 2008
The air conditioning in my office has been fixed, or we hope. This is day 2 of cool air coming out of the vents. Hurray! This means no more oven to sit in all day. It also means I have reason to get back to my minimalist cardigan. So that I can wear it in the office finally! I must finish those sleeves that I had to rip back. And pray they will fit. If they do not fit, then it means the sweater as a whole will not fit. When I knit the body, I knit to the stitch instructions for the size 34" because my gauge was so off. It worked and my sweater measures just short of the width measurements for the size 39" which was my intentional size. I also knit the length of the armholes for the size 39" so that I’d have more room in the armhole since I have somewhat chunky upper arms. But I made the mistake of knitting the sleeves to the size 34", which meant the sleeve cap was way to short for the armhole. So when I went to sew the sleeves on, the sleeve was so tight I couldn’t move my arm. I ripped it all back out and cast on again. I’m planning to work the sleeves in the size 39" and hope it works out better giving me more room in the armhole to actually move my arms.
This finally cool office also means I can go back to my plan on knitting Evangeline [links to ravelry] (fingerless mitts/wristwarmers). I’ve been wanting to make these for a while, but decided to wait til the weather got cooler because I had no need to make them now with an office that felt like an oven. It’s cool enough in my office now that my hands and fingers actually got cold. So I think my need for a pair of fingerless mitts just increased. Hurray!!!
Yesterday I did make the run to A.C. Moore and picked up a Vera look-a-like bag. I really like it too. I can fit my two projects, patterns, and my notions bag in there and it takes up less room than total tote. I can also sling it over my shoulder with my purse, which is nice when I’m carrying a mug of coffee and a toddler with all her stuff. The only thing is that since she carried it around the store for me when we bought it, she now thinks it’s hers, so she won’t let me carry it. She just screams "BAG" when she sees it and insists on carrying it herself. LOL!
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