Grey Squirrellies and Knits

Oh boy, first post from Bend! We've been here about a month and there has been plenty of knitting, but we're not really feeling settled yet, so I haven't blogged about it. But I suppose now is as good as any time, so here's an update. To start, our mascot, helping himself to sunflower seeds out of the bird feeder:



Okay, knitting...

I have three new sweaters in progress, all from the latest Interweave Knits, none previously on the Wish List. Number 1 is the Tangled Yoke Cardigan, and I took the cabled jacket apart to use the Jo Sharp Silkroad Tweed. I really like the cabled jacket pattern, but to be honest, there wasn't quite enough yarn for it and it wasn't knitting up at the right gauge. I'll try it another time.

It's a good thing that I didn't write that post about how I have finally learned my lesson about making gauge swatches, because I violated the first rule of knitting with this sweater: I cast on 202 stitches without making a gauge swatch. I then proceeded to violate the second rule of knitting by not being honest with myself about the fact that it was turning out too big. I knit the whole sweater. Whole thing. See, here's proof:


I even tried to then convince myself that it might block out smaller. (I was in serious denial.) Fortunately, I came to my senses before I weaved in the ends and tried to block it. I did a blog search for it, to see what other people's finished sweaters looked like, and they looked really good in the proper size. So I acknowledged that it was too big, and then I took it apart. Whole thing. And I started over on size 4 needles (rather than size 5).

I now have the body up to the arms and one sleeve completed and it's looking much better this time; the fabric is firmer and more even, even though I didn't wash the yarn to remove the kinks.


Sweaters 2 and 3 are the Minimalist Cardigan and the Cobblestone Pullover (for Matthew!). I bought the yarn with the gift certificate Gail sent me for my birthday - hooray for free yarn!

The Minimalist Cardigan is made out of Baby Alpaca Brush (drool) and although the band calls for bigger needles, it knitted up just right on size 7's. It all finished, but my drying racks for blocking are in storage, so I'm not sure when I'll be able to assemble it. And then there's the question of what to seam it with - the Baby Alpaca Brush is to fuzzy, I think I'll need a smoother yarn in a similar color. (The following picture does a really awful job of representing the true color, but I was just to lazy to photoshop. It's really much darker and bolder.)


The Cobblestone Pullover is Matthew's first sweater (knit by me) ever! We are married now, after all. I was originally going to design something to his specifications and he wanted it to look like one of his Banana Republic 1/4-zip fleeces, but I'm glad we found a published patter he liked. I was worried that he would be disappointed about the sweater version of a fleece.

He chose Brown Sheep Lamb's Pride Worsted in charcoal. I'm getting gauge in stitches, but not rows - about 6 rows per inch instead of 7.25 in stockinette is a big difference. I'm hoping the row gauge is really for the garter stitch yoke, garter stitch sucks the rows together to about the right gauge. I did have to change the sleeve increases to every seven rounds instead of every eight. I have the body, almost up to the arms and 1.5 sleeves so far. The body was a killer with all the boring stockinette, so I haven't finished it yet. I was hoping that completing the arms would be good motivation to finish the body.


And I suppose that brings us up to date. I'd really love to have a smaller project to work on, like socks, so maybe when I return the extra Baby Alpaca Brush, I'll get some sock yarn. I forgot what it's like to live in a climate where socks are comfortable - it's awesome! But what sock pattern to choose?

I kid you not

I think the photo speaks for itself, but to summarize: after three attempts to complete the shawl using the 800 yards called for (*ehem*), I'm still about 4 repeats of the border short. The border that I already reduced to try to finish it.



I'm left with, I think, three real possibilities for what to do next:
1) Cut it to shreads.
2) Take the border off and try to crochet something on.
3) Use a different yarn to close the gap. I might be able to find the same yarn in another color.

Any votes?

Since virtually all the knitting has been packed, I have picked up a needlepoint project I started about 3.5 years ago. Our mascot:


I dropped this project after completing 0.5% of it, right before I picked up knitting again at the beginning of 2004. It's been a really enjoyable project for the last week or so. It was always at the back of my mind (and my desk), but completing it seemed daunting until now. Just the background to go.

I'm sure we'll return to regularly scheduled knitting after the move. Until then, ciao!

Wish List

Since Shannon commented about the wish list, I should tell you what it's all about. This list is composed of items I would love to knit if only I had the (yarn/money, time, motivation, skills, guts, lack of practicality.)

For instance, Mon Petit Chou has not been made because, although it would be a cheap and fun project, would it ever get used? I love the idea of knitted undergarments, but I'm skeptical about the reality.

Clessidra is a victim of the fact that I hate wearing socks. Love knitting them, hate wearing them. But I really desperately want to make these. I even know the yarn: Knit Picks Gloss in Serengeti.

Mirepoix Bodice intimidates me already and I haven't even seen the pattern. I have a little bit of practice with fair isle in the round, but I tried it back and forth (i.e. purling with multiple colors) and it sucks. It just sucks. Based on the design, I'm guessing it's knit back and forth at least for a portion. The alternative would be that it's knit in the round and that presents its own problem because I have never done steeks, but they don't look fun.

The Debbie Bliss coat is the most likely candidate for next project. I think it's something I would wear a lot and I have a $100 gift certificate to the yarn shop in Bend, which would buy me enough for a slightly shorter version (shorter is good).

So some items on the Wish List may move onto the In Progress list and others may not.

For now, all the knitting is packed away except for the cable coat and the print shawl (more on that is the next post). I've actually been doing some needlepoint I started a long time ago. Also got the coolest book for when I start felting: Fleece Dog.

Uh oh

I rounded the third corner (completing the second short side of the shawl) and now I'm worried about the amount of yarn I have left. Not looking so good anymore. So I'm avoiding it.

I've been working on some more small projects to use up some leftover yarn. So far I have a baby bolero and two petal bibs from One Skein (awesome book, I have made a lot of the projects in there already). I started a one-cable scarf as well.



(The other bib is blue with a green tie. And the ends have now been woven in.)

By the way: Friends, start having kids, will you? I have way too much baby stuff and no babies.

My mother-in-law, Gail, sent me a box of goodies for needle felting - all the implements needed, a book on the subject and a bunch of roving (wool, angora, and baby alpaca)! But I have no idea what to do with it or what sort of project I'd like to make. I'll have to play around with the technique and some designs, but for right now, I'm just petting the roving.

Since we are moving to Bend, OR soon, I'm researching good crafty places. Juniper Fiberworks is awesome (already a big fan), and the Stitchin' Post in Sisters looks like it carries a lot of great fabric. There are several other quilting supply places. Still looking for places to get fabric for clothing (besides Joann and Hancock Fabrics).

Progress on the shawl

I'm now exactly half way done with the border (it was a little less that 1/4 when I started again on Monday).


And here's how much yarn I have left, along with a few small bundles. I think I might make it.


And here is the smaller border. I think it has the same flavor as the original.

Last ditch effort

Remember this? I'm making my last attempt at finishing it. I have knit and ripped the border twice now, because I didn't have enough yarn to make it all the way around (no more yarn is available, I checked). I had to alter the border to be smaller and then the second time, I had to take a knit row out of the eyelet border that joins the wave border and the main shawl. I mean it, this is it. It will be finished or it's finished.

Super cool resource

I came across the blog called TECHknitting today, via Grumperina. Holey pantyhose, there is so much great knitting information here, particularly tricks for making your knitting look better, but I also liked the tip to keep soap with your sweaters or yarn to prevent moths.

Temporarily sidelined

Between Josephine, the project for Dad, and sewing a skirt this weekend, I messed up my left wrist. And then I whacked my left hand on a chair (the pinky edge of my hand is a lovely shade of purpley brown). So I haven't been doing any knitting. I really don't have a new project lined up anyway, and I'm not interested in working on any of the "in progress" things, so I've been designing some stuff. It's nice to do something different for a while.

I'm also thinking about sewing some more when the wrist is better. I got a book a couple of weeks ago called Sew What! Skirts, on making skirts without a pattern and it is a very good little book. Joann really lit her hair on fire last week and I took the opportunity to get some of the recommended sewing tools for 50% off! (I remember Mom's sewing gauge from when I was a kid, but had no idea what it was for. Now I don't know how I ever sewed without one.) And Hi-Fashion Fabrics is having their anniversary sale, which means 15% off on everything; that's how I made a lovely skirt for only $16. I also spotted some blue silk voile for $12 a yard that I think I need. Sweeeeet.

Josephine is complete

Back when I was still working on the front piece, I googled the top to see how other knitters' Josephines were coming out. You know how sometimes you'll think a pattern is unappealing, and then you see someone knitting it and it looks awesome and you want to make it? It was sort of the opposite. There were some really nice ones, but there were also a couple that just looked off. Nothing big, they had been knit well, but I couldn't put my finger on what it was. Coupled with the fact that the back piece looked really large to me (the lace portion anyway), I started thinking maybe the photos in the mag were creatively posed. But I decided to keep going and fix it afterwards if needed. Fortunately, it didn't. It really did come out like the pictures in IK.



I was a good and patient knitter and knit it following the instructions to the letter. However, if I made another I would do it differently. If you want to make Josephine, do yourself a favor: knit it in the round. Cast on the front and back stitches minus 4 for the seams, knit three rounds, then start the lace pattern and knit flat once you reach the armholes. There is no reason it can't be knit in the round and you save yourself the seaming and the picking up of 250+ stitches along the bottom for the rolled hem.

I love the rolled hem detail on the bottom, neckline and cap sleeves. The lace hasn't been blocked yet, so it probably doesn't look as good as it could. (What's with the instructions to steam, not block? Maybe that's a knitting secret I haven't been let in on yet.)


I hadn't planned to knit the tie cord, but I couldn't have if I had wanted to. This is how much yarn I have left over:

That's six or seven pieces, none more than 18 inches long. I used every bit I could, but I still had to leave out one round in the bottom rolled hem and a couple of rows in the cap sleeves.

The whole thing took me about a week to make - gotta love a quick project. In general, I think this top is suitable for fairly warm weather, but I have to say, walking back from the park this morning, it was sweltering with the tank underneath. Granted it was 9:30 and already about 85 degrees here, which is more than "fairly warm" to me, but I think I could get away with just the top if I'm feeling brave. (That is a deep V!)

I've found one drawback to the Elann.com Callista - a soft haze from the cotton fibers after machine washing, noticed after washing Martine. It's easily removed with the sweater shaver.

Details:
Yarn: Elann.com Callista in Italian Plum, 6 balls
Pattern: Josephine Top from the Summer 2007 Interweave Knits, smallest size (36.5" I think)
Needles: US size 4 (size 3 for the rolled hem on the sleeves only)

Duct tape dress form

Hey Dad, you really can make anything with duct tape: Duct Tape Dress Form Tutorial.

As silly as it looks, I'm actually considering it until I have enough disposable income to spend $130 on a dress form. I'd consider buying a used form, but I need the petite sized one, which is harder to find second-hand. This might actually be a viable alternative, and fear not, if I make it, pictures will be posted.