Maine in April is just not photogenic at all. The snow that was covering all the mud is gone (thank god) but spring with its full force hasn`t quite arrived yet. I had to get pretty low to the ground to get at least some flowers and greenery in the pictures.
As I said in my previous post, this project required a lot of modifications to work for my body type, which I believe is much less hourglass and also more long-waisted than the pattern is designed for. Another reason I had to adjust the pattern was my row gauge. While the stitch gauge was spot on with the same needle size (How did that happen to a loose continental style knitter like me?), my row gauge was smaller, 36 rows for 4 inches instead of 28, to be exact. I added more rows to all the shaping throughout the sweater, including the sleeves and for the darts I only decreased and later increased on the on the inside of the dart rather than on both sides of the dart marker. Altogether, I had half as many decreased/increased stitches than in the pattern.
I followed the pattern for the placket and short row bust shaping with one exception, I only did half as many short rows. I also added couple inches to the sleeves by making one more increase for the sleeve than in the pattern. Another modification was positioning the neckline little higher than in the pattern by starting the placket about an inch later.
There was a lot of counting and keeping track of at the same time, with the short rows, armhole shaping, placket with button holes and later neckline shaping but I believe it was worth it. The result is a very well fitting, if really simple looking sweater. And I was rewarded at the end with very little finishing. Throughout the whole sweater, I did felted joins so I had hardly any ends to weave in. I did not use separate balls for the different sections of the top part of the sweater. I am too lazy to go and wind another skein into a ball if I don`t have to, so I finished each part separately. I also did not crochet around the neckline in the front. I tried it but decided I like the neckline as it is. I did one single crochet row in the back where the neckline decreases were more visible. The crochet edge is not as smooth as I would like but I think that is due to the rustic and irregular feel of the yarn.
After two false starts, I am finally very happy with this sweater. The color of the yarn is absolutely beautiful and one of my favorites, also one of the hardest to capture by a camera. It is in fact teal with more green that it appears on the pictures. I enjoyed working with Silky Wool. It was my first project using this yarn and I would definitely use it again. For tweed is reasonably soft but also appears quite durable.I couldn`t tell any difference after rekniting with the same skein for the third time. It also blocks very nicely into a very drapy and lightweight fabric.
I am very happy about the finished sweater as well, It has the right degree of relaxed simplicity and feminine details like gathered sleeves, deep neckline, dart shaping and button placket that is decorative more than anything. And at last I am satisfied with the fit, which is close but still comfy and relaxed. Now I only need the weather to finally warm up so I can wear my Dulce without a coat on.
Project: Dulce de Leche by Marnie MacLean from Spring 09 Twist Collective
Yarn: Elsebeth Lavold Silky Wool, color Petrol, 5 skeins
Needles: US5
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Another pair done! The Solid Sock KAL is definitely an excellent motivation for me to knit sock and use some of my stash yarn. Maelstrom was one of my favorite pattern to knit so far. It is incredibly fast. I was able to finish the leg in one afternoon. The fit is great too, snug but comfy so I don`t want to take them off. I added and extra pattern repeat on the leg but otherwise followed the instructions. Because why tinker with perfection?
Pattern: Maelstrom from Twist Collective
Yarn: Sundara Sock in Jungle Boogie
Needles: #0 Knitpicks Harmony, Magic Loop.
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I have been really unproductive this month and so far have done more frogging than knitting. First I ripped almost the whole Miralda Shawl. I was getting ready to cast off when I noticed I shifted one of the decreases on the side of the triangle and it was bugging me enough to frog it to the edging.
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Then I casted on a new sweater, Dulce de Leche, from spring Twist Collective. At the first sight, this project looked very simple, lots of stockinette, some buttons, should not take me much time, right? Well, it took two up to the armholes and back down to the hem attempts to figure out that I need to completely rework the shaping of the sweater. The waist shaping is way too dramatic for me, the total decreases for waist from top of the hip are almost 9 inches for my size. The shaping is done with darts, which I usually like but this time the decreases (and later increases) are worked on both sides of the dart for a total decrease of 8 stitches in one row. I am not sure if it is the tweedy texture of Silky Wool but after the shaping is done for the waist the body looked very gathered, almost like a flounce. This time around, I am making the darts with shaping only on the inside, which should give me half of the total decreased stitches for the waist. I am loosely following the shaping of Riding to Avalon pattern as it has very similar gauge and works better for my body.
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After I ripped it for the second time because it was still to short both below and above the waist, I almost abandoned the whole project ready to pretend it never happened but I have been searching for a while for the perfect pattern to use with the Silky Wool from my stash. The color is called Petrol and it is beautiful teal even though my camera likes to think it is blue or gray. And I have already bought buttons. Right now, the sweater looks more like the picture below than the one above, but I really hope that three times is the charm.
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So the only progress I can show this month after finishing Delicato mittens, is one completed Maelstrom sock. The color of the month for the Solid Sock KAL is green, which worked really well for Sundara sock yarn in Jungle Boogie color I had in my stash from the Seasons Subscription. The pattern is great, easier than any other Cookie A. sock pattern I have tried and it knits up incredibly fast. I have already turned the heel on the second sock so I am hoping I will still finish this pair before March is over.
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The last weekend in February was NETA SPA, KNIT and SPIN gathering in Freeport. I am a little late posting about it so you all know from other bloggers that it was wonderful, relaxing and social at the same time. Is there a better way to spend a chilly wintery weekend than meeting new knitters and spinners, chatting for hours at the lobby, catching up with friends while browsing around the vendors` booths (Hi Terri), eating out the whole weekend, swimming in the pool or getting a massage? Of course, there was beautiful yarn everywhere and some came home with me. I tried to steer away from lace weigh this year as I have not knitted anything out of my last year SPA haul. This year was all about sock yarn and thank to the very generous Hubby who spent his birthday surrounded by knitters and yarn, cashmere.
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Dye Dreams Twinkle Toes in Celery; at the Dye Dream booth; The Woolen Rabbit Opulence in Black Velvet;
The Woolen Rabbit Sock yarn in NE Red; The Merlin Tree, Springtide Cashmere in Black;
Twinkle Toes in Caribbean, Hubby getting the know-how behind building a spinning wheel; Springtide Cashmere in Blueberry;
At the Springtide Farm Booth.
It did not take me long to cast on with the incredibly soft cashmere yarn and a few days later I had new pairs of fingerless mittens, Delicato by Anne Hanson. I bought the pattern the same day at SPA from the Woolen Rabbit. This project was a small victory of mind over matter. The required yardage of Delicato mitts is 150 while I only had 125 . I casted on anyway, hoping that going down a needle size will get me enough yarn. Not only that but I was able to make one more repeat of the lace pattern, which made up for the smaller row gauge so they are just as long as in the pattern and also fit nicely close and snug over my hands. .jpg)
Pattern: Delicato by Anne Hanson
Yarn: Springtide Cashmere, 3ply in Blueberry, one skein
Needles: Size 0
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Just stopped taking pictures for a while. Until last week Hubby and me haven`t got much time off together and until this Sunday it was still dark out when we got home from work. More picture taking time is about the only thing that makes me feel better about the time change. Daylight Savings or not, it is still pretty nasty outside so yesterday we went to Skillins to take pictures of a sweater I casted on last year and finally finished last month.
Lacy Kid Mohair Pullover
Yarn: Madil Kid Seta, less than 4 skeins
Needles, #US 3
Pattern: My own
I bought the yarn last year with a plan to make a simple lacy pullover that I could wear over a tank top or dress in the Summer or early Fall. After a lot of swatching I settled on a very easy lace pattern from Barbara Walker Stitch dictionary. The pattern is very open and I as a result my gauge was very pleasant and fast going 20sts over 4 inches.
The construction of the sweater is pretty basic as well. I made it in pieces with set in sleeves without any waist shaping. The sleeves are also knitted straight, which creates a slight bell shaping at the cuffs. I made them quite long because I prefer long sleeves that reach to the middle of my hand. I accentuated the bell shape while blocking when I stretched the bottom part of the sleeve little more than the arm portion. Other than that, I blocked the sweater very lightly and might reblock the body some more for a little looser fit.
I was very happy to find out that my plan for this project worked. For one, this yarn is impossible to rip but I was also ready to see this project done after having been in my UFO pile for over a year. What I like best about this sweater is it`s light weight. I only used 3 and 1/2 skeins of Kid Seta, about 90 grams. It is still pretty warm though and although I can tell it won`t become my most often worn handknit sweater I think it will make a good summer pullover to wear in chilly, overly air-conditioned restaurants and indoor places.
P.S. One of the beautiful Orchids walked home with me yesterday. My SIL told me they are the easiest plants ever.
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February is here and I decided to fight what so far looks like wet slushy and cloudy weather with the brightest yarn in my stash. The Solid Socks KAL colors for this month are pink and peach. I started my socks yesterday using Fleece Artist Somoko I bought at Urban Yarns when I was on vacation in Vancouver last year.
It took me a while to choose a pattern for this yarn. I enjoy knitting with it and the color is incredibly vibrant but I find the yarn a bit inelastic. At first I casted on Marlene Socks by Cookie A but did not get past the cuff. The ribbing was coming out really big and was not stretchy at all. After reading comments on Ravelry recommending simple stockinette stitch as the mohair obscures more complicated pattern, I decided to try Yarnissima`s Brainless pattern. It looks like I found a good match for the yarn and I am trying out a new technique at the same time, toe up socks with Judy`s magic cast on.
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Tangled Yoke is finally finished, blocked and only needs to be properly photographed. Luckily, the days are getting a little longer and there is still light when I get out of work so I will be able to get outside pictures soon. The button band is not perfect, it does not gape,only curves a little around the buttons but it is not really noticeable when worn. The wrinkles under the cable blocked out really nicely though. I did not even have to force them, just soak the cardi and let it dry flat without pinning it.
Since then I have been working on the Woodsmoke socks, finished the first one and turned the heel on the other. This might be the first time I will actually complete a whole pair for the Solid Socks KAL in time.
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In other news, I just booked a hotel room for SPA, Knit and Spin Weekend in Freeport next month. Last year I only made it there for an hour after work on Friday and wished I could have stayed longer. I know, it is sounds crazy to pay for a hotel room in a town that`s about 15 minutes drive from my house and every time I am telling somebody about it (like at work when I was taking the weekend off) I have to laugh but the weekend falls on Hubby` birthday so we decided to make a small vacation out of it (Thank you, Pookie!). I hope to see you there next month!
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