The Upside of Monogomy

Probably the nicest thing about devoting your attention to one project is that even if you have to rip the sweater twice even though you did the math and it should have worked, you still make progress pretty quickly. The body of the Textured Tunic is done after several modifications. I'm not too frustrated with it because this sweater is teaching me how to custom fit my garments. Not exactly what I had in mind when picking this as my next project but a good learning experience. I hope to finish this up this week if I don't have to modify the sleeves. I have it in my mind that I can finish two more sweaters before it gets too warm out, I think I just want an excuse to buy yarn to make a black Buttony sweater. Tilted Duster is a definite but we'll see if I can squeeze one more in before I dive into my new summer yarns :)

WEBS Rocks!

My new yarn arrived very quickly and it is all wonderful stuff. I can't wait to start using it. This is for summer knits and just having it arrive makes me happy and anxious for spring. Now I don't have to worry about using my free shipping coupon in time :)It will have to wait a little while until I make more progress on my Textured Tunic. I'm up to the box stitch portion now and liking both the pattern and yarn so far. This is my first top down sweater so watching the raglan shaping unfold is pretty cool. It is also nice to have some stockinette stitch to work on, I guess I'm just in a simple knitting place now.

FO: Tangled Yoke Cardigan and FO: Little Leaf Scarf

2 FOs for the price of one today.

Pattern: Tangled Yoke Cardigan by Eunny Jang Interweave Knits Fall '07

Yarn: Rowan Felted Tweed in Whisper 7 balls (just a few yards of #7)

Needles: Susan Bates US4 36" and DPN, Addi US3 and US0, Inox US2

I love this sweater and I am so glad it is finished. The fit is perfect. I added some length to the garter rib section somewhat accidentaly but I decided to keep it and I am so glad I did. The length is perfect for me, I'd always rather er on the side of too long. I used US3 for the collar (what a pain that was for me) and US2 for the button bands simply because I didn't have long enough 3s. I picked up 152 stitches to compensate for the extra length, it may have been a few too many as the bands flop a tiny bit but I think it looks fine. I may wear this open from time to time and I am not doing those again. This was a nice knit, it was a pain at times but thankfully those moments came near the end and with a finished sweater in sight I ripped and kept going. This sweater greatly increased my knitting confidence not because of the complicated yoke or the folded hem but because of a near disaster Friday night. As I was kitchenering up the last armpit after finishing the collar and button bands the yarn snapped in my hands. I thought I had accounted for all of the loose stitches and finished up. As I excitedly tried on the sweater I heard a loud snap and almost had a heart attack. Something in the armpit broke and I had way more stitches loose than I should have. After over an hour of examining things I finally managed to graft the loose stitches from the front and then finish up the armpit. So after a freak out and some nasty words all ended well. My husband actually asked me if I enjoyed knitting during this whole debacle, my answer was of course! Just look at the finished product, it's worth all the time and effort to have a comfy new sweater. This yoke shot is a good representation of the color. I am afraid of damage with wear (which will be a lot) after the breakage but I have plenty of yarn left over and I'm getting the hang of this grafting thing. Just please don't let the yoke break!

Last night I also finshed up my Little Leaf Scarf

Pattern: Little Leaf Scarf by Pam Allen from Classic Elite Make it Modern

Yarn: Classic Elite Soft Linen in Soft Fern 17grams

Needles: Clover Bamboo US6

I adore this scarf. It is so freaking cute I can't stand it. I also love this yarn like you wouldn't believe. It is so soft, light, easy to work with, not splitty, just perfect. More is on the way for the Soft Linen Button Up Shrug and it is bringing it's cotton bamboo friend for the Girl-Tank both from the same booklet. They may have talked some Valley Yarns Colrain into coming along too... Yeah, that free shipping coupon Webs sent to those who bought during the sale burned a hole in my inbox. I just hope they don't sell out of the yarn before it ships. Man, I am on a yarn diet for sure now. I've never had a stash before but when this stuff arrives I'll have 4 projects backlogged, ouch. Anyway, back to the topic at hand. The scarf pattern doesn't require DPNs I just like keeping a small project on small needles and I like bamboo. If you make this beware that the length given for the scarf is way too long. Measure as you go, I had to rip back to get it just right. I love this booklet so much and will probably make everything in it, I'll write up more as I go. Tonight I cast on for the Textured Tunic from Fitted Knits in Tahki Donegal Tweed I got from the Super Bowl sale at Woolworks. Yeay for a project on US9 needles!

p.s. Is any one else having spell check problems?

What A Tangled Yoke I Knit

Phew! That was intense. It was fun to see the cables take shape but row 7 kicked my butt and I had to rip half it back. Well, un-knit stitch by stitch is more like it. But it is done and I'm in the home stretch now.

Ever since I saw this booklet on another blog I had been lusting after it. No LYS that I have been to around here carries classic elite yarns and I couldn't find it online. Until Thursday when I stumbled accross it at Jimmy Beans Wool. My inlaws had given me a gift certificate for Christmas so I took that as fate and had my husband call in an order while I was at work. Saturday there was much squeeling and rushing to the mailbox just after we saw the mail lady put the package in. I am going to make the scarf on the cover this week, I like that there is a pattern that uses one skein of yarn, such a great way to try it out.

FO: Gemma Beret

Short post since it is Lost night, I just couldn't wait to show this off.

Pattern: Gemma Beret by Sarah Hatton

Needles: Addi US3, Denise US8 and US9, Clover Bamboo DPN US8

Yarn: Valley Yarns Sugarloaf

I had to rip the initial version of this as it was way too big. I cast on 90 stitches in the round and increased to 108 after the ribbing. The next increase I think I had 114 stitches but now I don't remember. Knit to about 15cm and winged the decreases. I decreased according to the pattern directions except I left out one 3 row section. I think it came out pretty good. I'm not sure if I will block it right away or not, since this is a merino microfiber mix I'm not sure it will do much. I love this yarn, it is very soft and not itchy at all. I wish the color would photograph better, it really is a beautiful rust color in person.

The Back to School vest is finished but we won't talk about that right now, it is being punished.

I went to the Super Bowl sale at Woolworks Sunday. It had been awhile and it was nice to stop in and chat for a few minutes, everyone there is so nice. I was fortunate enough to pick a 33% discount out of the bowl, I'm so glad I had a decent amount of yarn in my hands :) Below you see some Tahki Donegal Tweed in a lovely cream mix. 5 skeins for the Textured Tunic from Fitted Knits. Penny is worried I didn't buy enough since the guage might be off but she has been wrong before.

For my Mother's Day I want to make a Lilly of the Valley shawl from Lace Style out of this Alpaca with a Twist Fino in cream. I love this yarn, my Print 'O the Wave stole is using the same yarn and I really liked the feel. My mom also admired it one time I was working on the stole at their house so I'm sure she'll appreciate her own item out of the Fino. Plus, if it is a gift it will get done :)

p.s. spell check isn't working so I appologize if there are errors. Blogger really ticks me off sometimes.

Cast-onitis

I guess I am a slutty knitter. Something new and pretty walks into my life and I just have to get a piece of it. Not only did I cast on for the Back to School vest from Fitted knits which was slightly planned, but I also came across the Gemma Beret pattern in one of the discussions on Ravelry. I don't know what came over me but at that moment I had to have that beret. It's just so cute! So last night the Valley Yarns Sugarloaf I had earmarked for a moss stitch beret started being worked into the Gemma Beret. I love the color of this yarn and the feel is really nice I just don't know if I like the way it is working in this pattern. I'm going to keep knitting it a bit longer and then reassess. I really wanted to use this yarn so I'm keeping my fingers crossed. Tomorrow I am going to try to take a knitting day off to rest my hands and soak up the new episode of Lost. So excited! The pictures do a good job of representing the blue color but not the rusty orange, it is so much lovelier in person.

FO: Endpaper Mitts

A week to knit and here they are:

Pattern: Endpaper Mitts by Eunny Jang

Needles: Inox US0 and Susan Bates US2

Yarn: Rowan 4ply Soft (Blue) and Mondial Extrafine (Brown)

These were pretty quick to knit and the pattern was easy enough to follow while watching TV. I really enjoyed not having to worry about catching any floats. It is definitely worth it to do the Italian tubular cast on, the mitt I used this for fits better. My hand measured exactly 7" but I didn't have the correct DPNs for that size and I wanted them to be snug so I threw caution to the wind and went with the small size. They fit well although they are a bit long. When I knit I wear them folded back so they don't catch the yarn. This is a pattern I will very likely be making again. I had a hard time picking colors at Webs and even though they look good I don't think there is enough contrast to the colors. I really wanted a nice marroon but I didn't see one I liked. I think the store overwhelmed me that day and I just lost focus. They serve their purpose and have already seen some wear, I have to take them off long enough to block then and I think my stitches will even out nicely. I loved the Rowan yarn, so nice and tightly spun. The Mondial I think may pill and was a bit splittier. I don't think I'll be doing any more color work for awhile, I'm really not a fan of knitting English style. I can do it but it feels very unnatural for me. For my first official FO of the new year I am pleased with these.

The first yarn store I ever went into was The Knitting Knook in Coventry, CT. It was a great experience and I liked the store a lot. It's small but well stocked and the owner has always been very nice to me. I've since moved further away and haven't been to the store in about a year. I recently found out she now carries Cascade 220 (which I could never find out here) and since we were out running errands that way my husband and I had to stop in. I picked up three skeins of cascade 220 in a heathered Sapphire color for the Back to School vest from Fitted Knits. The picture is a pretty good representation of the color, it is perhaps a bit more vibrant in person. I hope to swatch and cast on this evening while my husband is making his first batch of homemade beer. We both satisfied our hobbies this weekend :) Next weekend Woolworks in Putnam, CT is having a Super Bowl sale so I may use that as an excuse to pick up another sweater's worth of yarn and some lace weight to start a shawl for Mother's Day. If I start now I should be able to finish in time with no stress, we'll see how that goes.

With my new comfy mitts on I finished up the last sleeve to my Tangled Yoke and joined both to the body while lounging on the couch and watching movies this morning. I love a Sunday with no chores, so relaxing before heading back to work on Monday. I'm excited to be nearing the cable on this, even more excited to be done with DPNs for awhile.