Sweaters!

Well, I've finished a couple sweaters over the last month, and I've delayed posting them because I haven't taken great photos of them yet. Well, I decided to post them anyway, since if I wait till I have decent photos then they may never get posted! So... here goes:

Pattern: Wicked
Yarn: Miss Babs Yummy in Obsidian
Needles: US7


Started October 7th.
Finished October 29th.

This is a lovely pattern. A top down raglan sweater design. I'm happy with how this turned out. I ended up frogging my first attempt (which was past the sleeves no less!) because I was unhappy with where the neckline was hitting me. I really can't stand a sweater that hits my neck above my collar-bone. I was quite upset about the frogging, but I'd rather have a sweater that I will wear than one that stays in a dresser drawer. I essentially went up a size (or two, I can't remember) to get the neckline a bit wider.


Modifications: I made a couple pretty major modifications. I used short rows to bring the front neckline down farther than the back neck. Maybe you can tell from the photo that it scoops down in front a little bit. The other major modification I made was to add bust darts. They go a long way to making the sweater have a more shapely fit. Overall, I'm very happy with it! I need a few more long sleeved boat neck t-shirts to wear under it, though!


Pattern: Inspired by Tomato
Yarn: Knit Picks City Tweed DK (in Tahitian Pearl, Enchanted, Splash and Poseidon)
Needles: US7



Started: October 30th
Finished: November 14th.

I say this in inspired by the Tomato sweater, because I really just worked off the basic shape and design of the sweater. I used DK weight yarn instead of worsted, so the stitch counts in the pattern were no good for me. I figured out my gauge and my desired neckline dimensions and worked from there. I didn't take many detailed notes of this, since I was kind of figuring it out as I went. I used a stripe sequence of 8 rows of the blue-green color and 2 rows of the Pearl. I also transitioned from the lighter blue-green to the darker blue-green. I added bust darts for shaping (since they turned out so well in my Wicked!) and I'm pleased with the result. I decreased for the waist as well, and added in a few increases for the hips. I used the Jogless Jog at the side of the sweater, but didn't bother with it under the sleeves.

(Jogless Jog)

(Bust Dart)

I also used a 2x2 tubular bind off on the cuffs.

(2x2 tubular bind off)

Overall, I'm very happy with it as well! The yarn is so soft and snuggly, too, so it makes a wonderful winter sweater, but with a bit less bulk than a worsted weight sweater would have.

Two sweaters in about a month and a week. That's not too shabby!

Happy Knitting everyone! And Happy Thanksgiving next week!

Red Wine

Here's my "Wine and Crystal" Aeolian - finally finished!!

I love this pattern so much, I knit it twice! I'm even thinking of doing it a third time, that's how much I love it!

Here's the details:

Pattern: Aeolian Shawl from Knitty
Yarn: Knit Picks Gloss Lace in color Port (I used 2.5 skeins - 1100 yards)
Beads: size 8 transparent clear rainbow beads by Dyna-Mites (I used a little over two boxes)
Started: May 10, 2009
Finished: September 25, 2009
Size after Blocking: 45 inches wide, 36 inches tall, 65 inch wingspan

Modifications: None. I made the large shawl size following the pattern as written. I did 9 stitch nupps. It turned out a very generous size that will be perfect for wrapping around myself and looking glamorous in red. ;-)

(Close up detail of the beads. They sparkle nicely in the light.)

I'm sure I will be doing more versions of this pattern - it is very addicting. It's not too difficult (it looks more complicated than it really is, trust me!) and it is so easy to read your knitting as the lace sections transition. It's so customizable too: simply knit an even number of yucca sections and however many agave sections as you'd like to make whatever size shawl you're looking for. The pattern designer has even posted a shortened lace edging for it as well, if you end up worried about yardage!

Happy Knitting everyone!!

I Passed Level I!!!

I got my Master Knitter binder back a few day ago - and I passed!! (I needed to re-submit the pattern for swatch 15, but I was able to do that via email.) I'm just floored that I didn't need to re-do any of my swatches. I was convinced that a few of them were not worthy. We're always so much harder on ourselves, aren't we?? My acceptance letter has so many wonderful compliments on my work, and several helpful hints for improvement. I can't help smiling! :-)

The Level II instructions are already ordered! Onward and upward!!

Making progress...

So, it's been a little while since I blogged last! I haven't gotten my Master Knitter package back in the mail yet, but I am waiting very patiently to find out my results. :-)

I haven't finished much lately - a pair of socks, a charity washcloth, and something else that I'll blog about later. (shhh, it's a surprise!) ;-) But I'm chugging away on lots of things.

Here's one of my FOs: a pair of socks that I started last year, and had hoped to have done by Inauguration Day - oh well, better late than never! My Audacity Socks:


Pattern: BFF socks by Cookie A.
Yarn: Black Bunny Fibers Merino in the color 'Audacity' (check out this blog post about the yarn)
Needles: US 2
Modifications: Just one - I made them a shorter length.
Since the yarn had a special significance, and I wanted to use a pattern that incorporated cables to signify our interconnections. I thought the pattern name was fitting as well.


And the charity washrag:


Pattern: Garterlac Dishcloth
Yarn: Lily Sugar 'n Creme in 'Naturals'
Needles: US 7
No modifications. I initially tried to do the variation with no cast on edge, but got frustrated and gave up. (I got the hang of the technique, but it was late at night and I kept making mistakes! I'll give the technique a try sometime again later.)

The Charlotte Knitting Guild is collecting washrags to donate to Florence Crittenton Services in Charlotte.

Oh, and I did end up re-doing the zipper on my CPH:

(Ignore the cat hair!)

I'm much happier with it now. I just couldn't live with it all wavy and such - I had to do it over. Now if only the cool weather would get here so I can wear it!!


So, the LSG group on Ravelry had prizes for WiPs Wrestlemania a couple months ago, and I won a prize! A custom made project bag by Maddox! And here it is:


I absolutely love it! It's beautifully sewn - I immediately put some socks in progress in it! (And isn't the skunk card cute?? It says "I stink you're sweet!") It made my day when it arrived yesterday in the mail.

I'm still working on a few WiPs, but the number is dwindling, and I'm resisting casting on too many new projects! I did recently cast on a new pair of illusion knit socks that are way cool, but I'll blog about those when they're done!

Happy Knitting everyone!