2008 Sweater Wrap-up

So, I was talking to a friend on about NaKniSweMo (National Knit a Sweater Month, hosted by the awesome Shannon Okey in the month of November), on November 1st or 2nd. I was nearly finished the Swirled Pentagon Pullover and was considering unofficially participating in NaKniSweMo with a new sweater.

Wha-BAM! That was the sound of the knitting gods smiting me. I apparently lost the ability to read directions when it came to the yoke. I also had to go down two needle sizes to get gauge for the pentagons, but didn't figure that out until I was away from home with only the recommended needles. I finally figured out that I needed a visual aid to see how the pentagons formed the yoke (I had only photocopied the pattern pages from the book, not the page with the large photo), and lo and behold, I finished it on November 30th.



All the struggles were totally worth it though, because I love this sweater so much. All the more so because it only cost me $15 in yarn (the cost to my sanity is still being calculated. However, I take full responsibility for this and I do not blame Norah Gaughan in any way. I would not recommend this for your first sweater, though).





Swirled Pentagon Pullover from Knitting Nature by Norah Gaughan
Yarn: Brown Sheep Nature Spun Worsted, about 4.5 skeins in a discontinued blue
Source: a booth whose name escapes me at the 2008 New Hampshire Sheep and Wool Festival
Needles: Brittany Birch U.S. Size 7 dpns, Susan Bates U.S. Size 6 24" circular needle, Susan Bates Quicksilver U.S. Size 8 circular needle (worked flat)
Modifications: Added waist shaping, worked pentagons on U.S. Size 7 needles instead U.S. Size 9. Omitted turtleneck.






I also decided to "whip up" something to go with my Christmas Eve outfit five days before Christmas. I had this idea in my head of a shrug that was just sleeves (as opposed to having fronts like a cardigan) but I couldn't find a pattern for it. Luckily my Ravelry queue came to the rescue and I saw the Evening Shrug from the Purl Bee.

It was a little tricky because I used laceweight mohair instead of bamboo but I'm really happy with the end result.

Evening Shrug by Whitney at the Purl Bee

Yarn: Knit One Crochet Two Doceur et Soie (laceweight silk/mohair blend, the same as Rowan Kidsilk Haze and Madil Kid Seta), 1.5 skeins black

Needles: Addi Turbo U.S. Size 8 12" circular needle, Susan Bates U.S. Size 8 24" circular needle (worked flat)

Modifications: Knit across the back for 8.25 inches, used Kitchener stitch to seam the back.

Next up: My awesome crafty Christmas presents and the first knits of the new year!

End-of-Summer Wrap Up

It took me a minute to realize that I had finished three garments this summer--and I even did one garment each month! I'm very happy with each of these but I'm excited to start knitting fall sweaters.


First up: Blissful (Ravelry link)



Pattern: Blissful by Keridiane Chez from Stitch'N Bitch Crochet: The Happy Hooker
Yarn: Brown Sheep Cotton Fine in Rue, no idea how much.
Source: Stash. I had knit the Lucky Clover Wrap Sweater from Stitch'N Bitch Nation with a little less than two cones of this, but I wasn't happy with the fit or gauge so I unraveled it. It was more than a little painful but I'm happy to have reclaimed the yarn. It made this and there is a lot left over, some of which is going into another project that I hope to show you soon.
Hooks: Pony aluminum 3.75 mm (an E for me) and Clover Soft Touch 4.00 mm (an F for me). Here I got a good lesson in why it's important to check the millimeter measurements for your hooks--if I had just used an F and a G it wouldn't have been as tight (which is what I was going for).
Modifications: I did eighteen repeats of the lace bodice part instead of twelve and added extra even rows when working the cups to accommodate my figure. From the Ravelry photos it looks like I did something funky with the weaving row (a ribbon is supposed to run through the stitches under the bust), but it works for me. I didn't have hook-and-eye closures on hand, so I tried sew-on snaps, but they didn't work well. I ended up crocheting the back together. I'm a little nervous about it losing shape and sagging in the back as it gets stretched out, but we'll see how it goes.




I definitely only plan to wear it as in the photos above, over a tank top or a shirt. I intended it to be more of an apron-style top than a stand-alone halter, and I'm really happy with how it came out. I had to rip it out once, and I finished it just in time to wear it Labor Day weekend, but this was a good project for August. It also solved my dislike of knitting with cotton: crocheting with it is easier and seems to suit the fiber better.





This is July:




Pattern: Orangina by Stefanie Japel
Yarn: Patons Grace, (just over) 7 balls Rose
Source: Michael's
Needles: US Size 3 Inox 29" circular (pattern says 24" but I only a 29"--I think I did either the 38" or 40" bust size, and stitches moved around easily)
Modifications: I added an inch or so to the bottom ribbing.





I LOVE this sweater. I kind of got obsessed with the idea of it and the next thing I knew I had bought it and ran to the store to get yarn. Why I decided to start a new sweater project in the last week of my crazy summer semester is beyond me, but it was actually really calming. The pattern is an easy four-row repeat, there is no shaping (I think) and it goes pretty quickly for being on 3's. I knit it in just over a week. I love Stefanie's designs and I plan to knit everything she designs ever. (Her new book, Glam Knits, is coming out soon!!!)




Pattern: A Good Bias by Lisa Daehlin from the Spring 2005 Interweave Knits
Yarn: Cotton Clouds, 5 or 6 skeins "Sunshine"
Source: Stash. My grandma found this nubbly cotton and rayon yarn in her attic, and for awhile I had no idea what to make with it. I've wanted to make this and the original was knit with Mission Falls 1824 Cotton, which is also nubbly, so this yarn was a perfect fit.
Needles: US Size 8, Susan Bates Quicksilver 29" circular needles (circs aren't necessary, I just used them for portability purposes)
Modifications: None.




I finished this just before we left on our cruise to Bermuda in June, and I wore it with just about everything on the boat. It's a pale yellow, so I can wear it (some yellows do not work well on me) and it's better than a shawl because it stays on your arms. I've also worn it at work in over-air-conditioned libraries, and it's warm too.



A very productive summer, with lots of stash busting. Too bad I didn't knit very many socks (um, what Summer of Socks?) Time for wool :)


Thanks to Jack for taking the awesome pictures with his fancy camera!