Matt & I wish everyone a Happy New Year!

Yes, an other freakishly accurate avatar for Matt (those are our Xbox live avatars, btw). As a matter of fact, I think it's even better than his South Park avatar.



The Xbox avatars are quite fun. A bit like playing with paperdolls. Matt actually doesn't play, but I set him up with an account so I could do the acheivements again for Bioshock. It was worth getting him an account purely for that avatar!

I'll be back with some updates after the first of the year (and if you track me on Ravelry, you'll know I'm busy adding stash).

Have a safe and happy New Year!

Just Waiting for Santa....

CSS 2.20

I'm styling with some cascade 220 right now. Not including Cassidy (still in a time out), I've started a few things:

Dymphna Mock Pullover
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This is a modified version of the Dymphna V-Neck Pullover from Cable Confidence. I liked the simple box stitch center with the cabled sides. However, wanted a little less "oversized" styling and didn't want a V neck. So top down, with the addition of the cabled panel on the sleeve and saddle. The color is so incredibly wrong in the photo, I feel bad even posting it. I sure do love knitting with Cascade 220, and this color is called "blue velvet"... and the richness must be seen in person to really be appreciated.

I also started a classic Ribby Pullover in Cascade 220 (ahhhh, Webs, thanks for the free shipping deal!!!):

Penny Ribby Pulli
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This is inspired by a half zip pullover I saw in a JC Penny's flyer. Loved the color combo, so I ordered the yarn, and cast it on! I thought I had ordered a black for the body, but the color (called "jet") is more of a really dark charcoal gray heather. Even better! The yoke is white and violet. Just one more inch on the body then I'll start the sleeves.

One other project (and NOT in Cascade 220, but equally lovely yarn) is the Gaelic Morning Mist:

Gaelic Morning Mist
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The back section is just about at the shoulder shaping, then just the fronts (and the sleeves!). Can't say enough about this yarn. I simply adore the color of this yarn and the fabric is so soft and "hazy"... just what I wanted for this cardigan.

So those are mainly what I've been working on. Trying very very hard to not just continually cast on new projects! However, all three of these projects not only have been fun to work on, they'll be practical sweaters when completed! It's too cold to do anything but knit anyway!

Year in Review #5

Yet more finished projects! Today we start off with yet an other Hey, Teach... for Theresa!


I love how this turned out and I have enough of the yarn left over to do one for me. The yarn was delightful to knit with and the black and the lace look great (maybe not the best to photograph). A classic little black cardigan.

Next up is a simple pullover gansey for Matt (sans pattern):


Ya, this has already gotten a lot of wear. Matt loves the yarn and the simple styling is very comfy. Definitely one of his favorite sweaters already.

Now something for me: the Tangled Yoke Cardigan:


I give this a mostly positive review. I find the yoke a little snug (as are those skinny sleeves), yet the bottom half is a little loose. When I wear it, I simply don't button the top button, and it's fine, but I don't think it gives me a lot of "flexibility". So it's not an around the house sweater. It's a special occassion where I don't have to move my arms a lot sweater. I love the weight/yarn on the sweater and I absolutely love the color. I'm just not sure the pattern ended up suiting me. It's a fairly recent finish, so we'll see how it goes over time.

Next up is the disaster of the year: Patrick.


Talk about not listening to the warning bells in your head! I knew this yarn was too heavy, but I loved how it looked. The pattern has the same armhold depth for all sizes. Matt hates bulky sleeves on his sweater. Plus the fact that this is a bulky yarn, it's simply not comfortable to wear. He looks like he's wearing full football pads on when he wears it. I've worn it, and all that bulk under the arms simply isn't comfortable. This is headed towards the frog pond... eventually. I will remake Patrick in a very different yarn (actually leaning towards Cotton Ease), but I'll make major adjustments to the sleeves.

So those are all the major projects for the year. I did fix several projects during the Olympics this year with great results (one of which was the Gedifra sweater shown earlier). Some scarves, some hats, some afghan blocks were also done.

So over all, a very productive year. I've discoverd that I like knitting for Matt a lot more than knitting for me (at 5'5" and a svelte 135 lbs, there's simply a lot less knitting involved!). Fortunately Matt loves wearing sweaters, and is proud to wear things I knit him.

Next up will be some things I've been working on recently. I am still feeling the hang over of Patrick a bit, so I've been cycling thru projects, casting on stuff (and frogging some of it) without much focus on a particular project. I would like to get back to Cassidy, as I still have the opportunity to have it by the end of the year.

Year in Review #4

Four more projects to look back on! Some goodies today!

First up is Mermaid:


Mermaid didn't quite work out. I'm not sure if it's a gauge issue or a weight issue, but it simply doesn't fit me. Mostly in my problem area: sleeves. Have not worn this once. Which is a shame as it was a lot of knitting and Matt gave me the kit as a gift.

Staghorn is a completely different matter:


This is up there as one of the best projects ever! It was so delightful to knit (and a little addictive as I finished it in 16 days). I love how it fits Matt. Love the color. Love the yarn. Love the cables. Uh, love it! I am going to knit myself one eventually, as I really did enjoy the actual knitting (some of my very favorite cable stitches).

I'm also pretty happy with the Afghan Cardigan:


This ended up being just what Matt and I wanted: a simple, comfy, easy care, beat up, toss it in the washer and dryer cardigan. I love the TLC Heathers for afghans, and it worked well for this cardigan. I love the way the pattern looks and I would like to make this again (it's a nice basic just pick up and knit pattern). However, definitely would change it to top down construction.

Hey Teach was an other really fast fun knit:


This is the most flattering design I have ever seen. It looks fab on every body type on Rav. It knit up quickly and I looooove the results. (so much so you'll see an other in Year in Review #5). I am going to definitely make this again in a bright color, and maybe with long sleeves.

So that was a good run there with mostly very successful projects. A few more of those this year... plus some disasters! Stay tuned!!!

Year in Review #3

I must admit to being in a pretty sever knitting slump right now. I'm knitting, but not much and I can't seem to concentrate on any project. So I'm playing Bioshock. However, let's continue with what I did knit this year:

First up is a couple of crochet projects. The Sambuca Jacket is lovely, but I've never worn it:


Mainly because it doesn't fit. This was a really hard crochet project for me. I don't do a lot and shaping within pattern is a real struggle. I wouldn't mind tackling this again, as it's very much my style. Maybe reblocking it would help. It might get frogged down the road, as I love the yarn and the color.

I also have not worn this:


However, I knew when I made this that it wouldn't get a lot of wear. I thought the design was clever and I wanted to try the Comfy yarn. I'm just not much of a shrug wearer. If you are, I highly recommend this pattern. Totally fun and easy to make (and fast... took one day to work up).

Next up is Matt's Sampler Cardigan:


One of my all time favorite patterns. Now Matt hasn't worn this a lot, but I'm really happy with how it turned out. Made a lot of dumb mistakes knitting (especially considering that it was my third time knitting it or one of it's versions). Always thinking about casting an other one on. Did I mention I love this pattern. I'm not sure why Matt doesn't wear it. Probably part of it is color? Or maybe because I finished it in June when he couldn't wear it and it's worked it's way to the back of his closet? Either way, doesn't matter, as I love it (too bad I can't wear it).

Last entry for today is the Surplice Lace Top:


I did wear this quite a bit, including to a wedding (looks really sharp with a drapey knit straight skirt). Since that photo was taken, I tacked down the entire cross over section. I also tossed it in the dryer for a few minutes to "tighten" it up a bit (the back neck continued to grow... even after I did a crochet edge on the back). Definitely a fave from this year.

Be sure to tune in for Year in Review #4, as it contains some of my favorite finished projects!

Year in Review #2

So what else did I finish this year?

Today we'll look back at the lovely Cables and Rib Cardigan:


This one is a mixed result. A bad yarn sub, as the sweater is really really warm and the acrylic didn't really work well for the pattern (tho' it would make a lovely afghan). I do wear this around the house since it's so frickin' cold! but this is definitely a must knit again, in a different yarn. I love the cable and rib stitch and I love the styling of this cardigan. I smell a Cascade 220 version down the road.

Here's an other perfect cold weather sweater:


Mr. Greenjeans is a great pattern (and beautifully written... what a delight to knit). This is an other project I would definitely knit again... and use the proper weight yarn. While I was easily able to adjust to the 4 sts to the inch that I was getting, it's a wee bit bulky. Nice and warm, but I would love one in a less bulky yarn. I'm finding that the heavier weight yarns, while are great to knit, are a little more cumbersome to wear (they get in my way).

Now this sweater for Matt was a fun project to knit, but had some struggles with how to adjust it to suit him. The pattern is written for women, and the neckband simply looked horrible on him. I frogged that off, and went with a no neckband option. Ugh. Fixed it to look like this during my Olympics Fix-it Challenge:


It's now a favorite sweater. I knit the Cotton Ease at a really tight gauge and he loves this sweater. I love the way the folded turtleneck looks. Matt says it's a cozy comfortable sweater.It's a head turner that's for sure (and before anyone leaves me a comment about the pattern... sorry, but I'm not done with it yet, so I'm not selling it).

Today's last entry is my Must Have Cardigain (or as I called it: Cindy Must Knit This Cardigan):


This is the absolutely perfect cardigan. It's warm. It's pretty. It's a lovely shade of green. The Black Water Abbey yarn is so stunning in person (I should try to get a better photo). It's a shame that this pattern is written for such tiny bodies, but upsizing it wasn't too bad via gauge. I would absolutely knit this again (maybe in a cotton/acrylic blend for a very different looking sweater).

Oh, that was a good stretch there. All successes... with maybe the exception of the Cables & Rib. However, I do wear it, so it's not a disaster... more of a "neutral" result.

Actually, this was a good idea. I'm feeling like things aren't going well with my knitting right now. It's nice to remember projects that were fun to knit and are getting good usage, eh?

Year In Review #1

I ended up having to frog back the right front of Cassidy to the ribbing. I tried laddering down the cable, but it was very sloppy looking. I wasn't sure that blocking would be enough to clean it up. Oh well, it shouldn't take long to reknit... when I get around to it. I'm taking a little break from it for now.

However, it's that time of year again! Let's go over the good, the bad and the frogged! I like to go back and see what I've done this year and re-evaluate my projects. So let's get started! (the linked project name will take you to the actual project page with details on yarn/pattern, etc).

First finished project this year was Beatrice:


Let's just say... FROGGED. I love the yarn, but the sweater was about as unflattering on me as I could possibly wear. I'm probably going to use the yarn for a cardigan... eventually. Definitely didn't start the year off well!


Ike, on the other hand was a huge success and Matt wears this sweater often (however, he hangs it in his closet off a peg, so the neck has all stretched out). If you look at the link page, you'll notice it does take you to December of last year, but since I had to fix the sleeve length, I didn't count it done until the above photo was taken (bit of an improvement, eh?)

Ribby II was a huge sucess... and something I wear ALL the time. Both Ribbys get a lot of wear


(and if you think that using purple discouraged Matt from wearing it... you're wrong. He'll slip it on if it's handy and he's chilled. Love love the Moda Dea Silk n Wool blend).

The results of Beryl were a bit of a mixed bag:


I have to say I'm happy with the results (tho' I still think some short row bust dusts would've made this a perfect fit.. I'll be sure to do that next time!). So while I think the project looks great... I have yet to wear it even once. Part of that is lifestyle. I think it's a little dressy, and just simply haven't really had an opportunity to wear it. Just goes to show that a project can be a success, just not a high usage project.

So that's round one...Not bad, only one real disaster (but, hey, the year in review ain't over yet!).

Just a quick response to some comments: the sweater that Matt is wearing in the photos of his winter set is by Janet Szabo called "Son of ARAN" and a truely terrific pattern. One of my favorite sweaters on Matt, as I love the fit (aaaah, the advantage of top down construction!). If you compare how great it fits compared to Patrick, you can see why we're disappointed with Patrick (over sized sweaters on a petite frame look silly... and Matt most definitely looks silly in Patrick).

Skeet Shooting?

I've been plugging away on Cassidy, finishing up the second sleeve and tackling the right front. I'm just about to cast off the right front when I noticed a huge ass error:


Can ya see it? How the left side has the 2 3-stitch cables side by side, yet the right side only has the one 3-stitch cable?. Argh. Did I mention that I'm at the shoulder shaping?

So I'll be laddering down the entire length of the right front to fix that 2X1 cable... but maybe not today. And here I thought I would be blocking this baby today!

Seem to be having a string of dumb mistakes... maybe it's time to research a new hobby.

Side Project

Since I needed to work on some other projects while struggling thru finishing Patrick (and we're all ignoring that I need to rip back the sleeves and re-do them, right?), I made Matt a Winter Set.


This started as just a pair of gloves. He's been asking me to make him replacement gloves for a while now (since he lost one of the convertable gloves I made him years ago). Gloves are like socks: Not My Favorite to Knit. However, I had some left over yarn from my Ribby, and I knew he would like the yarn (who doesn't? wool and silk blend in a lovely pewter color... yum).

Well, the gloves only took one skein, and I still had two skeins... so a matching hat and a striped multidirectional scarf soon followed (the scarf also has some left over black Cascade 220 from his Bad Ass Skully Hat). He's been using them in the mornings to walk the dog, and he's very happy with them. (but he better not lose any of it!)

So some easy, quick gratification... while I ignore the disaster that is Patrick.

Update on Patrick

Matt tried on Patrick yesterday, and it's not a good fit. It's a head slapper for me, as I KNEW the sleeves were big. (Note to self, if the pattern has you make the sleeves the same width for all sizes, they're going to be too big).

The pattern has 19" wide sleeves, for a size 40" up to the 52". It's simply too much fabric for Matt under the arms. Especially with the bulkiness of the yarn.

Matt meets Patrick
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So while I think he likes it, it's not comfortable or flattering. Yes, the color seems to be fine, and he loves the softness of the yarn.

Patrick meets Matt
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So I have two options: find an other home for Patrick or rip the sleeves back and take about 2" out of the width (which means each sleeve will have to be ripped back about halfway). I'm leaning towards the second. Just not right now. I think this will stew on the side for a bit then I'll tackle it... or wait for the next Olympics and do an other "fix it" thing?

Either way, I'm beating myself up. The sweater was a lot of work, and I ignored the warning bells in my head about the sleeves (actually, I think I had made the sleeve depth shorter, but forgot when I got to the sleeves). So there's only one thing to do today:

Cast on something new!!!!