Pattern Planning

I'm actually not knitting that much right now. Things seem off schedule for us and I'm feeling a little unfocused on pretty much everything.

So I'm planning projects, buying yarn and not getting much done.

As I'm browsing thru Ravelry, the Cobblestone Pullover keeps coming up. So I show it Matt, thinking that it seems to be a popular "guy" sweater. Quite frankly, it never really "spoke" to me, but I thought Matt would like it in his favorite Kathmandu Aran yarn.

He took one look at it and said... "eh, not very interesting". How can I not love a man like that!

Of course, he then asks about a fair isle kit I bought 3 years ago at Maryland Sheep and Wool (this from a man who misplaces watches, glasses, phones, wallets, security ID, etc on a weekly basis... but can remember something I bought three years ago). Ya, remember this:


So I promised I would start on it as soon as I finished Patrick (which is still in it's time out for bad pattern directions).

I admit that while I love the look of fair isle, it's not my favorite thing to knit. I never get into a rhythm with it (it's high concentration to constantly follow a chart... I like cabled patterns that are memorizable). The other thing I'm concerned about is the smallest size is 44", which is bigger than he likes his sweaters. I might just go down a needle size to get a slightly smaller size. Now just to finish... something... anything....

Since I love knitting sleeves so much

So I'm short. I have short arms. I know this, and I try to adjust for this... but sometimes I don't adjust enough.

The sleeves for Cassidy are going to be too long. Waaaaaaaay too long. I shortened them about 1-1/2" from the pattern. I'm on the last few sleeve cap decreases (only 8 more rows to knit) and the realization that these sleeves will cover my knuckles has hit.

Just to do a little comparison, I looked at my Cindy Must Knit This Cardigan (which you can see peaking in at the top of the photo... man, I can't wait to wear it! That's the problem of finishing a wool sweater while it's summer!). Now the sleeves on the Must Knit are way too long for me (I only shortened them about an inch, not realizing that the picture on the model showed her with too long sleeves... so I should've known to shorten them more). The sleeves for Cassidy are going to be longer than those.

I really have issues with set in sleeves and my measurements. Logically I know how/where to measure, but I usually just assume a certain number for shortening. Basically I don't believe my numbers. I just seems wrong to have to shorten sleeves 4". (I have the same issue when I do short row bust darts... there's no way that number can be right!)

So before I go any farther, I'm ripping back the sleeve cap shaping and going to rip back about 2 more inches. Sigh

Well, I'm Glad The Week is Over

So apart from the Olympics, we didn't have a very good week. Knowing our time with Jake is now limited has been pretty hard for both of us. Then there was that whole allergic reaction Matt had to some fish. Oh and I haven't been able to fix Cornwall. The collar is way too tight, even after doing three different bind offs (the tubular looked great... and that is what I'll use when I re do it). It's going to be more in style with what Matt likes (and it looks great... too bad he can't get it over his head). I'm going to rip it back and pick up more stitches. However, not right now. I would rather work on some other things.

I've been able to get some progress done on Cassidy, and the first sleeve is past the elbow. Jake has calmed down a bit (I think he was pretty beat up from his tumbles down the stairs) so I've been able to get a little more time with knitting.

Today I'm going to do some much needed housework. A little vacuuming and some laundry. No morning Olympics to watch! No basketball or soccer or handball or waterpolo! I will miss it! (however only two years before the hockey and curling!)

How I spent yesterday

Thanks for all the good wishes and hugs. We're all adjusting, but Jake thinks there's not enough ice cream cake.

Just a quick update

I'm not posting much, and probably won't be for a little bit. Knitting has been put on the back burner.

Jake's health isn't very good and we're doing our best to spoil him. It's hard to knit with him on my lap and that's where I want him.

Just when I thought I was done....

I was so thrilled to get The Original Ribby done yesterday thinking I could get back to new and exciting projects. I thought I was done with all my Olympic repairs. Just to make sure I asked Matt if there were any sweaters I had done for him that he needed something done to. The answer was yes:


I made this for Matt many years ago... actually this was the project I was knitting when I first started blogging. So I guess it's 7 years old? yikes.

Anyway, Matt loves the warmth and coziness of this sweater (and yes, that's Cascade 220) but the collar never excited him. It's an Alice Starmore design from Fishermen's Knits called Cornwall. Even the model in the book seems to find the collar a little odd, as she's filled it with a stylish scarf. Which doesn't really work for Matt.


So I'm going to rip off the original collar and just do a basic rib (probably the fisherman rib as in the yoke). So that's the plan for today.

I did work on the sleeve for Cassidy yesterday, then looked at it last night. I didn't center the cable on the sleeve (you know I don't count well), so I've got to rip back to the cuff and try again! Do that after I change the collar on Cornwall.

Advantage of Not Being Prejuidiced

Ribby Collar Detail
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I buy yarn first and foremost due to color and texture. I lean towards tweeds and heathers. Fiber content is less important to me, and that open mindedness has given me some lovely results.

Quite frankly, this is one of my very favorite finished projects. So much so that I tore it apart and reknit it after I accidently shrunk it in the wash. The yarn is from Red Heart. Yep, the butt of all jokes amongst knitters. Sadly, this particular line of yarn has been discontinued (and the Red Heart Easy Tweed is not the same... which is a total shame). This 100% acrylic Red Heart Tweed yarn is so soft, it is machine washable (not in hot water... or it will shrink!) and dryable and that green is one of the loveliest colors I've ever seen.

The pattern is also one of my favorite. The Ribby Cardi by chicknits is the utmost in "practical". It's stylish, easy, yet interesting to knit and classic. Perfect (and why I have a third one on the needles!).

Ribby doesn't like hot water
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This is what happened to it after I accidently washed it in hot water. I originally planned on just replacing the zipper, as I still could wear it (for as much fun we make of Matt's small size, I'm still almost 3" shorter). However, Matt wore this a lot, looked nice on him, and there were a few other issues with it.

So it was taken apart and ripped to the armholes on all the pieces. I then reknit the upper section, adding maybe two inches to the body and an inch to the sleeves so it now looks like this:

Ribby is Stylin'
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Okay, this is a little like those before/after make up things. Where the first photo is so bad and the second so much better you think it's the make up. When in fact, I just think I've gotten a little better with the whole photo thing.

Either way, I'm thrilled that it's been fixed, as is Matt. I still need to run it thru the washer (on cold!!!) to help even out the stitches. However, he looks so fab in it... let's look some more (and yes, I do think my husband is pretty darn sexy).

Matt is stylin' in Ribby
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I will say that I don't really like having to reknit things I've already made. Too many other things to cast on! I can't wait to get back to the projects that I've had to ignore while I worked on this (and that includes yet an other Ribby!!!!).

Ribby and Ribby a la Trois

I'm in a Ribby Cardi mode! My first Ribby is being fixed, and I'm in a groove with it. The back has been lengthen and it's done. I'm currently working on the first sleeve decreases.

Ribby Cardi repairs
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Since I love my two Ribby Cardis so much, I cast on the Adara (purchased during the one day full bag sale at Elann) to see if I liked the colors together:

Ribby a la Trois
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Ya, I think I like the colors together. I'm making this with negative ease since I'm using a cotton/linen blend. This is my third project with Adara and I know how much it grows with wear. The other issue is that I know that the ribbing on the sides will also grow with wear, plus I want a fairly slim fit since it's for warmer weather.

I really enjoy knitting this pattern. It's interesting, yet simple, without being boring. A nice mindless project, especially when I'm also working on October Frost:

October Frost
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Unlike Staghorn, I can't memorize this cable pattern, so it's a little slower going. I'm glad I stuck with it, as I'm really happy with how the fabric and cables are coming out. The drape with the Mountain Mohair is fab and I know this will be perfect when the weather turns cooler.

Oh, and I have cast on the first sleeve for Cassidy, but I'm still just on the cuff ribbing. My main focus right now is the fix on the original Ribby. I'm hoping to have both sleeves fixed by the end of the day? We'll see....

Getting Old Sucks

Jake is having a flair up of his arthitic shoulder, so he gets to sit in my knitting chair. I will say that his limp is much worse when Matt's around (aka: The Vending Machine) and I think it's so that Matt shares extra animal crackers with him. It works.

So while I'm without my knitting chair, I did a little needle browsing (actually I was looking for my size 6's to cast on the sleeve for Cassidy... which I found and it is cast on). I happened on a set of size 8's! Woo-hoo!!! My first Ribby is back on the needles. I ripped the back down and added some length and am currently working on the raglan decreases.

Hopefully, even with our busy day today, I can get that back done!

Too pissy to come up with a blog title

I just cast off the left front of Cassidy. You know I would make my whole knitting life oh so much easier if I carefully read instructions. It's amazing how sometimes they actually work (had to rip back the front neck shaping and redo it). Assuming neckshaping isn't always the most productive process.

Cassidy
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Part of me is sorry I screwed up the one set of cables, an other part of me sort of likes the "softer" cable. I think it looks fine, but I think the proper cable does pop quite a bit more. I'll be sure to do it right when I go to do my red one. In a cotton blend...

I am still working on some other things, but I have to admit, I think I'm in a slight burnout. Not quite obsessed like I was when I was knitting Staghorn. So I'm cycling thru projects a bit more and spending way too much time on Ravelry (looking at more projects to knit that I don't have time for).

I've had way too much coffee today and just got a frickin' sales call from my bank (so of course I had to answer it... it could've actually been an issue with the account. Forget that I'm already on their "Do Not Call" list). Argh... and don't get me started with all the marketing that is being sent to me in Korean. Why assume that I can read Korean? Just because my surname is Park? hrumph... Plus our car dealership almost gave our car out as a loaner yesterday when we dropped it off for an oil change/inspection. If we hadn't picked it up when we had, someone would've driven off with our car. Nice, eh? (you should've seen how much crap this woman put in my car too.) Silly me keeps my car clean. I might have to change that.

Okay, enough coffee for me! Need to take advantage and get the first sleeve of Cassidy cast on!!!!

Who Knew That A Zipper Was So Much Work?

This is the current status of my first Ribby Cardi:


That seems like a lot more than just a simple zipper change, doesn't it? Well, after some debate, I realized that I wanted to fix it right.

There's multiple problems, and I have a 2 problem tolerance. This has/had three. Somehow I messed up the armhole decreases so there was a fold of fabric across the back of the neck. Of course there was that whole shrinking incident (which is why the zipper needed to be removed and reinstalled). As I was removing the zipper, I realized that one side of the front was longer than the other. Any one of these issues I could ignore (except the zipper. That had to be removed and resewn).

So I took it apart. Admittedly, this was not as easy as I had thought. Damn, I'm good at weaving in ends (and I did accidentally break a yarn on the back section that I'll have to frog down to to fix). However, this will let me lengthen the body, probably about 4" or so, but maybe only 2" on the sleeve. Get the raglan shaping issue fixed, plus make sure the fronts are the same length (making zipper installation oh so much easier!)

This is a shared sweater here. Matt wore it as much as I did. The fabric is comfy and easy care (just don't wash it in hot water, or it will shrink). It's worth taking the time to fix it. However, I always like to put time between frogging and fixing (or for that matter, problem then frogging... seems less painful if you don't remember how much time it took to knit it before you need to rip back). So I'm not in a rush to get it back on the needles again. I still need to rip all the raglan sleeve shaping back (on both the body and the sleeves). I'll do those one at a time as I work on it.

Since that much deconstruction is so depressing... maybe I'll cast on a new project?

On the Catwalk

I'm way ahead on fixing projects for the Olympics Challenge. Granted, the Beatrice was a "cheat fix", as I decided to just go ahead and frog it (and it has been frogged). Meanwhile, let's look at what was fixed:

Gedifra is Fixed!
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The Gedifra pullover looks so much better! The turtleneck was the way to go. The original pattern had you continue the spine cable up the neckband, then fold it over and sew it down. Did not look good on Matt at all (we both laughed when he tried it on). I tried a simple st. st. rolled collar, but it looked unfinished. So I ripped that off and just did a 2X2 ribbed fold over turtleneck. Yay! giving this a thumbs up now!

The other thing he specifically asked to be fixed was his Bad Ass Biker Skully. It wasn't long enough to cover his ears, so I did that as well:

Bad Ass Biker Skully
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This was to be used under his bike helmet in colder weather, but the Cascade 220 wasn't the right choice, so he uses it in the morning to walk the dogs.

Since he was willing to model for me today, let's get some other recently finished projects modeled:

Sampler Cardigan
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Still one of my favorite patterns (must make me an other one!) and yet an other fab use for Cascade 220 (and yes Kate, apart from running my vacuum cleaner, I don't think there's anything Cascade 220 can't do). I do think the tee shirt makes it!

Staghorn
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Ya, I really can't say enough about this sweater. I so enjoyed knitting it... and how fab does Matt look in it? So fab, let's show an other view:

Staghorn
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Okay, that's it for photos for today! I'm mostly concentrating on Cassidy right now (and the Adara bag sale purchase arrived on Friday, so I'm "swatching" for yet an other Ribby). I still have the zipper to sew in my first Ribby, and I think I'm going to start fixing "in progress" projects next. Things that are stalled due to an issue... I'll keep ya updated!

Quick Update

My first "fixed" project is done. I added the turtleneck to Matt's Gedifra sweater and wow, what a difference. Looks so much better it's not even funny. I'll get him to model it this weekend and try to get a photo up on Monday.

Moved onto Beatrice. I ripped back to do waist shaping and tried it on (ah the joys of top down construction). After much debate and evaluation with Matt, I've decided to frog the whole thing. It's simply not going to work. The neck is too big, the sleeves are still too deep (even tho' I modified them quite a bit) and the raglan shaping with the heavy yarn looks frumpy on me. I like the yarn too much for it to sit in a disappointing sweater. I'm going to look at a simple st. st. cardigan for it, as I think I'll get more wear out of it.

My Olympics Knitting

So the 2008 Olympics are kicking off, and I've been debating what I want to do. Last Olympics I made Sam The Ram, and it was the perfect project. Challenging, yet 3 weeks was a doable timetable.

While I know that I can knit something in 3 weeks, I think this year I'm going to shoot for something a little different. Fixing.

I have a few projects that need tweaked for one reason or an other. Either didn't like the way the finished project fits or wasn't happy with something about it. I've got three things lined up.

First and foremost is Matt's Gedifra pullover:


While I like the sweater, the neckband doesn't work. I tried to use the one on the pattern, and it looked very silly on Matt (maybe because this sweater is designed for women?). After several months of debating what would work, I think I'm going to do a simple 2X2 fold over turtleneck. It's similar to the one used on the pattern, but without continuing the cable pattern up.

The next on the list, and this is going to be a real challenge, is Beatrice:


I'm going to rip back to add some waist shaping and maybe some bottom ribbing. This is the frumpiest sweater. Ever. If this doesn't work, I'll frog the whole thing and use the yarn to make a cardigan (which would probably be a good idea to start with).

The third big goal is replacing the zipper on my first Ribby:


That photo is of Matt modeling the post shrinkage. While it's a bit short on him, it's fine for me. However, the shrinking caused the zipper to ripple (plus I was never happy with the original zipper anyway). So I have the new zipper, I just need to sew it in.

If I get all those done, and I still have some time left, I have a few other projects that could use some fixing. We'll see how it goes (as I still want to knit on my current projects as well).

I admit that I don't like fixing. I like new. I always hated doing alterations when I was sewing. However, all three of those projects are very salvageable and I know once they're fixed, they'll get a lot more wear.

Hmmm, this doesn't look right

Patrick's freaky sleeve shaping
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The sleeve for Patrick is underway, but I'm ripping back. It's the oddest shaped sleeve I've ever seen. The increases happen every right side row, giving me an extreme angle. So, I've got to rip back and do my own shaping. Not thrilled.

This is the second pattern I've used from Black Purl, and both have had serious issues. While the patterns are beautiful, the directions are very lacking. In both cases, I've been on my own for the sleeves. I'm not sure the company even still exsists (as the website has been down for some time and I've heard that they aren't answering emails), but I hope that if they continue to publish pattern, they hire a professional copy editor.

So instead of dealing with it... I'm working on Cassidy:

Cassidy's back
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So very lovely. I'm already thinking I need one in a cotton blend, preferably in red!

Whew, we pulled it off!

Yesterday, Matt turned 40.

I had the brilliant idea of a surprise party (something I knew he would enjoy. Don't ask me why... I don't like surprises like that! The best thing to surprise me with is yarn. I like yarn surprises!).

Being the super planner that I am... I had someone else do all the work! I called Iron Hill Brewery, picked out the menu, set up the time, and gave them my credit card. Whew, that was a lot of work. Sure beats the whole vacuuming/cooking/doing dishes that a BBQ would have entailed.

The amazing thing is that he was totally surprised. It was great to see so many of his friends turn out (almost everyone invited made it). It was a lot of fun and I will never do it again (I'm not good at the whole deceptive thing, especially with Matt).

Sadly, I did take my camera, but it never left my purse. I should've given it to someone so that they could get a pic of Matt when he walked in (as I was with him, and couldn't get a photo). Oh well. Never been good at getting pictures of things like that anyway.

Iron Hill did a fabulous job, but I knew they would. As Matt's racing team's title sponser, they always do a fund raiser for the team. I knew that they would put out a good spread, have great service and it was very reasonably priced. It's definitely the way to go (again... I didn't have to do dishes! woo-hoo!!!)

So I'll be back to knitting again. I've got some progress on a few projects, but it was a hectic weekend (I'm still teaching the first Sat every month on the Taste of Aran Afghan, but we're winding down. Just one more class to go, almost 2 years later, I think we're all going to go thru withdrawl when we're finally finished!). I'm just glad to be back on a regular schedule this week.

I mean, what else can I say?

Cassidy by Chicknits knit in lovely Cascade 220, color Lake Chelan Heather.