a shawl.
So I'm working on the icarus shawl I'm making for my boyfriend's mother. She saw the icarus I had made and wanted to make one for herself. I sort of discouraged her from making a super nice one since I, ahem, had already bought the alpaca yarn to make her one.
I'd forgotten how nice the pattern is to work on. I think I may splurge on some addi bamboo needles to make the knitting go faster. I've just gotten to the point where I can purl without looking and yeah. I'm deathly afraid of dropping stitches - icarus is SO unforgiving of that. Ahh well.
I've got finishitis, so I'm trying to finish atleast 3 projects. The poet's sweater is ALL done!!! Dance of glee!!! Pictures coming soon, I promise. The neck ruffle stood up alot more than I would have wanted, but that's an easy fix. Someday, I'll probably buy another ball of the yarn and cut off the collar to make another. I would definitely make it wider than recommended, if you're using a mohair yarn, because I didn't realize just how much body the mohair would have by itself.
Hopefully, I'll get some pictures up for the finished projects tomorrow.
Showing posts with label Poet's Sweater. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Poet's Sweater. Show all posts
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
Monday, September 29, 2008
Are we there yet?
I've got the same antsy feeling that a 5 year old has after being in the car for more than 10 minutes. I'm so nearly done with the poet's sweater that I can taste it. And it's driving me crazy.
So I picked up 139 stitches or so. I didn't realize there's a doubling row on the ruffle. So now it's 278 stitches. And then there's a row after that where you make a stitch in between the knit stitches of the k2,p1 ribbing. So now it's 300+ stitches. It's a very fluffy ruffle and it's dead boring and it takes forever to finish a row. I have all these other projects that are just begging me to finish them, and I can't get to them yet because this project obsesses my mind.
Gah!
So I picked up 139 stitches or so. I didn't realize there's a doubling row on the ruffle. So now it's 278 stitches. And then there's a row after that where you make a stitch in between the knit stitches of the k2,p1 ribbing. So now it's 300+ stitches. It's a very fluffy ruffle and it's dead boring and it takes forever to finish a row. I have all these other projects that are just begging me to finish them, and I can't get to them yet because this project obsesses my mind.
Gah!
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
Whence we shuffle off this mohair coil...
Notes on Poet's Sweater Mods. I didn't do the last two increases before the cap shaping until the sleeve measured just shy of 20 inches. It was maybe one or two rows or a quarter inch short of the 20. There are alot of sleeve changes that I've done, that I'll detail later.
9/17 - okay, finally, got some boring downtime where I can detail the vast changes I made to the sleeve. I cast on 138 stitches instead of 95, and knitted them in the round. Which irritated the crap out of me when I did the decreases, and suddenly wound up with a small diameter sleeve. On one hand, that's perfect for my ridiculously tiny wrists. On the other hand Ihate knitting on dpns. Anyways, the decreases went as follows:
After 4.25" of the ruffle, I used a row of SK2P to decrease to 46 sts. Which was still big for my tiny wrists. So, I did 5 more rows of decreases at the beginning of the round - a k2tog at the first stitch and at the 23rd st. Then it was at the 1st and 22nd st. Then at the 1st and 21st... You get the idea.
After decreasing down to 36 sts, I kept that up until the sleeve measured 8 inches. Then reversed the decreases, with a Make 1 at the 1st and 18th st, then at the 1st and 20th, then at the 1st and 21st... Second verse opposite the first, return to 46 sts total.
I must confess, I only followed some of the recommended increases. I think when the sweater measured 10 inches, increased to 48. Four rows later, I increased to 50. Then, when the sweater was like 18 inches, I increased two stitches to the inch in length. So when It was 18, I increased to 52, at 19, to 54, and at 20 to 56. Finally, I arrived at the magic sleeve width number, and did all of the recommended cap shaping.
In retrospect, I would have done something different to hide the rapid decrease/increase at the cuff, but it's barely noticeable.
9/17 - okay, finally, got some boring downtime where I can detail the vast changes I made to the sleeve. I cast on 138 stitches instead of 95, and knitted them in the round. Which irritated the crap out of me when I did the decreases, and suddenly wound up with a small diameter sleeve. On one hand, that's perfect for my ridiculously tiny wrists. On the other hand I
After 4.25" of the ruffle, I used a row of SK2P to decrease to 46 sts. Which was still big for my tiny wrists. So, I did 5 more rows of decreases at the beginning of the round - a k2tog at the first stitch and at the 23rd st. Then it was at the 1st and 22nd st. Then at the 1st and 21st... You get the idea.
After decreasing down to 36 sts, I kept that up until the sleeve measured 8 inches. Then reversed the decreases, with a Make 1 at the 1st and 18th st, then at the 1st and 20th, then at the 1st and 21st... Second verse opposite the first, return to 46 sts total.
I must confess, I only followed some of the recommended increases. I think when the sweater measured 10 inches, increased to 48. Four rows later, I increased to 50. Then, when the sweater was like 18 inches, I increased two stitches to the inch in length. So when It was 18, I increased to 52, at 19, to 54, and at 20 to 56. Finally, I arrived at the magic sleeve width number, and did all of the recommended cap shaping.
In retrospect, I would have done something different to hide the rapid decrease/increase at the cuff, but it's barely noticeable.
Thursday, September 11, 2008
Lights! Camera! Action!
Found the battery charger! So expect pictures of the WIPs within the week.
In other exciting news, I've finished the body of the poet's sweater! The best part is that it fits perfectly with all the changes that I made to it. Using size 5 needles + knitting loosely + in the round + leaving out 4 stitches total = perfect fit. Oh, yeah, I forgot, I also knit an extra inch higher before starting the neckline. I saw a sample of the sweater in the knitting store, and the original neckline plunged straight between the boobs on the mannequin. Since this was not the look for which I was aiming, I knitted an inch higher than the directions said, before starting the split for the neckline. I went and did the recommended decreases until there was the amount of stitches left for the shoulders - 12 total on either side, and it worked out well.
I want fluffier sleeve ruffles, though. I'm not exactly sure how I'm going to pull that one off. I also want them shorter, too. I'm thinking of increasing to 144 stitches, and using K3tog to decrease it to the right size for the sleeve shaping. Or maybe use larger needles before switching to smaller ones. I haven't decided yet.
Actually, I went with a 138 sts cast-on, and then I think I'll do a k2tog, k3tog decrease. I hope it works!
In other exciting news, I've finished the body of the poet's sweater! The best part is that it fits perfectly with all the changes that I made to it. Using size 5 needles + knitting loosely + in the round + leaving out 4 stitches total = perfect fit. Oh, yeah, I forgot, I also knit an extra inch higher before starting the neckline. I saw a sample of the sweater in the knitting store, and the original neckline plunged straight between the boobs on the mannequin. Since this was not the look for which I was aiming, I knitted an inch higher than the directions said, before starting the split for the neckline. I went and did the recommended decreases until there was the amount of stitches left for the shoulders - 12 total on either side, and it worked out well.
I want fluffier sleeve ruffles, though. I'm not exactly sure how I'm going to pull that one off. I also want them shorter, too. I'm thinking of increasing to 144 stitches, and using K3tog to decrease it to the right size for the sleeve shaping. Or maybe use larger needles before switching to smaller ones. I haven't decided yet.
Actually, I went with a 138 sts cast-on, and then I think I'll do a k2tog, k3tog decrease. I hope it works!
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
By jove, I think she's got it!
There's nothing more boring in lab work than:
1)Watching a centrifuge run.
2)Watching alcohol evaporate from a sample.
3)Watching a gel run.
#1 took priority over #2 because centrifuges are louder than heat blocks, making them more annoying even though I am currently waiting for #2.
Anyways, I found a pattern to use for some yarn that has been haunting me for years now! I want to make this dress out of the pound of cotton flake that I ordered years ago from webs. Then, I want to dip dye the tiers.
Yeah, it might be a bit much, but it will be so much fun!
On the happy upside, I'm nearly done with the body of Poet's Sweater. I'm annoyed I can't add any photos of any of my WIP's because of the move. I've got rechargeable batteries, but no clue where the recharger actually is. So I have a camera, I have several works waiting for completion... and no juice for said camera. Such is life. Soon as I find it, I'll get photos up, promise. I've done something unique for me, I've knitted the sweater from the bottom up in one piece, and it works. I think. I have yet to try it on. I'll let everyone know how it's working out with all the mods I made to the pattern.
1)Watching a centrifuge run.
2)Watching alcohol evaporate from a sample.
3)Watching a gel run.
#1 took priority over #2 because centrifuges are louder than heat blocks, making them more annoying even though I am currently waiting for #2.
Anyways, I found a pattern to use for some yarn that has been haunting me for years now! I want to make this dress out of the pound of cotton flake that I ordered years ago from webs. Then, I want to dip dye the tiers.
Yeah, it might be a bit much, but it will be so much fun!
On the happy upside, I'm nearly done with the body of Poet's Sweater. I'm annoyed I can't add any photos of any of my WIP's because of the move. I've got rechargeable batteries, but no clue where the recharger actually is. So I have a camera, I have several works waiting for completion... and no juice for said camera. Such is life. Soon as I find it, I'll get photos up, promise. I've done something unique for me, I've knitted the sweater from the bottom up in one piece, and it works. I think. I have yet to try it on. I'll let everyone know how it's working out with all the mods I made to the pattern.
Sunday, August 31, 2008
Poet's Blouse - round and round we go
So, I've modified the Ruffled Collar Pullover quite a bit, and it's got me a little bit nervous about how much I risk. I only did about 5 rows of the rib stitch because I don't like the way the sweater looks with it. The rest of it, I've done in stockinette.
I was worried, however, since I decided to use significantly different needles from what the pattern recommends. The smallest size is 37 inches around - and usually I fit 32-34 inches best. So I decided to try size 5 needles knit very loosely. With the yarn all scrunched up on my 16" US 5 needles, I couldn't tell just how big it would be. At the yarn store, I did pick up a pair of 40" addi bamboo needles, which I love. The sweater fit on them, with room to spare. I could block it out to the right size, but the next question is, how do I get a dummy in my size....
I was worried, however, since I decided to use significantly different needles from what the pattern recommends. The smallest size is 37 inches around - and usually I fit 32-34 inches best. So I decided to try size 5 needles knit very loosely. With the yarn all scrunched up on my 16" US 5 needles, I couldn't tell just how big it would be. At the yarn store, I did pick up a pair of 40" addi bamboo needles, which I love. The sweater fit on them, with room to spare. I could block it out to the right size, but the next question is, how do I get a dummy in my size....
Friday, August 29, 2008
Wheee! Giselle!
So, as a reward for miraculously pulling off a B in physics (I don't know how I did it, I blame the curve) I'm going to get the supplies to start Giselle.
I just found this fabulous yarn store, the Knitter's Mercantile. I swear I had a yarngasm there. Of the yarn stores in Columbus, I'm hard pressed to think of one that has a wider variety of yarn. The first time around, I just let the variety of yarns sink in while i tried to decide on what yarn to use.
Oh, and if you haven't figured it out by now, this is going to be a knitting blog.
Current projects:
I've modded the sweater, which reminds me of the once popular poet's blouse. I'm going to try knitting it in the round on drastically smaller needles to save on yarn, since the small size listed in the pattern will be ridiculously large on me
I just found this fabulous yarn store, the Knitter's Mercantile. I swear I had a yarngasm there. Of the yarn stores in Columbus, I'm hard pressed to think of one that has a wider variety of yarn. The first time around, I just let the variety of yarns sink in while i tried to decide on what yarn to use.
Oh, and if you haven't figured it out by now, this is going to be a knitting blog.
Current projects:
- baby sweater for a shower - my supervisor's wife is having a baby.
- Serrano for me, I'm in no rush to finish it. I figure a slow pace will keep my sanity intact.
- Kureyon Carry-along- it's all knitted and felted, I just haven't had time to line it.
- Icarus Shawl - for the bf's mother for christmas.
- the Superior Ruffled Collar Pullover from www.tahkistacycharles.com
I've modded the sweater, which reminds me of the once popular poet's blouse. I'm going to try knitting it in the round on drastically smaller needles to save on yarn, since the small size listed in the pattern will be ridiculously large on me
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)