*shakes off the dust*
Well, it's been awhile, huh? Let's not dwell and move on to the knitting.
To start, I'd really like to use this blog to keep track of project details, which I currently suck at doing. For instance, this wonderful baby blanket for my new neice (born January 22nd):
I positively love it. I can't entirely remember, however, but I *think* I used size 7 addis for the main panel and size 6s for the border. I do know the pattern is called "Heirloom Silk Shawl", from Erika Knight's Knitting for Two, and that it is most certainly not knit in silk, but Debbie Bliss' Baby Cashmerino. This stuff is fabulously soft, and necessarily machine washable. I goofed on two of the four borders (they were all knit seperately), and happen to know they were #s 2 and 3, when I was at the point of having the border pattern memorized (come on...it's easy). Or so I thought. There was a (long) break before I got to side #4 (needed an 8th skein) and I had to actually read the pattern again before knitting. You'll notice in the picture that some of the sides have extra holes between the ribbon. Certainly nothing traumatic, and as I hadn't noticed until it was assembled and blocked, I said screw it, wove the ribbon in, and beamed proudly. The mother (my sister in law) was appropriately excited, and the blanket was passed around the room at the baby shower for everyone to pet and admire. Still, I'll be even prouder when I see a picture of my little neice wrapped up in her handknit blanket. :]
Another gift for the new kid:
I saw this knitted up at a yarn store in San Diego, and while I was "just buying the pattern" at the time, it didn't take long to come back and pick out the appropriate colors of Sirdar Snuggly (just four skeins!). Knit on size 6 Addis plus size 3s for the seed stitch borders (bottom of sweater, cuffs, collar), it went *fast*. Except for the collar, which felt like it went forever. It didn't, but since I had already blocked and seamed everything else, and was back to working on size 3s, it felt like it dragged a little. Regardless, once I finished, that didn't matter. Love it, and I can't wait to make the girl more little sweaters.
Last thing in progress for the wee one:
This is the back of a sleeveless cotton jumper. Well, most of the back. Just a few more rows to go, and then the short little back shoulder straps. Then the front, which apart from a few rows of neck shaping, is identical. The finishing should be fun, knitting the button bands at the leg openings, and figuring out the best alternate closures. New mom and dad will not appreciate fiddly buttons, regardless of how cute. I'll sew on snaps or something, and sew buttons onto the surface if I find some that are just too perfect (like tiny little giraffes, for instance).
Finally, something for ME:
This one has been sitting in the waiting pile for a month, now. I was feverishly excited about it over the holidays, being my first colorwork and a naturally exciting pattern by Eunny Jang. However, in my feverish excitement, I decided to go ahead and dive in, swatching as I go, so to speak. This is fine, gauge-wise, as I ripped back to the ribbing a couple times to go up needle sizes, as needed. However, now I'm suspecting that 1) it's too small (gauge is on, but I should be knitting a whole size bigger) and 2) this is far more pucker-y than blocking will satisfiably fix. Blocking isn't *magic*, after all. So, it's been sitting in time-out, until I can motivate myself to pick it up, rip back to the ribbing, increase as needed, and restart on the next biggest size. Really, I want this to not only be wearable, but I want to be happy wearing it!
For now, that's plenty on the project updates. I hope to be back more frequently, to perhaps be more diligent in recording all those pesky details (specific yarn/needles, pattern modifications/issues) as well as general thoughts on the project. While perhaps no one is reading now, I know I'll be curious later.
To start, I'd really like to use this blog to keep track of project details, which I currently suck at doing. For instance, this wonderful baby blanket for my new neice (born January 22nd):
I positively love it. I can't entirely remember, however, but I *think* I used size 7 addis for the main panel and size 6s for the border. I do know the pattern is called "Heirloom Silk Shawl", from Erika Knight's Knitting for Two, and that it is most certainly not knit in silk, but Debbie Bliss' Baby Cashmerino. This stuff is fabulously soft, and necessarily machine washable. I goofed on two of the four borders (they were all knit seperately), and happen to know they were #s 2 and 3, when I was at the point of having the border pattern memorized (come on...it's easy). Or so I thought. There was a (long) break before I got to side #4 (needed an 8th skein) and I had to actually read the pattern again before knitting. You'll notice in the picture that some of the sides have extra holes between the ribbon. Certainly nothing traumatic, and as I hadn't noticed until it was assembled and blocked, I said screw it, wove the ribbon in, and beamed proudly. The mother (my sister in law) was appropriately excited, and the blanket was passed around the room at the baby shower for everyone to pet and admire. Still, I'll be even prouder when I see a picture of my little neice wrapped up in her handknit blanket. :]
Another gift for the new kid:
I saw this knitted up at a yarn store in San Diego, and while I was "just buying the pattern" at the time, it didn't take long to come back and pick out the appropriate colors of Sirdar Snuggly (just four skeins!). Knit on size 6 Addis plus size 3s for the seed stitch borders (bottom of sweater, cuffs, collar), it went *fast*. Except for the collar, which felt like it went forever. It didn't, but since I had already blocked and seamed everything else, and was back to working on size 3s, it felt like it dragged a little. Regardless, once I finished, that didn't matter. Love it, and I can't wait to make the girl more little sweaters.
Last thing in progress for the wee one:
This is the back of a sleeveless cotton jumper. Well, most of the back. Just a few more rows to go, and then the short little back shoulder straps. Then the front, which apart from a few rows of neck shaping, is identical. The finishing should be fun, knitting the button bands at the leg openings, and figuring out the best alternate closures. New mom and dad will not appreciate fiddly buttons, regardless of how cute. I'll sew on snaps or something, and sew buttons onto the surface if I find some that are just too perfect (like tiny little giraffes, for instance).Finally, something for ME:
This one has been sitting in the waiting pile for a month, now. I was feverishly excited about it over the holidays, being my first colorwork and a naturally exciting pattern by Eunny Jang. However, in my feverish excitement, I decided to go ahead and dive in, swatching as I go, so to speak. This is fine, gauge-wise, as I ripped back to the ribbing a couple times to go up needle sizes, as needed. However, now I'm suspecting that 1) it's too small (gauge is on, but I should be knitting a whole size bigger) and 2) this is far more pucker-y than blocking will satisfiably fix. Blocking isn't *magic*, after all. So, it's been sitting in time-out, until I can motivate myself to pick it up, rip back to the ribbing, increase as needed, and restart on the next biggest size. Really, I want this to not only be wearable, but I want to be happy wearing it!For now, that's plenty on the project updates. I hope to be back more frequently, to perhaps be more diligent in recording all those pesky details (specific yarn/needles, pattern modifications/issues) as well as general thoughts on the project. While perhaps no one is reading now, I know I'll be curious later.
posted by Lauren at
4:55 PM
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