New Skill Learned for Merry Cardigan

It is amazing. An actual blog post for my knitting blog. Will it actually happen or will I write half a message and abandon it? One can never tell.

I am proud to say I learned a new skill. Using kitchner in pattern. Woohoo. I feel so proud.

The Cardigan for My Hobbit Elanor sweater is nearly completed. The challenge was to graft the top of the hood together where there was cables. I had never done that before.

But after some searching online and using the noggin, I figured how.

First time through a knit stitch is a purl, second time through is a knit.
For a purl stitch, it is the exact opposite.
First time through to purl is a knit, second time through is a purl.

Took some focus, but it worked!

The hood looks good. Though the end of the cable probably wasn't the best place to send it. It looks a bit different. But honestly, no one other than a knitter will probably notice. I think it looks good. I need to take pictures of that and the half dozen other items I have knit in the past few months! *laugh*

So it is good to go except... It all comes down to everything is done except the *&#@ buttons! (And the i-cord for said buttons.) *sigh* Buttons are the bane of my knitting existence! I even *own* the buttons. I bought four little wooden toggle buttons at Walmart ages ago. It will look good with the sweater. But of course, do you think I can find them?? Nope.

I have to drive into the mess that some decade is supposed to be the guest/craft room. But it may also end up being a room for Elanor or the baby boy due in March. We are going to have to see if they can share a room for a while. DH and his sister shared a room and he said they were sad when they got split up. So I figure we can see if having them in the same room works. It will depend on what sort of sleeper he is since she isn't great. Just have to see when the time comes. (Though I don't even want to think about what we do with all the craft stuff if we do have to use that room for one of the kids!)

Franklin Habit has summed up the day I fear most in Elanor's growth...
http://the-panopticon.blogspot.com/2010/08/development-of-communication-in-human.html

*gulp*

I am happy to report I am taking off this Monday and the 20th through the New Year! It should give me some knitting time. (The next two Mondays I am watching DD as DH has to see clients. But otherwise there is some free time. Woohoo.) I am also hoping that DH will work with me to get what I told him I want for this Christmas. The rest of the apartment unpacked!! *grin* That would be the best present this year! Even better than *gasp* fiber! But then again, it would enable me to actually *find* the fiber I actually own. And maybe, just maybe, I could actually blow the dust off my spinning wheel that has accumulated since DD was born. Just in time for more to accumulate for DS. But hey, even a little spinning time would be nice. Been sooo very long. 14 months at least. *grin*

Okay. I have way too much work to get done to write more. Time to get to it!

Cabled Cardigan for Littlest George

Cast On:

November 15 2008

Finished All but Buttons:

November 23 2008

Completed:

December 3 2008

Pattern:

Seed Stitch Cardigan by Sarah Hoadley

http://cache.lionbrand.com/patterns/70204A.html

Pattern used as a base, but modified a good deal

Made for:

Denny / George III

Size:

3 yrs

Needles:

US 7 / 4.5 mm & US 8 / 5.0 mm Knitpick Options

Yarn:

Bernat Silky Soft

1.4 skeins = 385.0 yards (352.0m) in 135 - Navy

&

0.3 skeins = 82.5 yards (75.4m) in 00387 - Charcoal

Purchased at Smiley's Yarns sale in NJ

I took the pattern as a starting point but didn’t use the seed stitch pattern on the body. I have modified it a good deal to fit with what I wanted to create.

I did the edging in grey & the body in navy. I chose to do a rib at the cuffs and bottom edge with the size 7 needles. The body was done with the size 8s.

I wanted an even # of stitches on the back so I increased it by 1. I figured that wouldn’t make a difference in terms of size.

I decided on a claw cable with a reverse stockinette background highlight it. The cable is a very simple repeat with only 1 of the 8 rows requiring anything other than knit or purl for all the stitches in the row. Simple was important as I knew I would be knitting a lot of this while at my work conference. So it involved a lot of knitting under the table.

I hope it fits the recipient. It looks kinda small. But the measurements are the 3 year old ones. And I measured it. It is supposed to fit. The kid is only two, but I made the larger size just in case.

I like it. Just hope the kid actually gets to wear it.

Finished & Almost Finished Projects

With my work conference last week, it was good for my knitting. I was able to knit under the table during a lot of the meetings. *grin* The funny thing is I actually pay much better attention while I am knitting than I did before. I only need to listen for a few critical things. So a lot of my time is idle and I don't need to write much. So it was good.

I finished up some projects which always feels good. *smile*

Cabled Cardigan for Littlest George

Generated by Flickr Album Maker

Cast On:

November 15 2008

Finished All but Buttons:

November 23 2008

Pattern:

Seed Stitch Cardigan by Sarah Hoadley

http://cache.lionbrand.com/patterns/70204A.html

Pattern used as a base, but modified a good deal

Made for:

Denny / George III

Size:

3 yrs

Needles:

US 7 / 4.5 mm & US 8 / 5.0 mm Knitpick Options

Yarn:

Bernat Silky Soft

1.4 skeins = 385.0 yards (352.0m) in 135 - Navy

&

0.3 skeins = 82.5 yards (75.4m) in 00387 - Charcoal

Purchased at Smiley's Yarns sale in NJ

I have finished everything but the buttons. I need to buy some for it.

I took the pattern as a starting point but didn’t use the seed stitch pattern on the body. I have modified it a good deal to fit with what I wanted to create.

I did the edging in grey & the body in navy. I chose to do a rib at the cuffs and bottom edge with the size 7 needles. The body was done with the size 8s.

I wanted an even # of stitches on the back so I increased it by 1. I figured that wouldn’t make a difference in terms of size.

I decided on a claw cable with a reverse stockinette background highlight it. The cable is a very simple repeat with only 1 of the 8 rows requiring anything other than knit or purl for all the stitches in the row. Simple was important as I knew I would be knitting a lot of this while at my work conference. So it involved a lot of knitting under the table.

I like it. Though I think I should have gone up a needle size. It is a bit stiffer than I would have liked.

The yarn isn't ideal. It is okay. But I stuck with acrylic as it is easily machine washable. I think it was the smarter move. However, I really wish it was softer.

Scallop Scarf in Three Bags Full Handspun

(The pics are the first batch of blocking I did. I need to retake them later.)

Generated by Flickr Album Maker

Cast On:

November 22 2008

Completed:

November 25 2008

Pattern:

Scallop Scarf by Wendy Johnson

from Wendy Knits: My Never-Ending Adventures in Yarn (Picked up book on free shelf at work)

Made for:

Me Probably

Size:

62" x 6" (could have been 85" x 5" but reblocked to make shorter)

Needles:

US 13 / 9.0 mm Knitpicks Options

Yarn:

My Handspun made with Three Bags Full Silk and Wool Roving in the Midnight Magic

0.88 skeins = 154.0 yards (140.8m)

Purchased at Rhinebeck 2008 (think from Carolina Homespun but not 100% certain)

Super simple pattern. Easy to memorize. And given the bulky yarn, it was very quick to knit.

I debated a lot what I wanted to do with this yarn. I really love how soft and squishy it is. It feels lovely with the silk and has a subtle sheen to it.

I wanted something that would highlight the yarn. But I couldn't do anything too complex because the yarn isn't very even. Also, I didn't think given the woolen spin on the yarn that anything with a lot of stitch definition would work well.

I decided this was simple yet pretty. I think it will come out well. I just hope it doesn't roll too much. But I think the garter edge will help it to stay flat.

I think it looks good. I was concern that there is enough to make a decent length scarf. I actually have about 1/2 an oz left.

I had to redo the blocking. The first time it was too long (85"). I didn't want that much length as this is a decorative scarf. So I reblocked it. It is now 62" which is a much better length for a decorative scarf. Though it doesn't show the pattern as much, it looks good.

Slip Stitch Dish Towel

Cast On:

November 15 2008

Completed:

November 18 2008

Pattern:

Textured Slip Stitch by Dishcloth Boutique

http://www.groupepp.com/dishbout/kpatterns/texturedss.html

Made for:

Cullen Probably

Needles:

US 7 / 4.5 mm Knitpicks Options

Yarn:

Lily Elite Cotton - Dyed by Me

1.2 skeins = 220.8 yards (201.9m)

Purchased at Smiley's Yarns sale in NJ

Cull likes Xmas stuff so I figured the red & green would work for her. I hope she likes it. I might switch some of the red & green dish towels around if I think there is a better fit. But probably staying with Cull on this one. We will see.

Very simple pattern. Was even able to do it at conference, under the table. *grin*

17" x 8" before washing & drying. Suspect it will shrink some with machine drying.

Top Down Cardigan Pattern

There is a site called spincraftpatterns.com that has a free Top Down Cardigan Pattern.

Though I admit, I dislike it that the site requires a credit card to get the pattern. They don't charge anything to the card, but still. I really don't like giving out the info.

Their patterns are set up so you can create a custom piece with some measurements & gauge. It will then allow you to calculate how many stitches to cast on, etc..

I have put it into a Word document that is linked to an Excel spreadsheet. I figure this is much easier than having to do the calculations each time. I suspect it might be useful, so I would share it.

I think I have set it all up correctly. But please, if you give it a try and see an error, let me know.

The Word document is linked with the spreadsheet. So you will have to have both the Word document & the spreadsheet for it to work correctly.

You might need to reset the links. I know Office is fussy about the locations.


Custom Top Down Raglan Sweater Word Doc

Custom Top Down Pullover Sweater Word Doc

Top Down Sweater Spreadsheet

I should see if I can create a pdf to handle the entire thing. However, I am really not up for tinkering with it any more today. I do loathe MS Office. But it was the quickest way I could think of to do it.