Perfection, I guess...

In February, my daughter presented me with a pattern and yarn, we shopped for beads, I bought extra yarn, just in case, and I cast on:  Mademoiselle.
I stalled, I put it away, I knit numerous other things, and then as September approached I realized that winter weather and sweaters are inseparable, and I got out the whip sleeves and started again in earnest.  The impending season AND a visit by my daughter looming was enough to get me focused, but little did I know that it would take me up to the final day that I could put it in her hands.
It was a good thing I had her body with me, because there's no better way to get a fit and a "look" than to see it modeled.

 I did the sleeves first.  It was earlier agreed upon that they would be 3/4 length.  Then the body turned out to be overly "hour glass" shaped.  C thought that was great;  she likes a close fit.  Then came the collar in contrasting color, pattern, and with beads.

 It traveled from New Mexico, to Canada, visiting Niagara Falls, drove to South Carolina where I was watched by dogs, and it grew, grudgingly it seemed!

 Finally it was "sew the sleeves in" time, and when modeled...  it definitely needed more at the neckline.  I picked up stitches and made a raglan decrease to keep it from falling off the shoulders. (The weight of the beaded collar would surely drag it down.)  This extra neckline I knitted and ripped four times until I finally had it right.  With a stockinette finish, the collar would still pull it outward... so

 In the end I finally had a reverse-stockinette, and not too tight, not too loose bind-off.  Whew!  (I imagined that it was going to be a Christmas present after all!)

Nice hems on the cuffs, and the same for the bottom edge of the body, but at the (almost) last modeling, it definitely needed a few more inches of overall length!

 I unraveled the hem and added 3 inches, a new hem, and voilá!  Finé!
Never blocked.  North Carolina humidity would mean that C would have to take it wet, and NC weather ... Well, there's NO excuse that I didn't snap a picture when it was finished and modeled... Shame on me.  Someday, I'll surprise you!

 By the way, the sweater can be worn backwards or forwards.  C prefers the split of the collar to the back.  It is the YUMMIEST of yarn.  I loved the feel in my hands.

 Lucky me!  I WAY over-estimated the amount and have plenty left for another project.  (Not exactly stash-busting, is it! LOL)

One Sock

Started in March, just to look at those pretty stripes... Had a bright blue toe to begin with, so I frogged it.  Started again with fewer stitches and a neutral colored toe.  Boring. Then a fellow blogger posted her finished socks with the neatest little curvy stitch pattern, still showing off the stripes, and I frogged back, this time leaving the toe.

Yay!! I love yarn.  It forgave me - twice!  One sock in 4 months...

Another sock, phase two

Meanwhile...yes, this is a frogged sock.  It was too big for anyone I know who would appreciate it.  That's what I get for casting on without my brain in gear.

Toe up, almost to heel and twice as much as pictured.  I didn't like the blue toe, anyway...

Mittens Over and Over Again

Remember last March?  The infamous contest to finish 3 projects?  And nothing got done?  I exaggerate:  One got finished on the deadline, number 2 finished about a month ago, and number 3?....  It's turned into a saga.  The cupcake mittens re-invented to include a clever convertible flap.
I have great respect for designers, and pattern creators, but this is getting ridiculous:  I have planned, measured and knitted those mittens through the thumb increase twice, and am hoping beyond all hopes that "three times' a charm".  This time, I'm salvaging the ribbed cuff.  I don't remember why it didn't work out last time, but last night I discovered that the thumb increase wasn't the only thing that made them look gigantic... it's got to be the stitch count.  One less cupcake on front and back... I'll be done by.... March 2012.  Oh, my!!
And for those 'in the know', the masked blogger is back.

Re-useable Yarn!

One of the nicest things about creating with yarn is its resiliency.  I'm a thrifty daughter-of-a-scot, and my father had quite the reputation for being able to assemble workable farm equipment from parts.  Very ... thrifty!  I'm sure he kept many tractors from the salvage/landfill yards, just as I'm keeping wool from the compactor!

 It started last June as my daughter pointed out that she didn't need another purple scarf and I was involved in the fascinating pattern of reverse (or two-sided) cables, and knitting up her yummy cashmere.  

I 'know' I have a picture, but the only one I can find is here, on Ravelry.

It was a lovely scarf;  errr... Two scarves!  I had one almost complete, and my daughter had made one of the same yarn years earlier. 

Using the yarn doubled, it makes a nice squishy cashmere vest:  (unfinished)

The pattern is "Eco Vest" and the next step is to add front panels and collar.  Alas, it will be an 'alternative' yarn, because I don't have any more cashmere...  Even though this sounds very familiar (see yesterday's blog), I fully was aware of this.  When I started it in June, I knew I wouldn't have enough and bought an alternative yarn.
Almost as yummy and squishy:

That was purchased 2 months ago, and almost immediately I found myself taking the sleeves off another purple sweater, making it a vest, and the sleeves... well, here's another re-useable yarn.  I have unraveled one sleeve since I'm not sure I'll need both.  This is the third or thirteenth most yummy of yarns:  Elsebeth Lavold's Angora.

By using once knitted cashmere and once knitted angora, I'll have taken "Eco Vest" to the next level of Ecology!  N'est ce pas?


Link to My previous Blog on this project!

 

More mistakes

What kind of blogger am I?  I freely exhibit my goofs.
Here's another one:
WIP's

The Sojouner Cardigan (purple), previously many inches, but it was too big.  Starting over again, but it doesn't seem so important now that it's almost summer.
The Pink tunic I started.  I didn't like the size of that either, so I ripped it out, and decided to knit something else.  Not a tunic any longer.
AND a YO lacy top in denim.  I was hoping this would be for myself, but when I took it off the needles, I discovered that the front alone is 4 inches wider than it should be.  WHEW!  I'm not THAT big!!  So it will soon be history.  Yes, my goofs are all "gauge" related.  Somehow, even with the swatch, the sizing of the patterns aren't accurate.  I'm OK.  I like to knit. Again and again and again and again and again... 
LOL

The rest of the story...

Knitters at night met and Mimi had a great time even though we all cheered her on to rip out that sucker!  Her pullover, knitted with ribbing, bottom up, was too short.  She has the sleeves and side seams sewn, ready for the collar to be added.  She ended up ripping out/cutting off the ribbing and expects to extend the length by 3-4 inches. The pictures from yesterday's blog HERE.
Meanwhile, across the room, Kee was having a night, too.

This was the sock that WAS... ripped out.  And Kee wept on our shoulders as she explained her predicament at home with a lacy cotton cardigan that has been soaked, boiled, patted, and tumble-dried to no avail.  It refuses to shrink, and insists on growing.  Best of luck there!
Then I turn around and what's this?

Bee is--untangling, pulling, stretching, knotting?  I was afraid to ask...
And now I'll write a happy ending:
Dr. P is celebrating her last knit nite with us and she's still going strong!  We love you... Dr. P sits quietly listening to our woes and suddenly interjects some medical wisdom that comforts us or sheds some light on the subject at hand.  We'll miss you SO much.  Maybe we should Skype?

And lastly, the deadline has been met.  A wedding on the 27th, travel to it on the 20th, framers deadline:  TOMORROW!  Lee completes the stitching on his project.  No doubt in MY mind why all the kids want to get married one of these keepsakes:

Of course, WE are all doomed because we heard "stories".  I don't dare publish the 3 letters that would get this blog on the short list for scrutiny.
See some of you in 2 weeks!