Thursday, January 28, 2010

Sleeve Increases




The instructions say to knit two stitches, increase, knit the round to the last two stitches and then increase and knit the last two stitches.  I've chosen to knit these 4 stitches (2 stitches at beginning of round and 2 stitches at end of round) in the background color. It makes a nice "seam" going up the sleeve.   It makes it easier to see where the increase row is too.  I am constantly losing track of where I am and it's nice to be able to find my way again.
-- Sent from my Palm Prē

Wednesday, January 27, 2010

Sleevitis




I am well into my first sleeve.  My "placket buddy" and I are setting the goal to get our sweaters done before the Olympics start.  I want to get it done so I can start Lake Louise during the opening ceremonies.  For those alert enough, you will notice that Lake Louise is coming from my Dale stash and is listed on the left.  I'm stash knitting at last!  Yay me!


-- Sent from my Palm Prē

Sunday, January 24, 2010

Arrival of The Deer

I finally finished the body of Lappland.    I shouldn't say "finally" as this is the fastest I have finished a body in a while.   I ran out of the natural yarn and had to order more.  Thankfully Susan from Spinblessing had more in the same dye lot, but I suspect a different dye lot would have been fine. 



I don't do color work knitting back and forth.  To me, that's insanity.  So - I created steeks for the front and back necks so I could keep knitting around. 



The back looks the pretty much the same, just a wider steek.  I generally add an odd number of steek stitches, knit the first two stitches and last two stitches of the steek in the same background color and then alternate colors across as I carry the colors across.  I do a K2 together (to decrease one stitch) or a K3 together (to decrease two stitches) and knit one stitch on the right side of the neck (as you're looking at it), knit the steek stitches, knit one stitch and then SSK (to decrease one stitch) or a SSSK (to decrease two stitches) on the left side.   Usually I would leave the front neck and back neck stitches on a holder.  But in this case there is going to be a front placket and it will be cut down the red rectangular area.  The back neck stitches are on a holder and will be put back on the needles when I'm knitting the neck.   When I pick up the stitches for the neck there will be a nice curved neckline instead of the jagged stepped neckline that would have been created by knitting back and forth.
When it comes to the sleeves, I basted where the sides are and will use this as a guide for sewing and cutting the steeks.



So here I am.  Body done.  Off to sleeve hell.  Stay tuned!

Tuesday, January 12, 2010

My Stash of Shame

I admit it.  I have a big stash huge stash.  It's embarrassing, actually.  I have so many Dale of Norway projects stashed I don't even remember what I have.  I am going to create a list on the side somewhere.  Maybe if I see what I have I will be more interested in knitting them.  I don't think I have them listed on Ravelry.  There is probably  more than I've listed and as I find them I'll add them.    Embarrassing, I know.  Hush, Lorraine.

Monday, January 11, 2010

Color Me Happy

I'm going to be attending a class taught by Janine.  Janine and I go way back; she taught me how to spin and loaned me her Ashford Traditional wheel. 

Friday, Saturday and Sunday I will be attending her 3 day workshop.  I'm SO excited!!!

The Ernie Project

Last summer, Bev and I met up in San Francisco.   There, we met up and made the great fleece/sock yarn exchange.  I swear, I got the better end of the deal;  I got around 4 or 5 pounds (not sure on the weight) of luscious creamy chocolate brown Ramboulliet roving and Bev got a bunch of sock yarn that was tucked away in a bin.  This fleece came from pretty boy Ernie.  I have been spinning for about 6 years now and I have never spun anything so soft.   I will 3 ply this and it will be aran weight.  Ernie is definitely going to be a sweater of cable-y goodness.  I don't have a clue how many WPI I'm spinning and I don't have a clue as to how much fleece I have.  I'm truly spinning blind here.  Ernie will become the sweater he's meant to be and I will be designing an aran just to show him off.   I will post photos later and will put up "Ernie Project" progress-meter on the sidebar.  Right now I'm just spinning the first bobbin so there isn't much to show.

Meanwhile, I'm just about ready to start on the main pattern of Lappland.  I think I can get it finished at lunch and be ready to go tonight when I get home from work.  Yippeee!!

Thursday, January 07, 2010

The Never Ending Part


While my other fellow knit-a-longers are well into the upper body charts I'm still whittling away on the body.  Did I mention this is the XL size?  Sigh.


-- Sent from my Palm Prē

Monday, January 04, 2010

Lappland at First Glance


Here is my Lappland so far.  10 inches to go.  Ugh.


-- Sent from my Palm Prē