The Reindeer Have Arrived

I'm so excited to have Lappland finished!  I was bummed that the clasps I bought for it were too small.  But I ordered some new ones and they should be here this week.  Other than that, it's done!  I even sewed a patch on the sleeve.

So, what's next?  Lake Louise!!  I cast on during the Olympic Opening Ceremony but there isn't much to show yet!  When I do, I'll post some photos.

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

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

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!

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.

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!!

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

Lappland at First Glance

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

-- Sent from my Palm Prē

First finished project of 2010

Well, hopefully it will be.  Tonight when I get home from work I will be casting on for the Norwegian Knit-a-long we're having at Ravelry.  I'm doing the Dale of Norway Lappland out of Dalegarn Falk.  I've chosen the adult sweater knit in the colors of the child's sweater.  I've knit one of these before but out of Brown Sheep Naturespun sport.  I really didn't care for the yarn knitted for this project.  But, it's all I had at the time.  This time it should be a lot different as I really like this yarn.  Falk is the superwash version of Heilo, for all those who were curious but afraid to ask.  ;-)

Here are photos from the Dalegarn booklet:

Giddyup!

Santa was nice to me this year.  He brought me a new iPod and yarn.  Lots of yarn!  He brought me some Hebridean 3 ply for St. Brigid and yarn for two hats.  One hat is the Appaloosa Hat.  I was so anxious to start it that I cast on on Christmas Day and finished it the next morning.  The yarn is Dalegarn Falk in colors Copper and Off White. 

I am a loose knitter and went down a needle size.  The resulting fabric is a bit loose for my taste even going down a needle size.  This was a great exercise for me to work on gauge for the upcoming Norwegian Knit-a-long.   The pattern calls for one skein of yarn of each color and this photo shows how much was left.

I finished the "Oh Ruby" scarf but haven't taken photos yet.  That and the details of the upcoming Norwegian Knit-a-long on Ravelry will be coming soon.

I hope you all had a terrific Christmas!