A Sweater for Eddie

It was around Thanksgiving time when my husband announced that he wanted a sweater. sigh. The next day it just so happened that I was on my way to The Fold with some knitting buddies. While there I looked over yarns to get some ideas. The only problem with this tactic is I had no pattern and not a clue as to his chest size. So, I didn't purchase anything that day, but went home to quiz the hubby about the style of sweater.

His answer? "I don't know." Great.

So, I log in to the Ravelry pattern search, did a selective search on worsted weight men's pullovers and it came up with about 350 or so pattern ideas. I sat him in front of the computer and told him to browse.

What happened next was really my own fault. I should have just chosen a sweater and been done with it. He would have loved anything that I picked, but I wanted him involved. Why? Why on earth would I want him involved...Yeah, get this... my husband then proceeds to judge all the men wearing the sweaters. sigh. He's bald. He's fat. I stood there shaking my head. Really? I know he was pulling my leg, but to think that a sweater would make him look bald is laughable.

He then picked a pattern, Able Cable. Next was picking yarn. I knew this was going to be the hardest of all. So, I asked: what color? I should have just pick one, but no...I'm a gluten for punishment. He told me that he wasn't sure what color it was. Huh? How is it possible for a former press-man not to know what color? So, back to the pattern search. I pulled the list back up and had him review the searches again. He found the sample in question. Guess what he found. A variegated yarn. ::Gasp:: Right??? There is no way in hell I was knitting a variegated sweater, especially one with cables.

I told him that the yarn was expensive and would cost up to $200 to make. That shut him down because if there is one thing I know about my husband, he's cheep. Not so much on everyone else, but totally when it comes to himself.

I then went stash diving and had a couple of options, but since my husband is baby when it comes to "softness" I picked Princess. The yarn is just about the loveliest yarn ever with a blend of cashmere and angora. I haven't told him the name of the yarn yet. I'm saving that little bit for later. It should be hilarious to see his expression;)



I started with the sleeves since it makes the project seem to go faster. Plus how can you not do them two at a time? Makes matching all that more accurate.

The only disappointing part is I thought I had 13 balls. It seems that I only had 11. I most likely used up two skeins for something else and didn't record the adjustment in my Ravelry stash. This then means I'll most likely will be purchasing a few more to finish this project. Oh well. At least I know in the back of my mind that I'll be able to wear the sweater too:)

Happy Silence

Frosty made it to our neighborhood this week, but unfortunately was gone the next day. There were some tears over this fact and we had to convince the little one that "He'll be back again some day!"

In the knitting department I've made some progress on the Pea Coat. Once I get to 14 inches then I'll separate for the fronts and back. I'm hoping it will start to move along quicker then.



The socks are coming along. I might be living in knitters denial. These socks are knit up on size US2 needles and are producing a very stretchy sock. I'm not to fond of loose socks, but I don't have the heart to reknit them. I've started the heels so if they start to be seriously to big then I'll rip them.



As for gifts this year, I received a lap full of Riverstone in Harvest Gold... Yum! and yes I'm wearing some fabulous Chillin' Froggy PJ's ~ Thanks Mom!



This pile of yummy stuff will be turned into this awesome project... Raise your hands for St. Brigid.



I'm just happy to have a moment to myself to relax and enjoy a little knitting solitude. I hope everyone is having a happy and safe holiday.

FO: Ogee Tunic

Pattern: Ogee Tunic by Norah Gaughan (published in Knitting Nature)

Yarn: Bollicine Dolly - 10 skeins

Needles: US 7 circ's

Start Date: June 20, 2008

End Date: October 22, 2008

Comments: This is a classic case for needing the right yarn to go with the pattern. The pattern is easy enough and the yarn is just yummy. They just don't go well together.



I definitely have learned that you don't always get what you want even after having knit and blocked a swatch. The only thing that irritates me on this project is the really long monkey sleeves, but totally wearable;)





Had a little helper with me during the photo shoot.

One Love

There have been some things going on lately that have me in a funk and I didn't want my blog to be dragged down by it. Not that my peeps could not handle it or be there completely understanding and all that. You guys are awesome that way. It's just that family can get complicated and I don't think it would be good to broadcast via blog the frustrations of my daily life.

The one thing that hits the spot and lifts my spirits is a little Bob Marley....

Let them all pass all their dirty remarks (One love)
There is one question I'd really love to ask (One heart)
Is there a place for the hopeless sinner
Who has hurt all mankind just to save his own?
Believe me

Ya-mon!

Enough of that, how about an update in my knitting world? Of course you do.. Ogee Tunic is off the needles, blocked and seamed up.



A better photo shoot will happen soon. I'm just not happy with the lighting situation around here lately. I want nice pictures and it's hard to do that when the sunrises and sets at funky hours of the day. Lets not even talk about the overcast clouds making it gloomy... I like that kind of feel, but it doesn't help in the good photos kinda way.

In other exciting news... the man child made the basketball team.



We are so proud of him. It has been a rough battle to get him to this point, but he made it and now we just need him to stay there.

Blind Knitting

What the hell have I been doing? Why the hell didn't I notice that the sleeves are 14 inches at the opening cuff????? Do I blame the designer or myself for not fully understanding what I would end up with as a finished project?



The picture in the book clearly does not have extremely belled sleeves... so why would I assume that the cuffs would be extremely belled? The smallest size has the cuffs at 12, which seems a fair bit large, but what I don't get is why do we need to make the cuffs 2 inches deeper for the larger size? They added a repeat on the edging... but why? I'm sure the difference in a small woman's wrist is not much different then a large!!

I just don't have the patience for frogging this project. I'll finish and be done. If I like it then I'll wear it. If not I can always rip it out later.

Continuous Cables and more...

I can't put this down. I did not walk to the bookstore yesterday, I ran. Melissa Leapman's new book came out just the other day. And what was hilarious was the dream I had last night after spending time with this book. Where Melissa and I were at this cute cafe in New York chatting away about cables. Giggling to our selves at how something so easy looks so fantastic!

I'm so smitten with her cleverness... Hey Melissa, if your ever in the Chi lets hook up and have a latte!

The only thing that I didn't care for was the staging of a Malabrigo blanket on the beach. I don't think I would be placing my 17 skein single ply wool afghan any where near such a setting. If that is my only complaint, then heck it's a winner!

In other knitting news: I've started the sleeves for the Ogee Tunic. There is a lot of shaping involved with these sleeves and I'm just not doing it. The yarn has no structure for this kind of shaping and would be a waist to time. It should be smooth sailing for about another 17 inches or so...



I'm still thinking over what to do about the back. It's bigger then I wanted, but within the limits of wearable. I will most likely block the front to see how much the yarn blooms and make my decision then.

The Gumdrops are coming along just great. I've reached the heal portion of the sock and kinda kicking my self for not doing them two-at-a-time. This involves me looking over the last sock to make sure I'm repeating the adjustments. Oh bother.

D'oh

I have fallen to my knees and looked up to the sky to plead to the Knitting Gods.

Why?

It's really not their fault. I take full blame for my incompetence. You see folks, I did one very bad thing when I started on the back of the Ogee Tunic. Do you want to know what lameness I've done? I'm sure you do... and I'm quite embarrassed to admit this on my blog.

The reason why my back was coming out too wide was.... I did not read the pattern chart correctly. sigh. The front was done perfectly. The back I just assumed I was doing it correctly without counting my stitches before moving on to the body of the sweater. You see, the chart contains cabled sections where you preform a decrease. D'oh!

This means an extra 32 stitches forgotten. Within the past week I've reworked and made the same mistake twice. I. Really. Don't. Want. To. Re-knit. So, you know what? I'm not. So There!



In the mean time I've been putting a little time into getting the second sock done for the Gumdrop pattern.



Not to bad... I've been working these while watching the debates. I'll just say that last nights VP debate was a snooze.

Last but certainly not least are the belts for the Pea Coat. I figured I'd work on the small pieces while still having Ogee looming over me. Now I'm seriously tempted to get the main body of this project cast-on too.



This weekend in Chicago we're celebrating YarnCon. If all else fails I'll be there. It's really up to the mommy soon to be... See you there!

No Math, I promise.

I do have to apologies for that last post... no more math... at least for a very. very. long. time. It gave me a headache writing it and gosh my eye balls were about to pop out of my skull just rereading it.

Instead I do want to show some updates I've been working on. Ogee Tunic is coming along superb! Just look here:



With the front done, I decided to repeat the same design on the back. It's going quick and with only sleeves to really get in my way I can totally see the finished object in my future.

It's sunny in good o'Chicago and if your living in any part of the Midwest your singing a happy tune. No rain and plenty of sun means everyone should get out and enjoy the weekend to the max! We don't get many of these and when they come take advantage.

In other news, I scored some Riverstone yarn the other day and I'm swatching right now...



Guess what for? Most of my SnB gals will be screaming it out as they read the above line. Here is a poor photo taken from the book.



That is a photo of the St. Brigid sweater designed by Alice Starmore in case your not familiar. I accomplished one of her other fabulous designs, Fulmar over this past year and I'm now tempted again with this one. I love cables.. what is a word stronger then love? ...adore? worship? lust? oh yeah... I lust cables;)

I picked up 2 skeins of this yarn, one in the above picture is the Harvest Moon color. I like it. It's a deep yellow, rustic, kinda mustard looking... like the color of fall. I just don't know if this will work well on me. I do wear the fall colors better but not sure if this is the right tone for my complexion.



I think I look good in this color, like it makes my hair even redder some how? But seriously... will I look ridiculous in this yellow sweater? Like a walking Banana?

My other back up color is Emerald green, which is my go-to standard color for anything. I just was thinking something new and different... but not stick out like a giant bumble bee.

Oh, here is a thought...I could modify this sweater to be a cardigan. What do you think?

Progress on Ogee

The front of the Ogee Tunic is off the needles.

I've done some major modifications. When reading the pattern it tells you to start the neck shaping when the slit finally measures 9.25 inches. What? So, I go looking through Ravelry and I see all the projects have very low dipping slits. I really didn't want this... it would mean I would have to wear something under it. Needless to say my slit is not that deep.

Now I have concerns about the sleeves matching up with the armholes. I will have to make some adjustments I'm sure. I have been taking notes, so if I cross my fingers everything will work out fine.

Yay Me!
It's My Blogiversary today and if you post a comment containing 3 unique blogs you'll be in for a chance to win sock yarn! Deadline is midnight tonight!! I'm hoping to draw winners over the weekend. Thank you all for everyone's list of blog entries... have been discovering new ones and loving it!

On Track

After ripping out the 24 or so rows of cable work, it's back on track and looking so much better.



The pattern has you build this traveling cable on a stockinette background which doesn't work with this yarn. My modification has added purl stitches in along the edge of the traveling cable and also on the inside sections.

Here is a little story to hopefully brighten your day...

Last night as I was talking with my mum on the phone, Miss Mac suddenly is pleading for my attention.

MM: I was wiping my butt.

Me: Excuse me mum, MM has accomplished the act of wiping. (It's the Big Issue in our house)

MM: It wont go down the hole.

Me: Wait... what was that?

MM: I was going potty. I wipe my butt. It wont go down.

Me: Mom, I have a poo situation at hand and have to go... (hang up phone)... Now, MM what is this all about. (as I walk towards the bathroom).

MM: See it wont go in the hole. (as she points her finger at the ever increasing water level in the toilet then proceeds to flush again)

Me: Oh Crap (yes literally) Where the Hell is the Plunger?????

Total hysteria hits the house as Eric and I frantically search for the plunger that should be right. there. next. to. toilet. Yes, my evening was then left with sanitizing the bathroom and running a load of funky bathmats. sigh. My plans of going to bed early were tossed out with the toilet water. So when in doubt knit.

Hope everyone has a fabulous weekend!

Ogee goes Ugee

After checking and rechecking my blocked swatch, I'm on point and gauge is cool. I picked up the Ogee Tunic once again and was able to start some of the cable action for the front. And now that I think about this, I might even repeat the cable on the back so I don't get bored.

Anyway... the yarn is super dreamy to work with, but it doesn't hold up on cables. See here:



The tight twist and superwash fiber looks sloppy. After doing the Fulmar and having those cables scream at me, I'm a little disappointed in this project. I'm still going forward with it as planned but making some modifications to the pattern. Nothin' you've never heard before, right?

I know in the end it will work out and be super squishy and fabulous... just less structured then the photo sample. I'm okay with that... so far.

FO: Ravelympics Event

Event: Sweater Sprint

Team: Team Chicago

Pattern: Bistro Shirt from Oat Couture

Yarn: 8 skeins of Classic Elite Attitude (discontinued)

Needles: US 7 circ's

Start Date: August 8, 2008

End Date: August 22, 2008

Comments: The only thing I changed was adding ribbing instead of slip stitches on the edges and collar. The next big thing is this...



Miss Mac just has to pass on the everyone out there that "Yesssss, I'm FOUR"

Just Keep Knitting...

Today is my last day before vacation. Sweet, lovely holiday. This is were I do nothing. Besides hangin' with the folks and moseying along each day. The preparation for taking a week off is busting my arss the week before and then busting it up again the week after.

My vacation ends with a bang at Stitches Midwest and I'm a little concerned that I'm not fully prepared. I mean my homework is done, yet what will I wear? What shoes will be the best for shopping for hours in and around 200 booths! What bag should I bring to carry all my goodies? sigh. I guess it's not so bad, yet I don't want to forget my pajamas. That has always been the one consistent thing I've forgotten in past trips.

Well, we can't forget the most obvious of all things... what will I bring to knit? Oh Gosh... I haven't a clue.



I'm guessing my Ravelympic event will be done by then, since this is the front and I'm about a third of the way through. Maybe a sock... portable is always good.

Last night I made up a batch of Calico Bean Dip and I couldn't stand it and had it for breakfast. Thanks Janice for this lovely recipe, I seriously can't get enough. Here is the only evidence left after I ran out of scoops... I'm considering licking the bowl;)



On another bit of random news...



This bag is so cute. On my way to the train I spotted this lovely thing and had to take a picture of it. I'm not one of those girls that can spot the designer bag from 50 paces or anything... but it's just so cute. Now if I could only figure out what it is... Anyone else have a clue?

As If You Didn't Know

Can you guess what my favorite color is?



I bet you don't have a clue;)

This morning I finished the back of my Bristo Shirt and with the needles free I took advantage and did some swatching.



They yarn is Debbie Bliss Donegal Tweed. My brain is turning to mush and I can't seem to get gauge on 10.5, 11 or size 13's. The number stitches per inch is the same on all of them. Why is gauge so cruel?

Let The Games Begin

Today at 7:00 a.m. was the official starting time for Chicagoans to cast-on their Ravelympic events. I chose a event that would be challenging and yet saw as a possibility of completion.

I have joined Team Chicago for the Sweater Sprint event and think I will do fairly well. As my commute started today, so did my challenge.



The first cast-on consisted of K2, Slip 1 style... it turned out unsuccessful in winning me creative points in this category. I chose to take a point deduction and restart with a K1, P1 ribbing. I think in the end when all points are tallied you will see I was wise in this decision.

I have 17 days people. When the ending ceremonies for the Olympics is upon us I should have a finished object to present.

Random Wednesday

So, you'd think that since it's Summer of Socks 2008 (SoS08) that I've be working on nothing but. Ha, your wrong. I would like this to happen but I've got plenty to distract me.

Here is my socks so far:



Good progress considering that I only knit a few rows here and there. I'm approaching the heel part, so I've worked out about 10 minutes worth of math by plugging in my numbers for the formula. These socks are turning out super squishy and will most likely be my favorite sock... that is until I get another pair off the needles;)

My other knitting project is the Ogee Tunic:



This garment is knit up using Dolly yarn and I love the feel and texture. However, I'm not too sold on the structure of the cables. This yarn has a very tight twist and you can see the main fabric when knit in stockinette is twisted as well. Overall, I don't mind so much that the bottom design doesn't pop... I'll be pleased in the end with how soft and lofty the final project feels.

Update on Fulmar. I don't have a current photo and would rather present that Bad Boy in full when finished. There are only 10 more rows of the neck to finish before I'm seaming the sides. So close.

As far as the Windmill Beret goes... I'm pondering. I hate to rip, but can't buy more yarn as the final project wouldn't fit any human being.

FO: Strawberry Top

Pattern: Fruity Fun Strawberry Top

Yarn: Cascade Cotton Rich DK (2 balls of red, 1 green, 1 yellow, 1 white)

Needles: US 7

Start Date: June 15, 2008

End Date: July 4, 2008

Comments: Talk about deadline knitting. I wanted to have this project done for miss Mac to wear this on the 4th of July so badly that I was up until 3am knitting the Strawberry and attaching the vine to the bodice. What a fiddly knit. This project wasn't difficult, just new techniques. This was the first time I had a crochet edging... and to be honest I like it and it's not to hard to do. It gives a nice clean edge to the piece.

I only snagged one picture with miss Mac wearing it, because a plate of BBQ was waiting for her. There is no way she's eating BBQ ribs and wearing this top thank you very much. Can you tell she just got out the pool? yeah, we hat a lot of fun last night. phew. I need a vacation to recover from that holiday bash!



I hope everyone had a lovely and safe holiday. Peace, Love and Knit-On!

A Milestone

Guess what that is?

It's not to difficult if you've been paying attention. That... that there is Fulmar as in Fulmar BLOCKED.

It all started happening so fast when working the saddles, that before you know it we've got an almost completed sweater on our hands.



Little Miss Mac helped me pull all the pins, which she loves to do and she even tried racing me without my knowledge and proclaimed "You Won Mommy!".

This really kills me...color? wow. Above photos are taken indoors under florescent lights and now these below are from natural light by a window. So much closer to the true color.



Saddle are then inset into the front and back sections. At this point you can kinda try it on, what fun.



Then I picked up the stitches from the neck to finish knitting the neckband. Thank you again Trish for teaching me some great finishing techniques. I feel so much more confident now knowing the proper way verses making it up as I go along;)

So Sweet

Just had to show off a little slice of the Strawberry Top...boy it's coming quick. I'm hoping I'll have this done for miss mac to wear on the 4th of July... can you just picture it?

Small Distraction

With only the Fulmar on the needles... we just couldn't have that, now could we. So, what do you do when this happens? You look up your pattern queue on Raverly and head to your nearest yarn store.



A little Cotton Rich DK and I'm off swatching for this little sweet thing.



This is so freakin' cute, you could just toss your cookies. Pattern is from My Little CityGirl. It's going to be a little challenging... adding beads, crocheted edging, but so sweet for little miss mac.

What to give a shout out to Miss A;) for noticing my Stash-4-Cash increase. I've been working out almost everyday and am feeling the aches and pains. When does it stop hurting? sigh. I give my self a dollar for every 20 minutes of workout time, so it's adding up. Also, to answer your other question, yes you can totally knit the Cable Lagoon socks top down.

And to all the fathers out there, Happy Father's Day! We went to the movies and saw The Happening. Wow. Not bad.