Bubble sweater!

My first sweater was a bubble sweater, knitted using Cascade eco-wool. I started 9/8 completed 9/23! I love it, check out the buttons!

mmmmmm...BUBBLEgum!

mmmmm...BUTTONS!!

Another new member!

Hello! I am yet another new member to the KAL! I got the book back in July and I love many of the patterns from it, but Christmas gift knitting has been dominating my time. However, I recently took advantage of a sale at Michael's and got a bunch of Patons Class Merino, and I have started the Turbulence U-Neck Pullover.

It doesn't look like it in the photo, but the color of the yarn is actually pretty similar to the one in the book. Normally I don't try to copy the original color to closely, but I really like the idea of a beige colored sweater - neutrals can seem a bit dull for knitting, but they go well with so many things once knitted up.

I'm very excited, although I suspect the miles of stockinette may numb my brain after a while!

Should it be this hard?

I am have a heck of a time with my Ogee Tunic! I have started the sleeves 5 (yes f-i-v-e) times and have finally gotten to the 5th row. I am not a novice knitter but this p2tog ... is it just me or is it really hard to execute with the YO? I simply dread doing the front since that whole placket is the same pattern. Any thoughts? Any way to make it not such a struggle?

new member fo and a wip

My mom bought me this book while she was in town visiting me. I love so many of the projects. for some reason i like the fall/winter stuff much more than the tank tops. good thing, since the weather is turning colder.

i made the droplet hat. it was a fun quick knit. very engaging. i used one hank of knitpicks merino style and knit on #7 denise circs. my hat is a bit smaller than called for. i also modified the pattern to knit in the round. the hat has since been washed and blocked and the texture has smoothed out a bit more. i made this as a gift, but i'd like to make another for myself some day, maybe in a tweedy yarn.



right now i'm working on the bubble pullover. i am actually up to the 4th pentagon, but no photo. i'm using some kool-aid dyed henry's attic texas on #5 denise circs. the finished sweater measurements are way too big for me, so i'm using a thinner yarn in the hopes that it'll be the right size. and yes, i did do the math, but the construction is so unusual it's hard to tell if i got it right. it's fun to knit at any rate.

My Turbulence U-Neck Pullover

I finished the Turbulence U-Neck Pullover and am very happy with it. It was easy and fun to knit. It is slightly short on me but it looks just like it does on the model in the book, and it is really comfy. Now that it is almost fall I'll be making more sweaters. It was just too hot to knit with wool in the summer. This is knit from Filatura Lanarota Chaco, 100% wool yarn.

Basalt Tank

Hello natural knitters! I finished the Basalt Tank:


Please pardon the too-dark, unflattering photo. I knit this in Jo Sharp Soho Summer, a basic DK-weight cotton. My row gauge was pretty off from the pattern, so I ended up knitting a larger size which ended up fitting perfectly (after a run through my dryer).

I made a number of modifications. First, I knit half-hexagons on the sides, rather than whole ones, because I know I'd never wear the thing with whole hexagons. I doubled up the garter stitch border at the neckline for decency - if you look at the model in the book, that sweater is fairly low-cut on her. I also mirrored the garter border at the bottom for some additional length.

The major modification I did was to add waist shaping. I highly recommend waist shaping to anyone knitting this sweater - it is very, very easy to add, and makes the garment much more flattering. All I did was to cast on fewer stitches at the side hexagon pieces, and then I spaced the decreases evenly as I knit the hexagon. Simple and effective. I only wish that I had added more shaping!

More info (including my struggles with garter stitch) here.

Next up!

So After finishing the Roundabout Tank I started a few other projects. I brought the book with me one weekend when I went to visit my parents in Rhode Island and my brother found it. He's been asking me to do knit him a sweater for quite some time, but we could never decide on the right pattern. He found this:

And of course this is the sweater he wants me to knit him before Christmas!. He claims to have an allergy to wool, and so I'm thinking of knitting this out of cotton or a cotton/wool blend that is much more cottony than wooly. He's picked out, from Knit Picks, Main Line in Blueberry. I've never used the yarn that is required in the pattern (Harrisville Highland Style) and know that the weight seems to be about the same, but was still wondering how you folks thought this would substitute.

Hex Coat started

I just wanted to show you that I've started my Hex Coat (although I'm going to shorten it so it'll be more of a jacket rather than a coat) and photo's are available on my blog.

I'm using Reynolds Lite Lopi Dark Gray. I'm currently toying with the idea of knitting the hex's with a colored yarn - like Kureyon or some such yarn. I'll have to try one out and post a photo.

Shell...Tunic?

Well I am all finished with my shell tank! But I would say it fits much more like a tunic than a tank. I did the size small with 2 inches added in length. It is definitely oversized, but I think it will still be something I wear a lot layered over a t-shirt or thermal. I have an extremely short torso, and even with the 2 inches added length the back is quite short...so I caution anyone else making this - they may want to add some length, unless they want a drafty back! I used Cotone yarn, about 6 balls worth in a leafy green. It took probably about a week to knit, but that is just a rough estimate because I have been very distracted with all of our nice weather lately! Feel free to visit my blog for more pictures!!

Good Things Come To Those Who Wait

My (uncharacteristic) patience has paid off. My book finally arrived in the mail yesterday after the saga with my initial order. At least I ended up getting it on sale at Amazon.

I've decided to make the Asymmetrical Cardigan even though it's approaching summer in Australia and I already have several projects on the go.

However, it's my favourite in the book and I love knitting things in one piece (anything to avoid seaming), such as the Sideways Spencer I did earlier in the year.

Plus Monika's completed project pictures are very encouraging.

I did a gauge swatch last night - apologies for the poor quality photo (I have a day job so it's too dark to take photos 'in natural light' when I get home, as many of you will identify with) - I'm using the 12ply in grey from Nundle Woollen Mill, which Hubby Jerms and I visited earlier this year. It's obviously not as soft as the 100% cashmere recommended by the pattern, but hey, who's got that sort of money???

I've only had a cursory read of the pattern but there's something wrong with the sleeve length. Unless the model has really really short arms, there's no way the sleeve including the 6" ribbing is only 20". I'm pretty sure that's the length EXcluding the ribbing. Will see.

So close...

Well I have made little progress on my Shell Tank...the weather here has been beautiful...so we have been out enjoying it every minute we can, and unfortunately I haven't mastered the whole knitting while walking/playing deal. But I will finish it...and we are in for a couple cloudy days...so I am thinking tomorrow should be the day!

I am using a cotton/acrylic blend called Cotone. There isn't much of a selection of yarn where I live that isn't wool, but This seems to be working nicely. I am doing it in the smallest size, and the only thing I am doing differently is adding on about 2 inches of length as I am not one to show off the tumtum.

I also wanted to say thanks for all of the nice comments on my bubble pullover! I forgot to mention how long it took...I think approximately 2 weeks, but that was while I had the flu, and not much energy for anything (not even knitting!) I don't have any pictures of how it looks after blocking...but it is similar it just drapes nicer. With all of the sunshine we have had I haven't been wearing sweaters...but I will try to take another picture soon!