A Blog of My Own

Chug - A- Shrug Shrug

Chugachugga.. The Shrug is coming along.
The pattern calls it a cardigan but it is really kind of like a shrug.  I had a few days were I just couldn’t get to it and so I am not as far along as I thought I’d be.  I had to bind off the left arm twice.  I mean when the pattern  says loosely... It means LOOSELY.

I picked up 308 stitches for the 3 inch 1 x 1 ribbing.  It was supposed to be 318. Somehow I just could not make that work.  I also think next time I do the sweater, I will slip the first stitch on the mid back section so there is a nice  edge to pick up.  I couldn’t seem to get right at the end of the row on this.  But I do think it looks okay.  I kind of picked up in the first stitch. 

I hope the sweater blocks the stitches a bit more neatly.  I have never used this gauge yarn for a sweater and I am not accustomed to the loose sort  of wobbly stitches.

I have to mention that now that it is looking like a sweater, I am growing more fond of it all the time. 

Here is the progress.

Cup Cake Therapy

When things in life are bogging you down.  Stay home from work, stay in your pajamas and knit a darned cute cupcake.  Need I say more.?  Here is where I got the pattern.  I got the materials from stash.   What a fun cute project. And yes.. it is instant gratification.  NO seams.. it is knit bottom to top in one continuous fun knit.

Here is the progress on my Whisper Cardigan.  I had a knitting break for about 6 days.  That always makes me grouchy.  But I got back into the swing of things at knit meet up and I am moving right along again.

Happy Weekend to everyone. 

I know my blog is lacking conversation these days.    I am sort of in my head these days, weeks, months.  I figured it was still okay to post pictures and progress until I can get out of my head and start writing more.     I really do love my knitting blog.

Whisper Cardigan Take III

It is great to get a little package in the mail that has some good "stuff" in it. My Knit Picks Order arrived today. It is the Palette yarn and I plan to make the Sea Mineral Mittens

by Spilly Jane with these new  colors. The black and white for a checked part on the cuff... A pale pink mitten, with the dark pink wave and some green some where on the mitten. I will attempt my own color pattern. (ahem..not my specialty.... That I know!)

They are Latvian style mittens. I got a color card swatch for this yarn. I am going to continue ordering the color cards each time I put in an order so I can get better at my color selection! I look forward to making these mittens.

I have another

pair (WIP) and they are pretty but in more of the earth tones. Very nice.. But not so much my style.

And then there is Take III of the Whisper

Cardigan from Spring 2009 Interweave magazine. I am on the upper back part now. It is going to be easy knitting stockinette for about 24 inches and then another 10 inches in the round. It is pretty mindless knitting but I haven't gotten bored yet.

I had a great time at the knitting meet up. Thanks ladies. What a great group! The last two weeks I have had a lot of laughs and it has been sooooo very much needed!

 Happy Thursday.

A frog is in the House....

      Wow... Must be something in the water.  No I am not talking Pregnant.  I am talking the FROG Pond water.  I am really not one to frog. I just like to knit something and usually right away I can tell if I like it.. Yes.. I make mistakes but usually I can drop down and fix it or fudge it.   After frogging my Cornwall Sweater.. I sort of vowed NEVER to do a major frogging again.

So I started this Whisper Cardigan from Interweave Knits (Spring 2009).   I actually needed a break from socks.  At knit meet up, I saw a  knit buddy knitting one and I asked if I could copy.  She said she didn’t mind. And in addition to doing something different,  I really want this wardrobe enhancement.  And I wanted to make something with this Classic Elite Silky Alpaca Lace.  Another copy cat move.  :)

I did a gauge swatch because that is just the kind of knitter I am.  I got perfect gauge with size five needles.  But it was apparent that this sleeve was just too large.  So Frog Frog Frog.  Then  I went through MANY finished objects in Ravelry and read the notes. So many that my head was spinning.  Finally I decided to modify the pattern. This is something that I don’t do very often...IF ever.   

Second attempt. Cast on 12 stitches less...and just do one decrease round on size fives.. Then switch to size 4’s.  (I like that result better).. .... Soooo  I  had knit over 5 inches of this sweater and just wasn’t happy.  First of all  I am not sure if the ladders in this type of knitting will disappear... And I had ladders.  I have never had such noticeable ladders.    Also it was still a little wide on the end of the sleeve.  So guess what... Frog Frog Frog.. On my lunch hour.  I am not as exasperated or frustrated as I could me.  It is easy knitting and I know I am going to get my desired result.  

I will not despair (much).  I will be at it again tonight.  I am casting on with size Four DPN’s, and I am going to have t watch the ladders.   I should break down and buy some size four 12 inch circs.    Oh and this times I am going to cast on 80 stitches.  This means that I am going to have to add two stitches  toward the end so that after I do the BO stitches I will get the right amount of stitches.

Here are some photos.  I guess all this chit chat makes no sense if you are not knitting one yourself.  I just felt the need to chronicle this little adventure in the light and airy sweater.  The Whisper Cardigan..... Shhhhh let’s not talk about the d  Look here to see  what I am knitting.