Cable and Rib Sweater with Hood, finished

Cable and Rib Sweater with Hood, finished
from Debbie Bliss' Baby Knits Book
1 year old width, 2 year old length
Started: February 11, 2006
Finished (knitting): February 26, 2006 (before the flame went out!)
Finished seaming/blocking: March 14, 2006
Knit Picks Merino Style, Dusk -- 7 skeins
Addi US 5 & 6
6 sts= 1" in stst, 7st= 1" in patt (gauge matched for pattern) *blocked* -- the Merino Style visibly changed gauge both in stst and patt once blocked!







Finally! :)

I'm a little ashamed looking at the span of time between the knitting and seaming completion, especially since I love this sweater and he could have been wearing it an extra month :) Oh well. I did have to take apart the seams I did for the arms, they were off (haste in trying to get the finishing done for the KOlympics), but honestly with a steady hand and a long baby nap, the seaming was done in far less time than I thought it would take and I'm thrilled that it was easier the 2nd time around. Makes me feel a bit more ready to seam up Starsky when its finished (no more in progress photos today, doesn't look like much progress!)

The Knit Picks Merino Style knit up at the exact gauge and ended up the same measurements as specified in the pattern (that originally called for Debbie Bliss double knitting cotton). I used 7 skeins-- had a bit left over, but it was definitely 7 skeins. At 2.29/@, thats an $16 sweater. Rad. (And I'm a bit shamefaced that the sweater cost less than many pairs of socks and sock yarn I have stashed...!) The pattern called for 10 skeins for the 1 year and 11 skeins for the 2 year size, I bought 11 so I have an extra 4 skeins leftover... a scarf for next winter? Or maybe a toddler vest.

I will say the Merino Style is noticably pilling, especially in high wear areas (with a toddler though, everything is high wear!)-- under the arms and across the belly (where seatbelts/stroller belts etc. fit). You can see pics above. I'm not upset though, I need to buy a sweater shaver, and like I said-- toddlers are a bit "high wear" and merino being short staple... and it was 2.29/@!! :)

I used the kookaburra woolwash when I blocked the sweater, and I really like the scent. That said, I still haven't gotten around to handwashing any socks... I did have a blue tinted sinkful of water when I was blocking with the kookaburra, but it rinsed clear. Not sure if this would have happened without the kookaburra, but I don't think it'll bleed in the next wash. It did get very soft; blocking is totally necessary for establishing gauge with the Merino Style and to get a nice feel to the fabric.

I knit the 1 year chest width (24.75") and the 2 year old length (14.5")... other than that the pattern is exactly as written. It was a fun knit, something that didn't take a lot of concentration once I was in the zone but looks impressive once done. My little one loves the hood, though its more of an exercise in pulling it down over his head as far as it'll go... its warm and will service us for a few more chilly months :)

Yay!

I also finished one Shell Sock and started another.





I love the colorway!!

In other knitting stash accumulation news...

Little Knits sent me these beauties...


Schaefer Anne 10pb -- pearl buck


Schaefer Anne 18af -- clara barton

Schaefer Anne... 60% merino superwash, 25% mohair, 15% nylon. 4 oz/560yd. Sue's pics at Little Knits are truer to color than mine are.

I'll tell you a secret-- I usually don't buy more than one colorway of the same yarn, just don't see the point. But when the "pearl buck" arrived yesterday, I ordered another-- along with another skein of Anne. This is beautiful yarn, and the yardage! (I also noted that Lisa Souza's new Sock! Merino is the same size, 560 yd/4 oz-- so I'm definitely going to check her out at the Knit and Crochet Show in Oakland... my Shell Socks above are in her wool/nylon yarn.)

I'm planning the Dalarna stockings from Knitting on the Road for the red, and I'm planning to let the blue/orange/grey live on my desk and write me epic poetry.

"Beware the ides of March..." Or, A Finished Sweater and Socks! (Pic heavy)

"He is a dreamer, let us leave him: Pass."*

"Cable and Rib Sweater with Hood" from Debbie Bliss' Baby Knits Book.





I'll have modelled photos and more knitting details tomorrow, still drying :)

(I want my wood medal!)



Baby Cable Rib socks from Sensational Knitted Socks
Started March 2, 2006
Finished: March 15, 2006
Socks That Rock, medium weight -- Carbon colorway
Addi 1.5's (2.5mm) -- 2 socks on 2 circs
136 gm yarn total

Some finished pics...













I'm amazed how "identical" the socks turned out-- I knit from the inside and outside of the skein and assumed the socks' striping/pooling would be reversed, but it wasn't. I didn't intend for them to match, but if I'd chosen to start both socks from a similar colorway break, I'm sure I could have had identical socks. This may be a cool thing for some people who like identical socks... I'm indifferent (I think fraternal is the norm in handpainted yarn, I like the character it gives.) But there you go :)


26 gm leftover from skein. 136 gm total used for the 2 socks... one thing that impressed me when I purchased the "Socks That Rock" was the weight of the mediumweight skeins, plenty for socks. I'm not sure if there's enough here for a pair of toddler socks, but perhaps I'll use it with a solid heel & toe.

Socks on:







I find I liked the pattern more on the needles than off; on the baby rib looks too small to me. Perhaps I just got too used to them on the needles, they were there for so long!

Check out the detail on the 3 st garter edge on the heel flap, I've never done it before (tek from Sensational Knitted Socks, when in Rome etc.) and am not sure how I feel about it. I like the look, but was unhappy with how picking up the garter ridge stitches... I prefer picking up the selvage stitches tbl for the twist, but I think I'll try this "edge" again sometime.

The pattern is nice and "fitting" all around, no bags or looseness. And the socks and the yarn feel great on, I like the mediumweight yarn! :) (Caveat: I haven't tried the lightweight.)

Knots in "Socks that Rock":

**Edit, March 16: I took Jennyraye's suggestion and contacted Blue Moon Fiber Arts about the knots in my skein of "Socks That Rock"-- I received a very (VERY) prompt email stating that the number of knots I found were unacceptable and not their norm. They are going to make it up to me and I'm thrilled; I wasn't going to contact them about it but I'm left super impressed by their customer service and how they stand by their product.**


Detail of knotted, broken 3rd ply in "Socks that Rock"


Detail of 2 knots inside 1st sock.


Inside of 2nd sock, 2 knots in ply. Needle inserted to give an idea of the knot.


Broken ply not knotted.

I will say, as heavy and as pretty and as coveted as the "socks that rock" yarn is, I'm disappointed by the knots I found in the yarn I used. They weren't "true" knots-- they didn't bring together breaks in the entire yarn. Instead, in four seperate spots in the hank, the 3rd ply of the yarn had broken and had been tied back together. I'd also found several "slubs" or loose bits of the 3rd ply of the yarn that wasn't broken enough to be knotted down to itself, but nonetheless left a loose strand from the yarn even though it was caught up in the twist of the yarn somewhat.

I'm bummed; even though I was able to "hide" all 4 knots in the inside of the sock (with a little figeting and varying tension so they'd end up back there), I was disappointed to find them in the first place.

In other knitting news...



I joined the "Diamond Fantasy Shawl" KAL for Sivia Harding's beautiful pattern and was going to use some of the Lisa Souza Sock! yarn for the scarf (it only takes one hank!) but when I pulled it out of the stash bin, I decided I needed some *eye of the tiger* kickarse socks in my life right now, instead. So this (mahogany colorway) will become some rockin socks... I'm thinking "Childs first sock in shell pattern" from Knitting Vintage Socks.

Eye of the tiger was my favorite song when I was like, 6.

I've also decided to frog my "Glad Ragg" socks I started for the Six Sox KAL, and use the Cherry Tree Hill supersock for the shawl, instead. I like the pattern, I love the yarn, but I can't get into them... one finished cuff has been sitting in my inbox, taunting me. This'll be the 1st sock I frog "without reason"... its still waiting to be ripped, don't know if I'll work up the courage today or not.

Thanks for slogging along if you'd gotten this far :)

* Julius Caesar, Act I Scene ii.
Shakespeare is rolling in his grave.

Veni, vidi, not so vici. Or, how I earned no medals from the knitting olympics, and am elated about it.

Let me start, I failed in my goal of knitting my sweater for my spawn. Failed in the sense, I will not have a shiny gold button on my blog, failed in the sense I wanted to have it completed by a certain date, and in the sense the world is watching and I picked my nose on television.

Kinda :)



I finished all of the pieces, and tripped in not seaming them by the time the flame went out. I'll do a full "finished" entry when I've got tha frankenstein's monster stitched up.

So, why am I so giddy about this?

Well, guess it depends on your definition of what "this" is. (Insert Uncle Bill joke here.) If "this" was my attempt at solidarity with thousands of knitters and finish up my project, then no-- I'm not giddy. I'm bummed I can't brag about finishing, I'm bummed I still have no completed sweater for my oompaloompa, I'm bummed I let "team knittyboard" have a failing member on its bobsled team. If "this" was my attempt to snag a snazzy gold button for the blog, then eh-- I know there will be some snarky "I went to the Knitting Olympics and all I got was this UFO" button popping its way thru the knitting blogosphere soon enuf that I'll snag.

But if this is ...

1) Something I never thought I could accomplish... I *will* finish this sweater, and it will look freaking awesome. I will brag to complete strangers about my handiwork when they compliment baby bear's swanky sweater. I will announce it on my blog with more words and more description (and maybe even more pictures) than should be allowed, because I do tend to drone on and on. I've wanted to knit this sweater ever since I learned to knit (back then I thought I'd never be able to, and here I am almost done in a span of 2 weeks!), and I have accomplished something great in doing so.

2) Something that has broken my irrational fear of seaming, sweaters... I may not have finished in time, but never again will I dismiss a pattern simply cos its not written in the round or covers more than 10% of a body's skin at one time. I can knit things in pieces, I can knit things that aren't meant to be stuffed in shoes or stuffed full of my head.

3) Something that has broken me from my self-imposed view that I can *only* knit small things, that I am incapable of concentrating on one item for only one week before I drop it like last week's milkman... I love knitting socks and small things. But watching myself knit this sweater has shown me that I don't have to cram a project into a week for it to be satisfying (let alone eventually completed.) This bigger project has made me feel even more proud as its a "big thing," as if my pride in my own craftsmanship is exponentially linked to the size of the project. (I have big feet, so I'm usually sporting big pride anyways!)

4) Something that has taught me about goals in knitting... Knitting wasn't always a "leisure art," as Ms. Bush enunciates in "Knitting Vintage Socks." It was a craft, something done for work and something utilitarian. I have approached knitting a my leisurely pasttime (muah victorian, eh!), with no sort of *rhyme or reason.* I think now, having collected all of these skills, it is time for me to look at knitting in a different light. I still will knit for pleasure, but I can and should place goals before me in doing so. I felt a jolt, a thrill in having a "finish line" to sprint towards, a reason to just push one more row. I've felt sparks of this before, when knitting for someone else-- the anticipation of finishing and passing off a gift to someone. But this was different, this desire of a goal. I *wanted* to finish my sweater for the knitting olympics, I really did (even though I was overconfident and lazy in the beginning.) I learned that setting a goal for myself in knitting doesn't diminish the pleasure I derive from knitting, but enhances my drive to finish. And goals don't even necessarily have to be a complete-by date, but a ... I'm going to try this new thing goal, I'm going out of my comfort zone and I will finish to make myself even better than I was when I started goal, I'm going to make knitterly-promises to myself that I will keep and I will be proud of keeping types of goals.

5) Something that has taught me I am far more capable than I think I am... I may not have finished, but wow was I up to the challenge. I am so proud of myself for rising to the challenge, for taking on a mantle that was heavy that became lighter with wear.

So if it was all of those things, then I'm giddy. Cos I took *all* of that away from the knitting olympics, and more.

*****

So, you wanna know what happened, eh? (If you've still stuck around for joy this long!)

I could put in lots of outside reasons why I failed. (And I will! :) ... sick household, rain keeping me outside and away from knitting, general housework and personal obligations that had to be met, etc.) But they're not really the reason.

Up til Sunday, I was absolutely confident I'd be sporting gold. I had finished all of the knitting (hehe, now I need to learn that seaming is knitting!) and I "just" had the finishing to do. No problem. I even took the kiddo out in the rain to the farmer's market, the grocery, the bakery etc because I was so confident I could whip the seaming up in no time, or at least by the start of the closing ceremonies at 7pm pacstandard time.

Teaching myself how to "truly" seam took much longer and took many more trials and errors than I thought it would. I shudder to think how poorly I had seamed earlier attempts at sweaters for billygoat... because I learned finally how to seam and my god they were right! The seam disappears into the knitting! It was probably around 5pm when the heavens opened and the choir burst out... and about 5:30pm when rosemary's baby decided that that was enough knitting for one day. Usually, kiddo's right-- set it down and its mommy/baby time. But doesn't a 2 year old grasp the enormity of the situation, the KNITTING OLYMPICS??! Doesn't a baby brain pick up on all of those clacking needles round the globe, and how much mommy wanted to be a part of that?

All of the parents know what that answer is.

So, without attention baby hellraiser decides to take everything from its place and throw it to the floor. I think I should have hosted the finishing in a hotel room, at least everything would have been bolted down there. After everything under 3 ft has been ceremoniously crashed to the floor, it was time to run pellmell down the hallway, hands waiving frantically and body swishing to the lack of parental attention being doled out... barely avoiding all of the land hazards and booby traps.

It was the toilet that did baby and the kolympics in...

Running, running...
(insert, feeling bad at this point that baby has decided to act out like this for attention... starting to make major mistakes in seaming... a few grunts and exasperated groans directed at the inanimate sweater...)

::clunk::

That hollow sound. The pause before crying. Then all of my world zeroed.

Readers digest: Baby did a penguin slide in the bathroom (whose door shouldn't have been open in the first place), bit the inside lip and was just... so sad. Still amped from trying to get *my* attention, cut lip, and those heartbreaker baby tears. And I forgot about the olympics.

Not forgot as in, "forget it!" but forgot in, "knitting is supposed to be fun, and its not been in trying to get this finished for me or baby bear (the recipient!)... so its time to retire gracefully from the competition, lay back, make sure baby's not too broken, and relax." I had this thought, went with it, and felt my entire body relax all in a moment's breath... I didn't realize how amped *I* was in trying to finish, and how good it felt to let go.

Aftermath... baby's FINE. Dozed off in my arms, happy as a clam whose mommy clam dropped out of the kolympics at the last moment to snuggle and watch Madagascar. (again.)

I put the seaming away for the moment, knowing I want to devote blocks of time to it but don't want to have to do it all in one sitting... I have only the underarms to finish, but I do want them to be perfect so I'm waiting for the block of time to do so. (Uh, yeah... the time it took me to go on and on about this would have been perfect!)

I also needed a little "comfort knitting" to wind down... something on the needles, in my hands-- so I started Odessa again in Brooks Farm Four Play.



We're still having overcast weather, so the pic isn't great. There's a wonderful shine to the yarn (the silk) that doesn't show up, and I think it'll end up looking great and hopefully fitting. I mentioned earlier that I was going to unknit Odessa since it seemed to have "extra" fabric making me look like a pinhead (cos I added length that wasn't in the pattern), but I realize its not that. And not just that I am a pinhead. I am a Brobdingnagian pinhead, and the extra fabric is a result of the hat trying to escape up off of it. Its true!

I also have been thinking more and more about "goals in knitting" as inspired by the knitting olympics, and made a few promises to myself, cleaned up the stash, found some new projects to knit... Next post, I promise. This is almost too long even for me! :)

More Cable and Rib Sweater with Hood progress, problems

The Knitting Olympics! What an amazing, amazing idea.

I'm jazzed since I see the finish line, and even though it includes blocking and finishing before I corss it, I think I'll make it. Humbled :)

A few more pics. First, sleeves--



Um, yeah. My kid's arms are the same length, generally. So, there's a problem :) I knit the 1st sleeve too long, thinking it was supposed to be 10.25" from ribbed edge and not CO edge. Oh. Just thought I'd include it for your amusement :)

And a little pic of the frogged yarn from the extraneous knitting--



Not insubstantial.

Progress as of today:



Sleeves fixed, shoulder seams seamed, hood started. The sleeves look short, don't they? I think that's why I let myself keep knitting... and the fact that the pattern calls for an increase that I just couldn't make. (More details later...)

My concern... the hood. The directions have me picking up the sts from the front right panel, CO more sts, and picking up the rest of the sts from the left front panel. The CO sts will be seamed to the back panel... but:



1) There are too many co sts as compared to the sts I bound off for the neck on the back panel, how're they going to line up??
2) When I attach the hood from the front to the back, there's going to be this "twist" in the hood that I don't know what to do with. None of the pics online seem to show this twist, and I'm just thinking I've done something wrong now... and I'm nervous about seaming as it is. (Though the shoulders went well, I must say!)

::sigh::

I'm going to take baby bear for a walk and think about it :) (Any suggestions/advice welcome, too!)

RIb and Cable Sweater with Hood progress pics (for Knitting Olympics)

I have to admit, I underestimated this pattern (or at least the time it'd take me to complete). When I finished the back panel in a day's time, I thought... no problem! But after finishing the front, I turned the page and... there are sleeves! And a hood! (Yeah, right in the title of the pattern, too.)

So I've been knitting late-late at night the past few evenings, trying to catch up and make up for my foot dragging and overconfidence. I am impressed that I actually *do* have a shot at completing, moreso because my Stitches purchases are still on my desk, begging to be petted and knit up. I always thought knitters who admitted to keeping yarn within petting reach were weirdos. I now fully admit that I've been petting the Lorna's Laces Shepherd Sport much more than would be considered healthy to a (non knitting!) outsider, but that's neither here nor there. I still am not in love with the colorway, but it is so soft... I think I may prefer it to the Shepherd Sock, just cos I look at the sock weight and my eyes cross its so thin :)

The width of the sweater looks slighter than it will be, once blocked... I was able to achieve gauge after washing and blocking my swatch (and had the squishing-up happen pre-blocking with it as well), so I'm confident the ribbing will relax into its final shape and be wider and not look like I'm raising baby abe-y lincoln. Or less than usual...

(fwiw to the parents out there-- 10% for weight, 65% for height, 75% for head circumference!!)

Back to the cable-y grind!

What a difference 8" makes!

A few things in the knitting pipeline...

First, my Knitting Olympics event, "rib and cable sweater with hood" by Debbie Bliss in Knit Picks' Merino Style is going swimmingly, if I say so myself. I even think that this pattern won't take me the 16 days time, though I really - really thought it would. But this is a good thing, since its opened up a whole new knitting world of possibilities for me-- to knit sweaters for my toddler. I can't stand the idea of knitting a sweater in an adult size, but a 2 year old size is perfect for my knitting attention span. I knit this back piece of the sweater over Saturday, cast on in the morning and had a lot of blocks of time to work on it. Haven't touched it since (I've been trying to finish the felted bag I want to take to trek stuff in from Stitches... this weekend!!)



I'm about 10" in-- I'm using the width for a "1 year old" (24.75" chest) but I'm going to use the length for the 2 year old (14.5" from shoulder down). Even so, I think I have overbought the Merino Style; I bought 11 balls and am on my 2nd for the back portion. I'm thinking 2 for the back, 2 for the front (maybe 5 total for front & back)... one for the hood and one each for the arms. So, I'm guessing I may have 3 or so balls leftover, maybe a shorter Backyard Leaves scarf or Forbes Forest scarf (from Scarf Style)? I am planning on picking up 2 hanks of Four Play from Brooks Farms at Stitches for the Ruffles scarf...

I received my Addi 24" US 1's and knit my River Rapids socks onto them... what a difference! I love knitting these socks, and can't wait to get them off the needles (the KOlympics and the felted bag have been "holding me back" from finishing... I really shouldn't have so many projects going at once!) Another huge plus about them-- I washed and dried my Wyverns in the washer & dryer recently, and they are now my softest pair of socks ever. Its truly amazing how wonderful they turned out, they're sooo thick and comfy now after going thru the wash-- and my RR socks are made from the same Kona Superwash yarn I used for the Wyverns. So, I want to finish them and wash them right away! I seriously can't believe the difference, and want like, every pair of my socks to be like this :)



I also want to finish up the RR's since I already have my next sock project in mind-- the new pattern from Yahoo Groups' Six Sox Knitalong -- the Glad Raggs pattern for Feb/March 2006. I can't link to it but you can check out Yahoo Groups for more info... the pattern is lace and has beads on the cuffs! I had such a fun time knitting Odessa that I knew I wanted to knit these next. (Though, I think I may unknit Odessa... I added length to the cap and wore it for the first time a week ago, caught a glance of myself in a reflection and I looked like a pinhead. More than usual, anyway... the fabric was looser at the top, too much to conform to the shape of my head and as if I was hiding an extra cone up there. Oh well, after the KOlympics.)

I'll be using some Cherry Tree Hill Supersock that I bought in a millend from ebay ages ago for the Glad Raggs'. When I first started knitting, I went a little ape on buying these supersock millends (and to my credit, they're more expensive now than they were then... 2006 is really the year of the sock, and with knitty devoting its summer issue to "extremities" I don't think it'll be slowing down any time soon!). The ebay CTH millends are a great deal but they're a bunch of smaller hanks tied together and dyed in a batch, so you get about a pound of yarn but they're all underweight (under the 4 oz CTH usually packages supersock in)-- at least in my experience. Its still a good deal. Anyway, when I was (17, it was a very good year)... I handwound all of these smaller hanks into balls without knowing what I was doing-- I just rolled them into balls. Not just balls, not even center-pull balls, but tight tight TIGHT balls and stretched the poor yarn into thinnish submission. I've been going thru the stash and decided to relieve the CTH from its misery and unwound all of the balled-balls, and these 2 I soaked in some warm water to help the fiber relax from its unnatural state.



I also picked up extra 8/0 beads at the bead store, for who knows what... but beads and knitting are fun so I'm going to keep them on hand for something :)



Now I can't decide what to go and finish knitting! :)

Knitting Olympics...

Yes, I'm going to be one of those! Something about kal's gets my cola flowing.



I didn't think there was any rhyme or reason for me to join, as I pretty much had declared oh-six a sock-only year (unofficially! but that's what's held my attention for more than anything, knitting wise lately...) and I knew I could get a pair of socks done in 16 days np.

But I came across a pattern I had, in Debbie Bliss' Baby Knits Book, from when I first started knitting that is *so* up this challenge's alleyway...

I started knitting once I found out I was pregnant (diligently taught myself via Stitch and Bitch) and kinda put it away once I got down knit and purl. I have one knitted "bookmark" from that time. :)

Once babe was born and sleeping for some decent amount of time, I picked it up again to knit baby stuff-- my first attempt was an itchy garter stitch sweater that I couldn't bear to make babe wear but I couldn't stop knitting, as it took so long to get where I was going! Second was a nicer cardigan (Daisy from Knitty) in doubled-fingering weight handdyed yarn (not superwash, of course!) that was about 2 years too big once done.

Incidentally babe's old enough to fit into it now, and when on it is promptly removed (partly my fault, still haven't attached the buttons to the collar) and thrown to the ground. My favorite is when this flourish is accompanied by "ca-ca!" as its being done.

Yeah, ca-ca.

So aside from scores of baby socks (which have gained more and more appreciation as babe has gotten older and become interested in watching their construction) and oddly shaped and strangely stuffed toys that are promptly lost under everything (like every toy, so I don't feel too bad), babe has no real knitted gear from me... even though *he was the impetus for the fever in the first place.

I did (dutifully) pour over baby sweater patterns looking for the perfect sweater (that would fit), knowing I could probably not bear the expanse of st st (even in baby sizing)... never struck. But I had earmarked a pattern I knew I couldn't touch with my wobbly knits and three handed purls then-- but now! I think I could do it.

Maybe... :)

So here ends the sock-only reign to throw my feet into the olympic fire!

"Cable and Rib Sweater with Hood", from Debbie Bliss' Baby Knits Book



Knit in Knit Picks' Merino Style



Dusk colorway.



Here's hoping for no ca-ca comments from mah peanut's gallery.