Gloves!

I'm entering new territory, once again.


They're really not that hard. I bought some great yarn, this magical algorithmic sock yarn from Germany that automagically makes stripes in what you're knitting -- no changing yarn. I'm using this pattern, except that I skipped the extra long cuff & just started with the short cuff. It's great to be able to make custom-fit fingers.

FINISHED!

The cardigan is done!

I was warned by the daughter of a very seasoned German knitter that zippers were hell. She'd done one once -- 20 years ago -- and swore them off forever. Hmmmph.

With lots of perturbation, I pored over online tutorials here, here, here and here. I ended up with a hybrid of links 2 & 4, mostly, and remembered many things from my sewing days. First, I tacked the stripes together with small pieces of red yarn. I then whipstitch-basted the fronts together with the silver yarn, being careful to stay in the same row for an even edge.

Turned the sweater inside out, then pinned the zipper -- face down -- onto the flaps from the front pieces. I then whipstitched the edge of the zipper to the edge of the front flaps & then basted down the centers of the zipper on each side. The pins came out, I turned the sweater rightside-out again, and then came the moment of truth of removing the yarn basting.

Beautiful! The stripes matched! I spent several hours yesterday then going over the basting and backstitching the zipper in place by hand. Not going to take it near a sewing machine after all that work...

The sweater is warm and cozy, and the lengthening adjustments I made seem to have worked perfectly, albeit a little bunchy in the sleeves. It's not been blocked yet, though, so that can probably be remedied. The body, however, is bespoke!

Ok, this is good.

I can confidently say that this sweater is going to fit. One sleeve attached and seamed all the way through. It fits!

Finishing Up

Ande was kind enough to take a few photos as I joined the shoulder seams and started the collar on the cardigan. These were Sunday night -- the collar is now finished, and I'm sewing on the sleeves. Yay, mattress stitch.

More Triumphs

After a few sloppier attempts, I'm finally getting the hang of the purled increase as I start my first sleeve. This cardigan project has been good, as each step adds one or two new challenges. As I was working through my last row, I was reading ahead in the pattern for the instructions for the collar -- in so doing, I noticed I was knitting while reading. This is progress!

Cardigan Progress

The back and both fronts are now done, started on the first sleeve tonight. Trying to reverse all the shapings mentally was tough -- the pattern didn't lay it out for me -- but I think I did ok. If not, the errors are in the armpits anyway.

I'll admit

Even I thought this blog might be dead...but cold weather is back, and so is my knitting!

Just started the right front panel tonight. The back and left front are done, sleeves and collar are not yet started. The goal? Ready for skiing.

Dottie's "Helping" Tonight

I made it around the bend!


The heel wasn't actually that hard, but picking up the stitches was a little tricky. I do have quite a few knit/purl mistakes throughout the sock, but WOW! I made it through the toughest part, and now I've got a fun little sock puppet with scary pointy teeth!

All that sock!

The woman at Nha Trang (yum yum Vietnamese food in Lincoln) was impressed as I worked on my sock while waiting for my take-out.

Do Something Cool

We make things. And they are cool.

I'm currently buried in lots of knitting. Today, I got some sock yarn for my birthday. I've never made socks, or used double-pointed needles, so I started a practice pair this afternoon.

I worked the first 1 1/2 inches in a knit1, purl1 rib, and now I'm working the main part of the sock in a k3, p1 ribbing. This sock matches my cat.

Progress so far:



Other knitting projects, currently:

A bright blue scarf (Manos del Uruguay yarn, French Blue #60) started at San Francisco Int'l Airport on a 2-hour delay, without enough yarn to finish it.

A cardigan that I haven't gotten the gauge right for, partly because I need to try the needles that are currently occupied with said scarf.

The beautiful striped tube/sweater/skirt/top/who knows in the round that I started years ago and don't know how I'll finish.