Wearing Wool on the Beach?

How many knits can you spot? It was about 45 degrees with steady winds. I was glad to have my sweater.

This Is Cool

I don't often do this with my blog - show off stuff I've seen on the internet - but this was just too cool not to.

Craaaaaaaaap

So yeah, that neckline's not gonna work...

And now you can totally see the difference in yarns. Who knew skeins of undyed yarn could look different?

*sigh*

I reeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeally don't want to rip and re-knit. Especially since I don't have a clue how to fix it. Other than changing how the sleeves are attached.

*pout*

Practice Makes Perfect

One of the many great things about having a baby is practicing techniques on small knits. I've had plans to knit Elizabeth Zimmermann's January Aran Cardigan for years now. Two winters ago I knit a swatch cap to see how the cables would turn out in my selected yarn. Last week, after tiring of my sock knitting, I decided a small scale sweater would be the perfect next step in inching my way toward an actual cardigan for myself. (As it turned out, I cast on the same number of stitches for this baby sweater as I did for my hat. Yes son, your chest will soon be as big as my head.)



After all, I needed to test shoulder construction/sleeve insertion and *gasp* a steek! Yes, that's right, I plan to cut my knitting. I finished the knitting yesterday afternoon and sat on my couch staring at the sweater for most of the evening. Finally I researched a crocheted steek (I used this tutorial which, while verbose, was ultimately helpful) since I don't own a sewing machine, found some yarn and just went for it. I find that's the best approach when facing something intimidating, plunge right in before your anxiety can overcome you. So far so good, in the right photo, you can see I've already started picking up for the button band. Eunny's tute suggested thinner, high contrast, feltable yarn, so that's why I used the yellow and brown scrap sock yarn you see. I figure it will end up a fun little hidden detail in the end.

Knits in the Wild*

First BSJ I ever knit, years before we even started trying to have kids. Got machine washed (ok), with velcro bibs (not ok). Worn maybe twice, now it's pretty much too small for him. :(


Cotton sunhat knit in the span of three days while we were up north after realizing his current hat didn't fit anymore. Fits him perfectly right now and it worked to keep the sun out of his face, dubious look aside.


Little Sophisticate shawl collared cardigan. I sewed the buttons on this weekend when it got chilly and I remembered that I knit this. It fits him great right now, though the sleeves are long, so he should be able to wear it a few times this fall.

*The wilds of our living room that is.

Here are my new socks

Started this last Thursday and I'm already this far. Can you tell I like these a lot better? I'm keeping the pattern simple with just a 4x2 rib and using Cat Bordhi's Foxglove master pattern for the gusset increases. It's not so much a pattern as a guideline to where you can place the increases. In this case, you can put them anywhere. I've decided to put them just before the sole stitches and am incorporating the rib pattern. I've never liked how gussets end up just being a (small) sea of stockinette, so this is a nice solution. It's also a good test for another pair of socks (that just so happen to be in the same yarn, but different color) I plan to rework using Cat's construction techniques.

Asked and Answered

I made it this far:



After my last post, I ignored everyone's responses and decided to just finish the rest of the first sock since I was so close. I wanted to see how the pooling would play out and also test a cast off. Fine on both counts, so I started the second sock.

I convinced myself I was ok with the pooling on the foot knowing how the leg would turn out. All was well until I hit the heel increases. I don't know what it is about Knit Picks multi-colored yarn, but the pooling just deteriorates far too quickly for my liking. I'm generally ok with either wide fat stripes or tiny barely-even-stripes, but not both in the same sock. Plus the longer I looked at the foot, the more it looked like a dark brown sock that had been bleached.

I started a new pair of socks today with this yarn and I'm already several inches in. I feel much better about this. I don't know what will become of the brown yarn.