Reaching for the [Dog] Stars: Tin Can Knits

It has been a year and a million since Tiberius has been featured in a blog post.  Poor little guy.

Of course, he cares NOT at all, aha, but I feel bad, of course.  Lately, he has been wearing his sister's old sweaters, which works out nicely, but I knew he was going to be too large for at least one of them, and one pullover left simply can't be enough!!!  So, he clearly need another - in the form of the Dog Star by Tin Can Knits.  It came out last year, and for some reason, when their new collection, Strange Brew, came out recently, I thought it was part of that, aha!  

 

The pattern is crazy easy, naturally, though the wording for the short rows is a bit weird, or maybe my stitch marker placement was off to begin with, which doesn't make sense.  Either way, I knit the sweater alllll the way through binding off, then I realized my short rows were off - to the side of the back.  No bueno, clearly, so, I had to rip out my sewn bind-off then re-do all of that, no biggie in the end, I know, but still sad.  I then proceeded to knit back through the neck ribbing with my main needle, rather than sizing down, so, I had to rip out the ribbing a second time.  I have no idea what was happening.  Crazy town.  

The pattern calls for needle sizes 6 and 4, and I used 4s and 2.5s.  I knew I was knitting at a tighter gauge, but I liked my fabric, so, I knit the size 2/4 width and the size 4/6 length, no big deal.  The yardage called for was quite high, and I was concerned I didn't have enough yarn, so, I added color work to the bottom of the sweater, which wasn't a big deal in the end, as I found another skein of the main color.  In the end, though, it's nice I didn't crack into that extra skein, but even then, the yardage called for seems excessive, as I think I used two skeins of Cascade Heathers for the main color, River Rock, which is only 440 yards.  I also used colorways Pacific and Summer Sky and sort of winged it for color placement.

I love how the sweater turned out, and it was actually my FIRST time knitting with Cascade Heathers.... I think, anyway!  I could be lying, aha!  The fabric is great, and I am glad it'll fit through next winter, because of the length, though I probably did make the cuffs a bit snug.  I like a snug cuff, but hmmm... maybe I went a bit far, aha.  (Secretly, another great thing is that I used FREE stash yarn, as someone had given this to me!!)

Some days...including Halloween - for which Matt receives most of the credit.  He made their costumes, though I did make Tiberius a pair of Oliver and S Field Trip Cargo Pants, minus the cargo pockets. 

Swept Away - By the Wind!!! A Shawl

My one phone picture

I was super excited to knit up the Windswept Shawl by Molly Klatt of A Homespun House as soon as I saw the pattern release!  Of course.....the starting of it took a while.  I just couldn't figure out WHAT to do about my yarn choice.  I thought maybe I'd go with some Quince and Co. Chickadee, but I couldn't bring myself to use a solid-colored yarn with no depth - for an entire shawl.  I'm still interested in trying it out, as I know it's a quality yarn and that people love it, but I think I'd use it for a hat for the kids, aha!  I was also interested in trying some Sundara sport weight yarn, but I never happened upon a colorway on sport weight in one of their daily updates (I DID miss out on one stocking that I should have jumped on right away).  I also REALLY wanted to buy some of The Fibre Company's Road to China Light, but I felt badly spending so much money, though the yarn isn't truly badly priced.

Anyway, I FINALLY decided on Rosy Green Wool in the Cheeky Merino Base - in the colorways Rose Garden and Sand, which I purchased from Warm 'n Fuzzy, who has great customer service.  I'd originally planned on doing the whole shawl in Sand, but I couldn't imagine myself wrapped up in that much neutral color, aha!  I was worried, too, about using the red, but Matt said to go with it, so, I did.  I have a few other Rosy Green Wool colorways on two other bases, which I'm excited to try, so, I was glad to use it for something right away!

Thank goodness her dad was making her smile

The pattern went along mostly swimmingly - I did create a problem for myself in the very beginning, as I wasn't sure about whether or not to hold my yarn in the back or front when doing a stitch...and then later, I was confused about a pattern direction.  I went ahead at that time, as I figured I was correct - and it turned out I was, and the pattern instructions were fixed in that spot.  I get so nuts about reading directions and worrying, though I know other people just zoom along, not worrying at all, aha!

The yarn was definitely lovely, though my hands were - and still ARE - feeling the pain of so much purling and yarn-in-front moves, so, that section seemed to take forever.  I flew through the red edging, and though I was worried it'd be too small, the shawl blocked out nicely.  It's definitely deep enough.  I am interested, though, since I mention it, in doing some more crescent-shaped shawls/shallower shawls, as I'm so short and want to see how they fit.  I'm still bummed my Bryce Canyon came out so small back when I knit that - totally should have gone up a needle size on that one, oops.

I have definitely entered into a few KALs with this one, though it's a wonder I finished it, as it took me so long to get started, due to the lack of yarn.  Turns out it took me three weeks to knit, which isn't too bad!

My lovely card from Camden!

First time back in Vancouver in five months...and hard at work!

Somebody thinks she is claiming my shawl

Our first date night in FOREVER

Homegrown, Handknit, Potato, Po-tah-to

This is BIG, people!

My very first sweater for ME.  I'm pretty stinkin' excited, y'all.

Note my Colette Violet blouse I can squeeze into these days....

I was super nervous in joining up with the Ultimate KAL over in the Plum Dandi group on Ravelry, but I'm glad I did.  I wish I was a crazy fast knitter like some of the peeps in the Plum Dandi group.  Some ladies are super awesome and whipped out 50 billion sweaters or somesuch!  (And P.S.  The knitters in this group are super awesome and supportive!)

Ah....posing....

I used some lovely yarn - Sanguine Sky on Cielo Worsted, dyed by Lisa Sanchez over at Becoming Art (FB page).  I LOVE her colorways and wish I had more, honestly.  This yarn was originally purchased for Camden, years ago, but I could never, for the life, of me, come up with a pattern I wanted to use with it....low and behold, I apparently wanted to use it for ME ;)  Also, I originally had four skeins, but she was awesome and dyed up two more for me, and they were slightly different in color, but it worked out fine with alternating, so, I wasn't worried.  I overall alternated every 2 rows, anyway, which is easy when working flat.  Also, I realize I used an insanely variegated yarn, but I somehow thought it would work, and it does...to me, aha!

Buff biceps??  Or blouse bulk???  Both, LOL

I will say that I was one of only three people to work on Homegrown, that I know of, a lovely non-button-up cardigan.  I chose this style specifically because I'm still nursing my little guy and didn't want to have to worry about having to fit to my normal bust size.  I figured, also, that it was a good choice as my first cardigan for ME - pretty basic pattern, etc.  The pattern is by Melissa Schaschwary, known as dandiliongrl on Ravelry.  I can't wait to see who else finishes this pattern.

I chose to do a size 38, but when taking my bust measurement and back measurement, I found I wasn't sure I wanted to do that size on the whole.  I believe I cast on fewer back stitches, and I also had a slightly tighter gauge, as I liked the fabric I was getting on size 5 needles.  I can't quite recall, but I feel I started out with size 4 needles and thought it wouldn't fit me.  I got nervous and moved up to 5s, even though for the body, 4s might have been just fine, aha.

This photo captures colorway well, as it's not actually as glowing as it appears in other pictures

I did not do a 1 by 1 rib on the cuffs, as the pattern calls for, as I prefer the look of 2 by 2, and the only other "change" I did (unless you count my crazy sleeve-splitting decisions/indecision with the counts and pick-ups) was to make sure it was my length, rather than just going with the pattern length.  I think, even after blocking out, that I have a good length.

My only thing, other than thinking the back has too many stitches in the upper section/right at the sleeve split, is that I feel there are too many stitches in the front, also above the sleeve split.  I know it might be the style, but I am not sure I like how the fabric sort of gathers up by my armpits.  I do realize this just takes more thought in fitting, too, so, next time, I'll put more thought into gauge, etc.  A picky thing, maybe, as I love it otherwise.

So.  For my first cardigan, not too shabby!  I will likely want to do another cardigan for my second sweater, so, I'll have a think, and I've definitely got my eye on some gorgeous Lakes Yarn for possibly a Sople ;)

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And....in other news, there is home life.....

My new project bag from A Homespun House

A reindeer...of course

Ahahaha!  Silly big sister!

Who's that little guy, up front??

Date night with Elissa from The Rarest Bird

Aren't we just cute?