cottington's so crafty: worsted

Wednesday, April 1, 2015

North Shore....? And By THAT, I Mean North Shore of Bend...

A couple things about this sweater: I LOVE how cute it is - and what a great pattern! But I do NOT like 54/45 wool/cotton blend yarns, methinks.

Again, though - how CUTE!

The pattern is North Shore, by tincanknits, part of their Pacific Knits Collection. I thought it was the cutest thing when I first discovered it, and I'm glad I knit it up. It took me a couple weeks, which is great, especially as it's a stranded-work project....LOL - though it IS the 6 month cast-on.

This kid is toooo fast for me to get pictures!

My gauge, as always (broken-record, much??), was too loose, so, I figured casting on for two sizes smaller would make it work out just fine. I sadly wish I'd cast on for only one size smaller, as it's pretty snug to get on Tiberius. The head-hole, especially, is a bit tight, and the silly boy likes to get his teeth in the sweater as I'm pulling it off, making matters THAT much easier ;) I understand the pattern didn't call for the neckhole I did (which seemed wide to me in project page photos), but I had decreased by more stitches than the pattern calls for after the yoke is finished. I sort of modeled it after the stitch decreases in the Owlet sweater - again, if I'd done a size bigger, I would have been better off. I believe I might only size down one size for Camden's, but I'll see how it goes. I'll definitely keep in mind the neckhole, as I think part of the problem is the yarn.

Speaking of, the yarn is Spud and Chloe Sweater yarn, which IS lovely to look at and is plied nicely, etc, etc. It's an affordable worsted-weight yarn, and the colors are great, and there are more I wish I had...except that I think I won't be using this yarn again after Camden's version of this sweater. The cotton made my fingertips feel weird, I think - not numb, but SOMEthing??? Anyway, nothing wrong with the yarn itself, but I love the elasticity of wool, though this sweater IS soft and looks lovely on Tiberius.....though I doubt it will fit through November, which is sad, as winter is essentially over here, in terms of bulkier sweaters. But I'll stuff him in it while I can, LOL!

So....life these days on the homefront!

Taking a break!

Good times at a birthday party

Building Titanic

A little Pilot Butte Action

Helping dad build a new art cabinet/easel

Yay! Fun new books to be used in conjunction with homeschooling!

Quit gymnastics and started ballet......

Tuesday, February 10, 2015

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 ;)