Body Work

I finally cast off the body of the London Calling cardigan!

Now I just have the sleeves...and the collar...and the button band...and the finnishing...

I might be at this a while yet.

What I Made on My Day Off

That would be the top portion of a quilt, made from my old work shirts. The patterned material is from my favorite pillow sham which met an untimely death.

Somehow, I wound up with exactly the right number of blocks. No leftovers, none missing. When I get more fabric, I'll add to it (this is about the right width for a twin bed, but only half the length), but considering my cashflow problems at the moment...that'll have to wait. I also have no idea how I want to finish it. Full quilting? Batting? Border? Or just slap a backing onto it and topstitch the edges (since I lack a quilting machine and I am not up to hand quilting).

So, quilt top: 1 day. Rest of the quilt? That will probably take a year or more.

Shh!!!

You can't tell anyone.

I'm making a present.

I can't tell you who it's for, or what it is yet, because she might be reading this. I don't know.

But oh my god, I love this yarn:

Bernat Mosaic in "Calypso", just for the record.

RAINBOWS!!!

It's That Time of Year Again

Remember this?

It's the sweater that never ends: London Calling.

For those keeping track, this would be my fourth year of working on it.

Last year, if you recall, I discovered that the cables on the decreases of the shoulders did not line up, so I started over and decided to make the entire thing seamless (or nearly seamless. There will still be seams at the shoulders and on the armholes). Most of this work was done last winter. I've got maybe 3 more inches to go before I split for the armholes. Since I'm almost done with a ball of yarn, I figure I will just knit until I run out, and then join new yarn to make the right front, back, and left front. I think that once the body of this sweater is done, the sleeves and the finishing will go a lot faster. One thing I need to do, though, it sit down with the pattern and microsoft word and rewrite the decreases. Since it came from a magazine, space was limited. Full directions for one of the fronts is listed, but for the other, it just says "do the reverse." Um...okay. Very detailed. I'm also going to make a copy  of the directions for the decreases on the back. The stitch pattern is very easy to remember, but the shoulder shaping? Not so much.

I have no ambitions of finishing this sweater this year. Sure, I would love to. But I'm only working on it to kill time until I hear back from my publisher. Once I get the yarn for the samples for the book, I'm not going to have time to knit on anything else--particularly since I'm also making a couple of baby gifts for someone at work.

Clearly, I need at least one extra set of hands.

Works in Progress

A day late, I know. Friday I came home from work exhausted and ill (still), and considering it was dark I decided that rest was in order and project photos could wait for daylight.

I've only got a couple this time. I'm trying to  limit myself.

Since I've been sick, I cast on for a  neckwarmer to help with my cough. This is Fibranatura Exquisite Bamboo in "Niagra." It's 77% bamboo and 23% superwash merino, and it's quite soft. I love the flow of colors.

I'm using my new KnitLites that I got for Yule, even though I don't really need the extra light most of the time. My other pair of KnitLites is quite long and prone to shorting out; that problem doesn't seem to be as much of an issue with these shorter needles. I will say that I wish they were pointier, especially with a yarn as loosely plied as this one. Will there be a pattern available for this one? Maybe, but probably not for a couple of weeks at least, particularly since what you see there? It has to be ripped out. Completely. I realized I was going to run out of yarn around the halfway point, so I need to scale it back just a  little.  If it looks a little odd in the photos, it's because the center portion is entrelac, and that tends to look a little strange and lumpy until it's blocked.


No, your eyes don't deceive you. I've pulled not one, but two projects out of hibernation. The first one is the London Calling Cabled Cardigan from 2010. I hope to finish it this year (fingers crossed). I haven't worked on it much since I got sick because I've been so low on bandwidth. My eyes have been really tired, so it's hard for me to do all of those little tiny cables in the honeycomb stitch. I have about half a pattern repeat left before I can add the pockets. Again.

The other project I've been working on is the living room afghan, which, happily enough still matches our living room, even though we moved. I'm about 1/3 of the way through it, and this has been my primary knitting project of late, since it's 99% stockinette stitch and I can pretty much do it in my sleep. In fact, I'm pretty sure I've sleep-knit on it at least once. I'm thinking I'll need 2-3 more of the giant balls of yarn I've been buying for this one before it's done.


I do have one other WIP, but I'll be talking about that one next week, so you'll just have to wait and see.

WIP

Shh!

You want to see what I'm working on?

Here it is:
Here's a closer look:


I can't say what it is just yet, only that it's for the book I'm working on. I've been putting as much time into that one as I can (when I'm not getting sucked in by facebook games. Seriously, why are those things so darn addictive?). The only other active project I have is this:


Because we are always looking for hand towels. I think the dryer must eat them, like it does my socks.

Once this is off the needles, I have a pair of socks I need to cast on--Christmas presents, you know. But first I need to order the yarn. This time, I am not putting off that detail until December 6. I won't. You hear me? That yarn will be ordered this week, dammit.

I hope.

Life Keeps Getting in the way of My Life

I have things I want to make, do, and see. Places I would like to visit, chores that need done, books that should be written (more that need read), groceries that need bought and bills that need paid. But as of late, it seems I mostly have knits that need designed.

This is the current work-in-progress pile, or the PhD pile (Projects Half Done). I am ashamed to admit how long most of these items have been on the needles, though in my defense I have lost two of the last six months to tendonitis, and then there were the holidays, too. So it's not all my fault.

Though come to think of it, maybe having a little focus in my work would be beneficial...

Let's examine the damage, shall we?

In excavating the layers of my knitting basket, the first striation we come across is a basic stockinette afghan, cast on at the start of the winter months as much for variety of knitting material (i.e. size of needle; see tendonitis above) as for warmth, since the moron who built our apartment complex obviously did not know what insulation, double pane windows, or general weather sealing are. What could be better than a blanket that keeps you warm as you knit it?

I don't remember the name of the yarn for this, but it's a generic aran weight I picked up at Michael's for $9.

Progress: 20%

The next level is The Socks. I started these around December 7, having had to wait for funds to clear before I could order the supplies, and then as soon as I cast on the brand new needle I'd ordered for the project broke. When the replacement came in, I discovered that the join between the needle and the cable was sub-par, and ended up switching to one I already had. These were supposed to be done for Christmas. Right now, I'd be pleased to finish by Easter. (When is that again?) These are toe-up knee highs knit on one long circular needle, with an afterthought heel (to be added) out of KnitPicks Comfy.

(note: these look a little funny because when I'm knitting from the toe up, I keep the yarn inside the foot of the sock. Keeps it clean, neat, and out of the kitten's mouth.)

Progress: 40%

As we dig deeper into the project bin, we find the Evie shell, so named because it is based on the main character of my novel Threadbare, which is currently making the rounds to various potential publishers. Also made of KnitPicks Comfy, this is the project that brought my knitting to a halt last fall.

This is my first time delving into the world of actual lace, rather than the Cheater's Lace I usually do, which mostly involves using really big needles and doing yarn over, knit 2 together over and over again with no real pattern in mind.

This project has been on hold since Christmas, because I can't seem to work on two major projects on size one or two needles at the same time without risking my limbs, and really, those socks are more important at this point. Though it's disappointing, because I found a magazine that this pattern would be perfect for submission. Too bad there's no way I'm finishing before the deadline.

Progress: 10%

We have now reached the point were it becomes embarrassing to look at things.

For example: This is not a pair of socks. This is just a sock. Just one. One sock, which has been in roughly this same state since...uh...September? What's worse, the pair was supposed to be finished in time for Missouri's book release. With photos. And completed pattern.

Part of the problem with this sock is that I'm bored of the pattern. The prototypes were knit, ripped, and re-knit about five times. Then I had to make a second pair because I discovered an extra set of ribs in one of the socks, and the sizing wasn't quite right. I corrected that problem in the pattern, but simply can't get up the motivation to finish this pair.

Other reasons/excuses why it isn't finished: I'm not over fond of the yarn. It's okay, it's just...meh. Really nothing exciting. I would tell you what it is, but again, can't find the ball band (I swear they are all around here somewhere). I do know it was el cheapo sock yarn from Michaels, which kind of explains the problem right there. I'm a yarn snob when it comes to socks. I should have remembered that when buying this.

Additionally, this is one of those smaller-gauge projects that risks mobility and limb for me, so it's been on hold while I try to finish other things.

Progress: 25%

When I pulled out my TKGA binder for this photo, I thought I had three or four of my Master Handknitting swatches complete. Turns out, it's just two. I'm also behind on my questions.

When I got my packet back in July, I thought, "Knitting! Tiny swatches! Writing about Knitting! I'll be done by Christmas!" In this case, life happened. Other projects took precedence, and once again, I had to put this on hold because of physical challenges. See, I knit...weird. Not like a lot of other knitters. It's a side effect of being mostly self taught.

Then there's the carpel tunnel/tendonitis issue. I normally knit much looser than most instructions call for. Doesn't really bother me, but to meet the standards of the program, my stitches have to look a certain way. So instead of using a size 8 needle as the yarn recommends, I have to use a size 5 and knit as tightly as humanly possible.

But I still don't think that's a good excuse. I should be further with this. Especially since my 1 year deadline is in July.

Progress: 15%

Forming the bedrock of our dig site, we have the London Calling Cabled Cardigan, from Vogue Knitting...Fall 2010. Yes, this sweater has been on the needles for about a year and a half now.

When I pulled out this piece (which is only one of the fronts; there is more done), I had a brief moment of panic because the panel that was actually in progress was missing. I didn't panic because I'd lost all that work. I paniced because I thought briefly, "Oh, I'll just start over. I've been thinking it would be better seamless." Yes, you read that correctly. I considered ripping the whole thing out and starting over again, even though at about 50%, this project is the furthest along of them all.

I've kind of been avoiding this project. I like the pattern. I like the sweater. I even kind of like the yarn (even if it is just some basic Red Heart). My problem is that I am concerned about the shoulders and the sleeves. I'm afraid they won't fit. Part of the temptation to start over is not just to create a seamless body (knitting the fronts and backs together as one long flat piece, then separating at the underarm to finish the rest) but also because I'm considering going up a size. My stitch count is for the small, though my measurements actually match the large (like I said, loose knitter). When I whip stitched the completed pieces together to give it a test thought, it just didn't have the ease I'm looking for, especially in the bust and shoulders.

I think I just talked myself into starting over. ¬_¬

See, this is what happens when I try to get things done.

ETA: I was going to finish the last few inches on the cardigan. I started knitting, and working on the decreases, and realized that for some reason, it didn't look like the other front. And then I held all three pieces up together, and realized that somewhere along the lines, I'd made an error in the cable pattern and none of those cables lined up. If I were to finish it as is and wear it, I would look lopsided because the fronts are offset by half a repeat.

So. Starting over it is.

2KCBW DAY 4

In the DVD player: Firefly
Currently Reading: Casting Spells by Barbara Bretton

Whatever happened to your __________?

Write about the fate of a past knitting project. Whether it be something that you crocheted or knitted for yourself or to give to another person. An item that lives with you or something which you sent off to charity.

There are a lot of different aspects to look at when looking back at a knitting project and it can make for interesting blogging, as much of the time we blog about items recently completed, new and freshly completed. It is not so often that we look back at what has happened to these items after they have been around for a while.

How has one of your past knits lived up to wear. Maybe an item has become lost. Maybe you spent weeks knitting your giant-footed dad a pair of socks in bright pink and green stripes which the then ‘lost’. If you have knit items to donate to a good cause, you could reflect on the was in which you hope that item is still doing good for it’s owner or the cause it was made to support.

So. Anyone remember the 198 Countries Peace Project?

If you're an astute reader and wondered why there was never any mention of it being sold, well, that's because it never was.

Intended to be shown at my Senior Thesis Show, back in May 2009, the idea was to sell the finished project and donate all of the money to Doctors Without Borders.

Making the project was a huge process. After several critiques from classmates and instructors, I ended up starting over. The results were lackluster, even to my eyes. I still have not come up with a satisfactory way of displaying all of the flags.

Don't misunderstand. I WANT to finish the project. Badly. And I still want to donate the proceeds to charity. The problem is that after over a year of unsatisfactory work, I am somewhat discouraged with it. I know there is a problem in the visual presentation, but I can't seem to figure out how to solve it. Additionally, I don't have a work space large enough to lay it all out and complete the sewing, and with no buyer in mind, nor a place to show it, it honestly has not been a priority.

One day, I WILL go back and finish it. I don't know when that day will be, but it will happen. I am disappointed and frustrated that such a great idea has fizzled down to this point, but at this time I don't have a whole lot of options.

____
The drawing for the Japan Relief contest is now closed. I will be drawing and notifying winners this weekend, and will announce them on Monday.