Swatches, I don't need no stinkin swatches...

Well, ummm, actually I do (dammit).

So I did the most painful thing a knitter can do.  I dove into a great sweater project.  I started knitting collar of this sweater and then I went up a needle size thinking, better to be safe I told myself confidently.  Knitting away on this thing (I admit I put it down several times and a year later it is finished).

I also tried it on several times.  It is hard to try it on while on needles I said to myself.  I better re-knit sleeve one in next needle size up (as it is in the round after all).

Okay, the sleeves is what took the whole year (am not a fan of knitting sleeves).

Finished sleeves.

Now I get to actually try it on.

Hmmm,  a little snug in the shoulders. I don't like the way the back fits.  UGH!

I have been reading a lot from Amy Herzog's book and blog about fit and about swatching and how important it is to achieve the results you want. Now, don't get me wrong.  I measured while I was knitting. I thought I was on gauge.

Actually - this is what I measured after I finished the sweater.

• 20 st per 4 inches and 28 rows per 4 inches.  (unblocked)

What was the gauge I needed?

• 18 st and 26 rows

Now it is possible that I could block the hell out of it.  But here's my thought.  No.

Why?  Because I used a substitute yarn and I am not thrilled with the resulting fabric either.  This sweater weights like 5 pounds, or it certainly seems to.  The collar is too floppy and moving to Florida in the near future, well, I'll never wear it.

So, I will frog and I will make this instead.  It is from the manufacturer and calls for this exact yarn.
It is short sleeved and I will have left overs to make my BFF this.  This sweater can certainly be worn in Florida with the short sleeves and good for being in the a/c.

I have learned a hard lesson but a valuable one.

I also ripped out my daughters socks for xmas (as I was 1cm off gauge and that would make them 2cm too small).

It's all good.  I want to knit things that fit.  I want to feel good in them.  I want other people to fit into the gifts I give them.  So, I don't mind froggin.

THANK YOU AMY HERZOG FOR YOUR GREAT ADVICE AND HELP.  She is a super nice person and answers any questions you have.

Cniotail--mo phaisean é!

(Knitting--(it's) my passion!)

Christmas is coming....

I am starting to get distracted with thoughts of knitting some gifts and putting my projects on hold. Oh how I wish I could get paid for staying home....

So, I saw this in the latest issue of The Knitter (http://theknitter.themakingspot.com)

The pattern is Greenwich Village (http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/greenwich-village)

My DD should love them. She is the original mismatched!  Has never wore the same two socks since 10 years of age. 

I am knitting them in the suggested yarns and even using the color lollipop. 

East knit so far.  Very cool how the spiral stripe is jogless by nature. 

TTFN

It's official - I am a Plucky

I recently decided to subscribe to the Plucky subscription program.  I picked Primo Fingering.

It was a few weeks ago and I got a surprise in the mail yesterday!!!!! 

My first shipment!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

How exciting, what color will it be?

I ripped back the quick strip and to my delight....

SNAP OUT OF IT!  (inspired by Moonstruck)

It's a lovely shade of dark dark dark grey (almost black).  Sarah must have been reading my mind! I was hoping for black.

Now, this oh so lovely yarn deserves a great project.  I searched Ravely patterns for a few hours.

I think I will do this....here.  It is Window to my Soul by Joji Locatelli

Here is a snap of my skeins.

I am totally so happy
Yay Yarn!!!!!!
Yippee

Hi me...

A pat on the back for forging ahead on your destash 2013

11 new projects assigned to stash yarn!

5 cast on

1 gift knit

Not so bad, ravelry stash is way smaller. Now you can see what yarn to put out for the townwide yard sale next Saturday. 

Finished object praise....

This is Kodachrome by Lindsay Ingram (http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/kodachrome)

Word up....

I was playing around with Wordle today and made a pretty uh, wordle of my favorite things....
here...

What fun...

Knitting update:

I am casting on every project I can to assign my stash to things.  That way I can decide what stash I can de-stash to others.  I have a lot of yarn that I bought before I knew about things like "sweater quantities" for my size (in all fairness to myself I have spanned three sizes due to surgeries etc).  So, that way when I buy yarn in the future it is not to just buy yarn as opposed to randomly  buying yarn and finding out i don't have enough to make anything good.  UGH.

I did however, join The Plucky Knitter subscription for 4 skeins of fingering yarn. I will be very interested to see what I get (oh and of course, I only ordered 4 skeins which guess what - MIGHT NOT BE ENOUGH SWEATER QUANTITY).  BLAST.  She said try it out and see.  I will have to wait till open enrollment to change it.  Sad face.

I think I am going to order some pattern books.  To begin to feed my design side of my brain.  I have some shapes in mind and want to start thinking about sweater patterns.

Dé tha thu ah deanamh?
What are ya making?

Take the negative with the positive

Looking at all my yarn I am trying to assign projects to all the yarn I can.

But I also have some old projects three of the which will require negative knitting. I discovered my Adrift cardigan has a missed increase one row back but also it has 90 stitches on one side and 94 on the other. So the question is...how much knitting back (a.k.a. Negative knitting) do I to do????    :-(

I went back two row already then put it on a time out. 

I brought it out this morning to access the situation and discovered the sides don't match.

So I ponder...

This is the bad knits time out spot....

.

Bday knitting

Knitting with deadlines and I still cast on new project itching to use up stash. 

Here's a peek...

This is the bday gift

Plus I need one more bday gift in two weeks...mitts. Have to start them. 

Knit on!!!!