Time for a Sweater

In September I signed up for the Sweaters That Fit A-Z class offered at Nature's Yarns.  I have knit sweaters before, but they don't usually turn out just right. There is usually something that I don't really like about the sweater, either it is too loose, too long, or the underarms don't quite fit right. I thought it was high time I figured out how to make a sweater that really fits me. 

The instructor wanted us to use a sweater pattern that was in pieces. I really like raglan shaped sweaters and I like to do all the knitting at once, so a pieced sweater was going to be a challenge for me. I found the Lapse pattern in a booklet I had. I didn't have any Lustra yarn, it's been discontinued. I did have some Bergereine in the Rotin colorway by Bergere de France which I had in my stash and I thought I would have enough. I got about the same gauge as the Lustra and thought I really need to use what I have. 

I used four of the eleven skeins I have for this back piece. That means I won't have enough to finish the sweater. Off to the internet to see if I could find this same yarn. Of course, I know it isn't going to be the same dye lot, but I really want to use this yarn. I found the yarn. The dye lot is different, but the color isn't too far off. I decided what I am going to do is use the new yarn for the sleeves. I have enough of the old dye lot to do the back (pictured) and the front, as well as the neckband. 

If you can see in the upper right corner of the picture, I am using locking stitch markers to keep track of every twenty rows and each of the decreases so that my front and back will be the same length from shoulder to ribbing. I really am liking the way this is knitting up.

The knitting has actually gone really quickly. I am about half way through the knitting of the front piece. I plan on knitting both sleeves at the same time, so that when they are completed I can start putting everything together.

I decided I needed to start finishing some of my UFOs and this sweater will be the first one. Then I can start digging out the other three sweaters and get them completed one at a time, hopefully before the end of the year. Too many UFOs! I will keep you updated on my progress.

Knitting Has Been Happening

Knitting Has Been Happening

I haven't fallen off the face of the Earth. I have just been busy going back to school working on my Bachelor's degree (one class each semester so far), full time work, part time work, lots of knitting, and some traveling.

Color Affection

 I finished this Color Affection shawl for a friend who moved from our area. This is the second time I made this pattern and this time I really liked it. It turned out nicer than the first one and it is so soft. I am hoping that it will keep this friend warm as winter will set in out in Utah before very long.

I used Woolike yarn from Michael's for this shawl. I was surprised at how soft and wonderful it felt as it is an acrylic and nylon blend. In fact, I liked the yarn so much, I went back and bought enough to make a lightweight sweater or two for myself.

Ashton

 I knit this Ashton shawl by Dee O'Keefe for another friend who moved to California. This was a fun knit. The pattern didn't have beads on it, but I thought some little purple beads would look so pretty on this shawl. I really like how it turned out and I would like to make myself one, probably without the bead though. The beading slowed the knitting down quite a bit.

This shawl was knit with a Zauberball lace which is a single ply. I don't really like to work with single plies, but this one wasn't bad at all. I might even succumb and purchase another ball one day soon to make a really large shawl for someone else. The beads were some that I had in my stash from a project many years ago. I only used one tube of beads, so I still have another full tube left in the stash.

H's Modig

 This little vest, the Modig, was made for our twelfth grandchild. It is made with Paton's Encore yarn which I picked up at Second Story Knits in Bethesda during the Metro Yarn Crawl in April. In fact, I started this little vest the night I bought the yarn. I only had a week to make it before flying out to meet this new little baby. I love how the blue and green car buttons just fit the vest. Perfect for a little boy.

Truth be told, this is the second Modig I made. I also made one out of stashed Luna yarn for my niece's baby who is about the same age as "H" but much smaller. My niece says her little one can probably wear this when she is five.

Maryland Sheep and Wool 2016

May brought the Maryland Sheep and Wool show. I loved going this year. I probably spent more money than I should have, but I found some wonderful things. I found that the jumbo flyer for an Ashford Kiwi will fit my Ashford Scholor, so I bought the jumbo flyer and can now get a larger skein when plying.

I found I really like Turkish spindles and I found a couple of really nice ones. I also replaced my Trindle. My first Trindle's arm don't stay in very well, they keep flying off when spinning which is very annoying. I like the new Tridle, it spins very nicely. I also bought some yarn: Ella Rae worsted in a pine green and Elsebeth Lavold Silky Wool in a pumpkiny color. I also bought one hank of fingering weight yarn from Dragonfly Fibers in their show colorway.

I have lots of new projects, lots of UFOs, and projects in the planning stages. I am hoping that getting back into blogging will help keep me accountable and give me a goal to get some things finished as I would like to share my progress on all these yarny pursuits.

Happy knitting and spinning.