FO Friday: The Rhinebeck Sweater

It’s about time, right?! The yellow sweater was finally finished, the night before I left for Rhinebeck, ends were woven in during my delayed layover in Dulles and it was “steam blocked” by hanging in the bathroom whilst I showered.

Freshygot the best pictures of it, for sure:

Perfectly fair-themed

Wanna hear the story about how the sweater actually got finished?  Of course you do.

1. The sweater was begunand most of it was knit in a 3-day period leaving me unable to move my wrist and wearing a brace

it all started with a big yellow ball

2. The rest of it was slowly added over the course of a few weeks and sleeves were a topic of concern

The Great Sleeve Debate of 2012

3. When I finally decided to do full length sleeves, I ran out of yarn (as was the concern above)

4. The night before I left for New York I sat and Skyped with my sweater in my lap, unraveling the bottom edging while also knitting this unraveled yarn straight to the sleeve, the two were connected and more yarn unraveled as more sleeve was added

5. After the sleeves were an acceptable length, I had to go back and re-bind-off the bottom border, which required more tinking

6. I still ran out of yarn 7 stitches from the end and decided that in order for my sanity to stay right where it was (which may or may not be questionable in the first place) I would just use the closest matching yellow yarn from my stash for the last inch of bind off.

it is ever-so-slightly neon

7. The sweater was finished. And worn. And it is glorious.

A pattern may be in the works if there’s interest, trust me, it’s warm and cozy and soft and a great addition to my collection.

 

WIP Wednesday: The Rhinebeck Sweater

Rhinebeck.  T minus 3 days and some hours and lots and lots of knitters will be entering the New York Sheep and Wool Festival.  I will be among them.

the one sleeve was completed Monday night at my new Pints and Purls group

And I will be wearing this sweater dammit.  Even if I do run out of yarn after lengthening one sleeve only to find that there isn’t *quite* enough to finish the other the same length…I’ll just fold them up to the elbow or something…fudge it a little.

Linking up with Tami!  What are you working on this week?  Will you be attending Rhinebeck too?

WIP Wednesday: The Yellow Sweater

I promise the yellow sweater is still being worked on (it’s in my lap right now even) albiet very slowly compared to it’s lightening fast start.

I like the way the collar turned out and am glad I did that before I ran out of yarn…

I’m still working on the first sleeve and am mildly concerned that I won’t have enough yarn left to make a second if I want to make them long sleeved.  I want long sleeves.  You know what happens when you combine those two words? Long sleeves? Loves. Loves is what happens and that’s what I want.

excuse the canine, she likes to be wherever I am (although she does kind of look like she’s just an odd growth on my hip)

So, basically, I’m trying to knit faster so that I don’t run out of yarn and if I do, well, maybe I’ll make them elbow length.  That seems to be in style this season. But combining elbow length only gives you “elth” which is less fun to say and doesn’t conjure up the same fuzzy feelings as “loves.”

Join in on WIP Wednesday over on Tami’s blog

WIP Wednesday: Sweater Progress

The sweater has been making a little progress, although not much.  I finished the bottom edging with a K1tbl, P1 rib and bound off using Jeny’s Surprisingly Stretchy Bind Off.

You guys almost didn’t get modeled photos this time, I’m that lazy.

Looking at the way the sweater fits, I may un-bind off and make the ribbing a smidge longer…but we’ll see how it fits after I put on the sleeves and collar (those shouldn’t take too long right?)

Sorry for the grainy pictures

The sweater progress has slowed a bit because I’ve prioritized my knitting and work knitting gets done first, sadly.  But it is quite a motivator to get it done so I can have fun knitting time!

Share your own WIPs and check out others on Tami’s Blog

WIP Wednesday: Greys and Sunshine

The weather lately has been sunny and rainy, sunny and rainy, all within the same day (welcome to Colorado) and my knitting has held a similar color scheme, not on purpose but I did notice it yesterday afternoon whilst it was raining after having been sunny and blue skied all morning.

I’ve been working on some stash-busting scarves for show stock for the upcoming season:

easy pattern, fun result

And I totally finally got suckered into the quilt extravaganza that is the Beekeeper, although I am a smidge concerned about how the size, the fluffiness of the end quilt affect it as a quilt, is it stiff?  too warm? has anyone had experience with the finished blanket?:

the first of many, I’m sure

Not to mention the secret designs going on in the background, a pattern that will need test knitters soon (hint hint) and cleaning, organizing and making my studio space motivating and work-able!

What have you been up to lately?  To see more WIPs, head to Tami’s blog!

Yarn-Finding Goal

As you all know, I’m at Stitches South as you’re reading this.  (Like I said, its ok to be jealous…go ahead, don’t feel bad about it).  My goal for maneurvering the marketplace, teeming with yarns and fibers and knitting notions abound?

Find a yellow or grellow yarn to go with my Paris yarn:

so hard to accurately photograph

I got this 100% alpaca in Paris last summer, at La Drougerie and although its been knit up and frogged a few times, it has yet to be knit into its true form.  I have an idea of the true form, and it involves another yarn.  This other yarn, however necessary, has been elusive thus far and I sincerely hope that the marketplace at Stitches South will be able to solve this problem.