Thursday, September 23, 2010

Spiral Yoke Sweater finished!

The hem is sewn down and it's ready to soak and block! This photo shows the pre-blocked state. Notice the back of the neck is taller and the back of the hem is longer. Thanks to Meg and EZ, I won't have the front of the neck strangling me or the back of the sweater riding up!
Dalaukala left a comment on my previous post with a very interesting question. The question? Why am I knitting the sweater so fast......I have started so many projects, got bored, put them to the side and then tried to remember how to finish them much, much later.
I had always wondered how long it would take me to actually work on just one project and finish it. I knit an Orenburg shawl many moons ago, by Galina, and kept track of how many hours/minutes it took me to knit it.....a little over 87 hours!
So here I am knitting a sweater, for me, for THIS winter......and I was very curious how soon I could get it done. I am a quick knitter to begin with.....and soooo.....now I know that I can knit a 42" sweater in 7 days!

Wednesday, September 22, 2010

Marathon knitting-Day 7 [Today!]


Every Tuesday, through October, is Farmer's Market Day so I put off my sweater knitting to buy some fresh vegetables and fruit. Then I went to the fabric store [Billie's Designs] and bought more fabric and notions.



Here is where I'm at right now as I post this! I have one side of the underarm stitches on dpn's to Kitchener the stitches while the other side still waits on pieces of wool.
The neck is ready for me to do the EZ's sewn cast-off [the best cast off so you can still get that neck, of the sweater, over your head!].
I forgot to mention that this sweater is for me AND it's 42" around....exactly what I swatched!
I'll close so I can do those things and knit my hem to stop it from rolling. :)

Tuesday, September 21, 2010

Marathon knitting-Day 5

...AND my gauge is still on track!
The spiral yoke is going up, up and around very smoothly!
I'd like to point out the phoney seam on the right sleeve. That seam is also on the other sleeve and on both sides of my sweater. This will help me in blocking so I won't have to figure out the exact side stitches.
Do you notice the gold colored yarn? My underarm stitches are on them and waiting patiently to be grafted, hence making this sweater "seamless". Thank you Meg Swansen and Elizabeth Zimmermann!
The rolled edge will be taking care of when I knit a hem....more of that when I am finished with the yoke.

Sunday, September 19, 2010

Marathon knitting!

I started this sweater on the afternoon of September 15th [yes...this year..:)...].
I hope to finish it within a week of marathon knitting!
I'm using my gauge needle for Briggs & Little 2-ply in natural. The spiral yoke design is on a DVD from Meg Swansen at School House Press as well as the wool. I've watched the DVD so many times.....not only to see what to do but to enjoy listening to Meg.
I got to thinking, hmm, what if the body/arms end up being too short or too long. No problem! My solution would be to snip above the increases and short rows and ravel or knit more.
With that all said, I am headed back to my chair to knit feverishly on the second sleeve so I can do the fun yoke pattern! Ta, ta!!!

Wednesday, September 15, 2010

Christmas starts in 3 days!!!!!!

The 4th annual Holiday Mystery Gifts Knit Crochet Along event will begin on Saturday September 18th 2010!

I am among over 3200 people, around the world, who look forward to this early Christmas. There would be more if they only knew the treasures and fun to be had there!