Knitting with friends and my cardigan

 My knitting girls.....

 Go, Allison, Go!

 See Elizabeth knit?

 Look at Jenni knit with double pointed needles for the first time!

You go girl!

My very own Lupine Cardigan blocked and drying.

I realized when you knit your own clothing, no one will have the same one in your town!

What have you all been knitting?

Lots of knitting.....and canning Bread & Butter pickles....

 Hemingway Boyfriend Cardigan with my version knit in Andean Silk in the Barn Red color.  Took about 13 skeins.  Elizabeth Zimmermann would have you notice the "dreaded frontal droop".

 This is called Caireen and is a beautiful Celtic wrap I knit with 3 skeins of Briggs & Little Regal in Forest Brown.  It took me 10 days.  Should be dry tomorrow.

Sometimes I want something sweet in a pickle and these hit the spot.  These Bread & Butter pickles couldn't have been easier to prepare and can.  I was able to get into them the next day.  Yum!

Lady in Pink.....

This is a great over sized garter knit sweater!  It's from Sally Melville's book, "Book 1: The Knit Stitch" and the pattern is called Sally's Favorite Summer Sweater.  I used Tahki Cotton Classic in.....well.....pink.
I normally knit everything in the round no matter what a pattern says to do, but this one is super simple in garter and easy to seam up.

Knitting Delight

Literally.  Knitting Delight's yahoo group is in German but the KAL's and Mystery Knits are posted in 5 (yes, five) different languages.  Once those are over, the files are up for a bit longer and then gone.  The patterns can be purchased, though.  This stole is called Summer Queen.

This was a KAL as Cardigan Malibu.  I made mine a V-neck pullover with shorter sleeves and a collar.

Footies and a Sweater

Ahh, footies!  My son has received a pair of these almost every year since he was a wee lad.  He loves the strange ones and even better if they don't match.  Yes, those are them.....the ones with all the colors.  The other 3 are just one of each of three additional pair he asked me to knit for his friends.  No sense in putting them all in since they look just like the ones shown.  :)
I used 2 strands of Cascade 220 Superwash and US sz 6 dpn's.

Then there is this sweater I knit without a pattern but it was EZ.  Yes, easy to knit with what I learned from EZ (Elizabeth Zimmermann).
I did learn the Channel Island cast-on from Meg Swansen with split welt on the sides.  I kept the side stitches in purl and took in the waist a bit for an hourglass figure.  I kept knitting in the round setting in the sleeves and only doing a 3-needle bind-off at the shoulders....the rest is seamless.
Mom sent me the yarn (a little heavier than worsted) and I used US sz 7 needles.

A BSJ for Leo Frank Daniels

From this....



....to This!

 

A BSJ is a Baby Surprise Jacket.  It's a surprise because it looks like the "From this...." picture before you do your magic and make it look like the "....to This" picture.  Pretty cool, Meg Swansen and Elizabeth Zimmermann!

I made this with Dalegarn Baby ULL [100% Merino Wool] in 4 bright colors and a neutral.  The pattern can be found at SchoolHousePress as a paper pattern or on DVD.

I also knit a pair of socks from 'Vogue Knitting Socks Two, on the go'.

If you've knit a BSJ, please put your link in the comment section!

Wishbone Sweater for my son

This is the nicest sweater to knit up when you are in a hurry to send something warm to your grown child.

I used Sheepsdown wool [from School House Press], knitting needles for MY gauge and my knitting bible - Elizabeth Zimmermann's Knitter's Almanac.

The finished sweater weighs only 2.53 pounds. Details on how to knit this wonderful sweater is in the Knitter's Almanac.

Do you see my personal message in the hem at the back? Once again, I used wool...

I wish everyone could have a sweater like this to wrap themselves up in because it's like a big hug!

The finishing touch to my Spiral Yoke Sweater

Here is my personal message in the hem of my sweater. I knit with 2 different colors of Icelandic wool in pencil like roving.

Now I will always know what the name of the sweater is..........and when I knit it!

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!

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. :)

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.

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!!!

Icelandic Sweater finished and mailed...

...to my son. He asked me to knit this a couple of years ago and sent a picture of a band member wearing this design.

I hymmed and hawwed and dragged my feet a bit. Why?

Well, because this was the first time knitting an Icelandic Sweater, my son has loooooonnng arms [6'4"] and I doubted my ability to get it to fit right.....the first time. I'm the only one....right?

He sure had faith in me or he wouldn't have asked me to knit him one.

I actually had it knit up with gauge in stitches...........HA. Since I haven't knitted something in a yoked pattern, I didn't think gauge in rows was needed. Well, I was wrong and had to frog my first attempt and start over.

I am so glad I did. I am so happy I did.

Thanks to EZ and Meg's way of thinking [and now mine], I made the back a bit longer to avoid that dreaded frontal droop AND the back of the neck is raised a bit, too, so there wouldn't be that dreaded uncovered neck.

The unfinished sweater traveled with me, at Christmas time, to visit my son. He tried it on and oh did he look fine......except that I needed to add an additional 2 3/4" to EACH sleeve. Ha! That was an easy fix! Once I got back home, I snipped a thread about an inch above the needed sleeve increases and picked a whole round out. I then knit the required length, grafted the sleeve back on, weaved the few threads in - here and there, soaked, blocked, dried and mailed it.....

I hope to post a photo of him wearing it real soon!

Icelandic Sweater update...

...well, it's coming along nicely. The hardest {or most unloved} part is when I was knitting with 3 colors. I put it off and put it off and finally gave in.

I already knit in a couple of short rows, for the back, to prevent the dreaded frontal droop! Thank you, Meg Swansen, it makes so much sense and I always incorporate them in for my son.

I will work hard on it today after I do a workout, upstairs, to get me blood moving!

3rd day of knitting...

Not bad work for 3 days! It is really a very nice knit.

In order for me to make sure it will fit my super tall son, I have a tracing of him on a roll of craft paper. Once I know the sleeves and body are long enough, they will be joined together [minus the 10 stitches under the arms for the body and the 10 for the sleeves] and I'll knit the handsome yoke.

Yup, I must admit......this is really nice.

{materials used: Icelandic wool, US sz 9 and 10.5 circular needles and my flying fingers}

The sweater is getting there....

This is knitting up nicer, and quicker, than I first anticipated.

I'm getting 3.25 stitches/inch using US sz 10.5 needles and Reynold's Lopi.

I started knitting it last night, worked on it tonight and am this far along.

It's getting cold and this mom needs to keep her son warm.

I bet he is REALLY going to love this sweater. :)

Little Penny Sweater for Reba

With the book, Doggie Knits by Corinne Niessner, Cascade 220 Superwash in a violet color and US sz 6 & 7 circular needles, I was able to knit this for Reba.

It's size small and fits her pretty good, but she still did not want to model it for the camera. I understood after I saw the temperature was 76.

Addison growing up.....

Here is Addison at 2. I believe she's outgrown the red sweater I knit her......so it's time for another one.

I'll have to think about a design especially for her.

Anyone have an idea for a horse loving little girl?

A BSJ for Emma..

Emma is my sister-in-laws great grandchild and I wanted to knit her something to keep her warm.

There is nothing nicer than a BSJ in Superwash Cascade 220 to do the job.

I made up the baby socks to go with the sweater and hat.

Isn't Elizabeth Zimmermann a genius?

Wishbone or Hurry-Up Last Minute Sweater

After waiting 3 days for this sweater to dry, I put it in the dryer. I used that contraption that keeps the dryer from tumbling the clothing.

This is one BIG sweater for my very tall, college son. The fitting will take place when he comes for a month long visit this month. [trying to contain my extreme happiness here without shouting!!!!]

Ahem......

Elizabeth Zimmermann was right in that it didn't take long at all to knit up at 2 1/2 stitches to the inch. I used the best wool - Sheepsdown - and you can get that at SchoolHousePress. I finished the inside neck, cuffs and hem off with some red wool and a hidden message on the inside of the hem in purl stitches.

It's not too late to start YOUR Hurry-Up Last Minute Sweater with others at EZFans. It's the December project in Knitter's Almanac. The group is very nice and helpful!