The Cable Sweater is done!

Pretty much just like it says.  After starting it in Dec 2012, this sweater is finally done.

It's amazing how much I learned over doing this, and how much I managed to salvage from my previous mistakes.  How to alternate skeins, work with different fibers, how to cable, how to fix wrongly-crossed cables. . . . the list goes on and on. 

This was my first attempt at a hood, my first ever attempt to sew a zipper (ugh, to that by the way), and my first cardigan ever made.

And yet somehow I don't mind that it's not for me.   Maybe I'm just glad it's done.

A Yarny Christmas

So I actually got yarn and fiber stuff for Christmas!

I got a ball winder!

No pictures yet, but I'm loving it.  I already balled up several things for new projects, (I like that the cakes of yarn compact better for storage, and I've read that the yarn stores better in a cake and doesn't get stretched out) as well as balling up yarn for current projects.

. . . just don't get over-enthusiastic and try to ball up something that's still attached to your knitting.  I spent most of the morning trying to untangle -that- mistake!

I haven't tried it with the swift yet, but I'm looking forward to when I do.  Also, tucked away in the same gift bag were 3 pretty beaded stitch markers.  I'd never used the ring-style stitch markers before, but they're quite nice to use.

Also, I gave in and ordered another skein of Dream In Colour Smooshy with Cashmere from EatSleepKnit for the Mariah Cardigan, with the last of my Store Credit.  I just really don't think I'll have enough yarn to finish the hood, otherwise.  And considering I won't need much, the rest of it will be a  pair of Knotty or Nice Socks (non Ravelry link here).

Finally, I got in on Tanis Fiber Arts Boxing Day update at her Etsy store.

I got three skeins of the 75/25 Merino Silk Blend in the 'Tropics" Colourway, that is going to become a  Beginner's Triangle from "A Gathering of Lace".  I wanted something that would show off the colour changes.

And that was my yarny Christmas.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year, all!

Slow and Steady finishes a sweater

I mentioned earlier that I'd almost gotten around to joining the yoke for my Cabled Cardigan.

Well, I finally did a few days ago.

It might look a little odd now, but it's coming together ok.   The two balls are from my two alternating skeins.  If I look -really- close, there are a few spots where I can see the very subtle striping at the yoke.  But I don't think anyone's going to notice.

I still don't know if I need more yarn.  I'm pretty sure I will, (see here) but I just might be able to stretch the yarn I have. So I'm going to keep knitting on this, for now, and see how far I get before I run out of yarn.

It's funny. A lot of people are saying there is a problem with the yoke shaping in the pattern. 

However, because I'm doing this cardigan in fingering-weight yarn when it calls for worsted-weight yarn, so far, the yoke is working out just fine.  It's because my row gauge is screwy for this pattern. (I got stitch gauge, just not row gauge.)

I've been working on this sweater a row or two a day (pretty much every day unless I got super-busy), and it proves that slow and steady work means you can finish almost anything. I'm quite proud of how it's turning out.

A search for stitch-holders and cable needles

First off, thank you -so- much!  Almost 2500 views -- I never thought I would really get any views. So, thank you!


Now, onto my realization of the day:  I need more stitch holders.

I mean, I have one holding the sleeve for my Cabled Cardigan (I'm hoping to join the yoke in on that next week, which will be exciting and picture worthy), I have one holding the thumb for my Pine Cone Mittens, I have one holding the one leg of my Pyjama Shorts, and I have one holding the thumb of my Christmas Mittens.

I never, ever thought I would need more then 4 stitch holders.

"But can't you just use scrap yarn?  That's what you use for stitch markers." 

Well, yes, but I find it really hard to get stitches off of scrap yarn and onto a needle, so I really don't like using scrap yarn to hold stitches.  As stitch markers, yes, I love scrap yarn.  It means that I can't accidentally knit my marker into my work, and I don't have to worry.  It also is a nice way to use up yarn scraps.  But for holding stitches, no, it's not my first choice.  I grudgingly use it for lifelines (when I remember to put in lifelines), but that's about it.

So, my current "important" projects are now the projects that are using my stitch holders, so that I can put the thumbs on my various christmas knitting projects.

Also, I lost my little cable needle.   I have several cable needles, but one is this little purple one, and it's thinner then most cable needles I usually see.  The other ones are a bit too big for working on my Cabled Cardigan.

I would say that since I lost it at home it can't have gone too far.  With two cats, though, that cable needle could be just about anywhere. . . .

 I can pick up a new cable needle at Knit Night, it's just annoying because that one was nice and thin, perfect for cabling on socks and such. 

Knitting and Novel-Writing

So, November is here, and with it comes colder weather.  This means, it's quite nice to sit inside and knit with a warm mug of hot chocolate. 

However, I do have to be aware that National Novel Writing Month is now happening, and my spare time is, well, pretty much non-existent.  However, luckily, most of my Holiday Knitting is transit friendly, and it's also a good way to give my brain a break when I just can't think of the next line to write.

So, the Mini-Dalek is progressing quite nicely.  I had an in-person chat with my giftee earlier in the week, and I now have a proper reference point for the sizing of this -- I'm going to have to make it longer, so I'm adding a second set of bobbles after the first welt.

 I'll have to go hunting through my button-jar to see if I have 3 matching buttons for this, but if not, a trip to the fabric store is in order anyway, as I have several projects that need various notions.

The Pine Cone mittens are also coming along well, especially considering that they were a stash-dive.  Left mitten is done except for the thumb, now, and the cuff's cast on for the right mitten.

The charted pattern on the back of the hand means this is a bit less transit-friendly, but the ribbing and such still is something I can bring with me while travelling.

Finally, the Christmas Mittens are one of the fastest knits I've ever done.  They're been almost completely made on various bus and subway rides, as I'm already done the thumb gusset and half-way up the palm for the right mitten.  It really does help that they're basically plain stocking stitch.

However, with all the various mittens I've been making, I'm beginning to run out of stitch holders!  They're all being used to hold thumb gusset stitches!

In less-stressful knitting news;  in my rare moments of relaxation where I'm not trying to write frantically, (usually while working on my Mass Effect 2 re-play), I've been working on my Evening Star Cowl and my Cabled Cardigan.  Even if it's only one row a day, I'm really enjoying my work on both of them, it keeps me feeling accomplished, and it's nice to see that the second sleeve for my cardigan is almost done. 

Project Update -- September 27th, 2013

No pictures (it's dark now, so pictures don't turn out as well), but some news.

1)  I've determined that yes, I -will- need more yarn to finish my Mariah Cabled Cardigan. It's been an interesting adventure, knitting this, because I started when I knew a lot less then I know now.

So, I've put 1 more skein of the Dream In Colour Smooshy with Cashmere on my wishlist at EatSleepKnit.  (It's not in stock there right now).    Where I originally got the yarn, back in 2012, is no longer carrying Dream in Colour yarns, in fact, I haven't found a local place that carries the Smooshy with Cashmere.  Knit-O-Matic could order a bag of the Smooshy with Cashmere, I've been told, but I don't need a bag, just one more skein.  And though yes, I could use the other skeins in luxurious socks, I don't like the cashmere content in socks, because I want my socks to be machine washable.

However, this means that my new skein, like most hand-dyed yarns, won't be an exact match.  So, my plan is to finish up the sleeve with the skein I have now, then alternate the new skein with the ends from my various old skeins, and hope that hides the worst of the dye lot variation.

2) My Cowl KAL is progressing. . . slowly.  I just sat down with Star Trek: The Wrath of Khan (can I say that I love the original series far more then the JJ Abrams reboot?)  and knit through that, which got me to the second pattern repeat (the pattern repeats 6 times).   When I'm done here, I'm going to stick on the Star Trek original series episode "Space Seed" and see if I can't get more knitting done tonight before my roommate gets home from work.

3) My Christmas Entrelac Scarf is getting closer to completion.  It's become my take-along brainless knitting for the moment, because it really is.  Entrelac looks complicated, but so long as you don't knit too many stitches in a section, you're fine.  I'm going to use three balls of the Liberty Wool Light, and then I'll see how much longer I think it needs to be.  I'm also going to add some fringe to it -- I think it would look better.

Project Update -- September 16th

Well, it's been a busy knitting week, but there are only a few big things of note:

1) I finished the soles on the Fall Lake Slippers and started into the slipper foot proper.

I'll sew in the ends later.

While I'm quite happy with the pattern in general, I do have to say that the pfb back stitch is -hard-!  I'm discovering that purling through the back loop, in general, is just really fiddly to get the needle into place.

2) An update on the Pyjama shorts.

I finished the left leg during a Role-Playing session.  Haven't cast on the right leg yet.

Yes, the bottom curls a lot, there's actually a purled fold line there, the bottom of the leg is folded up and seamed. 


3) Finally, though there's no picture, I've started the increases for the sleeve on the Cable Sweater.  The sweater's taking a while, but hey, I'm ok with that.  It's a slow but steady project, and I'm actually quite enjoying it.  I'm a little worried I might run out of yarn, but I'll deal with that if it actually looks like I will.

Project Update -- August 5th 2013

I mentioned the knitting marathon?  Well, I've got other WIP's too that I'm trying to get more done with.

I did some more work on my First Cable Sweater and almost finished the first sleeve -- I've only got a few more rows before I can set it aside and start on the other sleeve.

And I'm really quite proud of how the Spring Coat is turning out, if I do say so myself.

A Babylon 5 marathon really does make me a more productive knitter, it seems!

Lost Stitches -- Or, how to Avert Panic Mode When you Realize you've Dropped a Stitch

So yep, it happens to all knitters.  

I dropped a stitch this morning. Quite spectacularly, too, I might add.  I couldn't figure out why my stitch-count on my Cable Sweater was one stitch short. 

Lo and behold, I found the offending dropped stitch, seven rows down from where it should be.   I'm just grateful that it was one of the increase stitches in the sleeve, so that it could only unravel so far.  Once it hit the M1 increase(video link),  it had nowhere else to unravel. 

If it had been in a cable, this would have been a lot more complicated.

However.

The first thing you do when you've dropped a stitch is panic.

The second thing you do is secure the offending stitch where it is.  I like to use safety pins.  Especially if you have several dropped stitches, this becomes a necessity so that more stitches don't unravel.

The third thing you do, is you take a crochet hook, stick it in the offending stitch, and work (in this case, from the back, since it's a purl stitch) up the knitted work. If it were a vertical column of knit stitches you'd work from the front.  You can't see it very well on this picture,  but there will be laddered 'bars' of yarn where the stitch unraveled. You hook those with the crochet hook and pass the previous stitch over, until you get to the top of your knitting where you should be.

And the last thing is to rejoice that your knitting didn't need to be unraveled.  I know this picture isn't the best, but it should give you an idea.  The stitch that fell is the second last one on the left, which, as you can now (hopefully) see, is back on the needles without a problem.

Also, in the last picture, you can see that this left some residual tension weirdness (there's still some laddering, you can see my hand showing through).  That happens sometimes.  It should sort itself out as you continue to knit, and if it's a serious issue, blocking the finished piece can also help.  In the absolute worst case-scenario, if you're not willing to frog back to fix the laddering, you can stitch it closed (carefully, or it'll show) with a tail end of yarn, but it's rare that you'll have to do that.

So, I hope that helps at least a few people.  

And I promise I'll get better at photographs as soon as I figure out how have two hands on the knitting while holding the camera at the same time.  :D Maybe I should invest in a camera stand or something. . .