Burgundy Pullover - Shaping Done

We ran a couple of errands this morning, including mailing off my two test knits to Laura so they could get their pictures taken, and then settled down after lunch to watch "Boyhood", which is almost 3 hours long, so I worked on my Burgundy Pullover.  It is perfect mindless knitting for watching a good movie or reading a good book.  I'm on my third ball of yarn and have finished up the side shaping and am only 27 rows away from splitting for the front and the back.  For this pattern I put the round marker in the middle of the back.  This makes the side shaping come out better because you don't have the jog.

I did find a project in my latest Bead & Button magazine that I want to make, but it uses a lot of different colors of beads and I need to figure out my color scheme.  I'm hoping that I can use stash beads - I like to do that when I can, it provides a fun challenge.  So far I have avoided the house work, well unless you count laundry, which I really don't because you just throw it in the machine and walk away.

Pattern:  Ladies Sweater - 1838 from Moments No. 005
Yarn:  SMC Select Extra Soft Merino Fino
Needles:  US 2.5 (3.0 mm) and US 3 (3.25 mm)

Snow Queen - Clue 2

This is a much better picture of the shawl so far.  The picture of Clue 1 was taken very quickly and kind of late in the day, so it wasn't the best.  This one used all three colors of beads that I bought.  I am using the purple beads for the ones called for in the pattern.

I have finished up two of the three test knits, but I can't start the third one because I don't have the yarn yet.  I may take a look at the pattern this weekend, but I feel kind of lost.  I've been working on my Burgundy pullover, but it is not at all challenging, in fact it is pretty boring, but I'm not sure I want to jump into something else.  Maybe I'll work on something non-knitting, like beading or chainmail, or even sewing.  I suppose I could always do house work...

Project:  Snow Queen by Janine le Cras
Yarn:  The Unique Sheep Marici Fingering in Dusk on the Fjord
Needle:  US 5 (3.75 mm)

Snow Queen - Clue 1

The Snow Queen Mystery Knit Along started this past Friday, so I can finally begin to reveal my shawl.  I test knit this pattern using the yarn above - Dusk on the Fjord in Marici Fingering.  It was my first time using Marici Fingering, which is 100% silk.  I love the richness of the colors, and it is wonderful to knit with.  I received the pink beads with the yarn, but I had also purchased several other colors from Earthfaire and was delighted to discover that I had 3 colors that went with my yarn.  As part of the test knit we were provided a complete chart of the pattern, so I could see how all of the elements came together and that inspired me to go a bit crazy with the beads.  I ended up using most of those 6 packages of beads in the picture.  I started with the silver end and the Crystal AB beads.

As part of the test knit I created a cape modification - something that I have become known for in our Unique Sheep group - and this time the modification instructions are being included in the pattern, with appropriate attribution.

The placement of the extra beads is not included in the pattern, but I have been adding notes to my project page.  This is not the best picture, taken on a cloudy afternoon in late November, but the other pictures are better.

Project:  Snow Queen by Janine le Cras
Yarn:  The Unique Sheep Marici Fingering in Dusk on the Fjord
Needle:  US 5 (3.75 mm)

Burgundy Pullover

After finishing up my Primula Adiri I started working on modifying a bottom up raglan cardigan to a top-down raglan cardigan.  I also agreed to do two test knits.  I didn't really want to start knitting on the raglan while I was working on test knits so last Wednesday I cast on another of my pullovers.  This is the fourth copy that I have made of this pattern (Goldenrod, Crimson Lake and Lilac are the other three).  I wanted something that was dead simple and that I could pick up and put down without worries.  On this one I will knit the set in sleeves top down.  I'm really looking forward to that.

I am half way through one of the test knits that I am working on and agreed to another test knit, bringing my total to three, but I don't have the yarn for the other two yet.  Last Saturday morning I prepared all of the clues for Snow Queen, as well as the stitch key.  It was very satisfying.  I am really enjoying the test knitting and tech editing.

Pattern:  Ladies Sweater - 1838 from Moments No. 005
Yarn:  SMC Select Extra Soft Merino Fino
Needles:  US 2.5 (3.0 mm) and US 3 (3.25 mm)

Primula Adiri - Finished!

I finished this sweater up on Sunday.  The picture does not really do it justice.  I shall have to try and get a photo of it on me.  It fits perfectly.  I remember my early days knitting sweaters and the problems that I would have getting them to fit - mostly due to a combination of not getting gauge and lack of experience.  I was always ambitious in my project selections.  Of course gauge swatches do not tell the whole story or the whole truth.  How can a small square gauge reveal what the finished sweater will be like?  There are an instance of the fingerpost, pointing the way, you need experience to read the terrain and know how to proceed.  Luckily yarn can be frogged and used again, and I have reknit sweaters to get them to fit.

I haven't started anything new yet, although I do have some works in progress that I need to get back to at some point.  Right now I am converting a bottom up raglan cardigan to a top down raglan cardigan and modifying the cable pattern on the sleeves.  The pattern is Cassatt from the Sweet Paprika Sweater Club.  I don't do bobbles and I would like to be able to make it a little longer so I will work the sleeves and the collar before I finish the body and use up all of my yarn.  I am also working on two test knits.  I really enjoy test knitting and tech editing patterns and I learn so much about pattern writing from the MKALs.

Pattern:  Adiri by Julia Trice
Yarn:  Shalimar Yarns Haven in Primula
Needles:  US 6 (4.0 mm)

Primula Adiri - Collar Done

I finished up the collar last Sunday and started on the first sleeve.  As I was converting the sleeve instructions to knit them from the top down I noticed a couple of things.  I saw from the schematic that the sleeve would be too short for my long arms, only 13 inches, where I need 16 inches.  Some quick math yielded the total number of rows that I would need once I started knitting in the round (108 rows).  Then I looked at the increases that the pattern called for and figured out my decreases.  As I was looking at the increases I noticed that they were spaced less than an inch apart for the pattern size that I was working.  I like to start the first decrease about 2 inches from the underarm and work them about every inch.  I ended up working the first decrease on row 17 and am working them every 8 rows and will work 10 decreases total.

I picked up a total of 68 stitches around the armhole.  This is actually 8 stitches more than the pattern size I am knitting calls for, but I like my sleeves a little roomier. As I started working the back and forth section the first part ended up being 22 stitches, which was just enough to work the lace pattern and the 3 stitches to either side.  As I worked from side to side I started working the pattern as soon as I could.  The color in this picture is not great from a color perspective, but it shows the top of the sleeve.

Pattern:  Adiri by Julia Trice
Yarn:  Shalimar Yarns Haven in Primula
Needles:  US 6 (4.0 mm)

Primula Adiri - Body Done!

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I finished up the body this afternoon.  I'll do the collar next, but I knew that if I waited until I had finished the collar it would be too dark to get a good photo.  This pattern is really well written and nicely detailed.  I usually mark up my patterns a lot, writing in details, especially on the shaping, but this one already has most of the kinds of details that I add.  The only thing I found a little strange was the bind off for the underarms, it wasn't centered on the side markers.  After some thought I decided to start the bind off on the side marker (center of the round) and then do the bind off on the round marker.  Because of the pattern, the bind offs are not centered on the markers, but start 9 stitches in front of the marker and extend 2 stitches past.  I did the bind off on a non-pattern (WS) row, and this way I was able to continue with a right side row as I started working the back.  I kept the foliage lace pattern going for as long as I could once I started the neck shaping.  Even unblocked the sweater fits me quite well.

Pattern:  Adiri by Julia Trice
Yarn:  Shalimar Yarns Haven in Primula
Needles:  US 6 (4.0 mm)