Holly Sweater - Body Done

Thanks to six hours of meetings yesterday I was able to finish most of the body of my Holly Sweater, finishing up the ribbing this afternoon.  I only did eight rows of the ribbing, to match the collar. I do not like a lot of ribbing.  I have considerably less ease than is recommended by the pattern, but I am pretty slender and would get lost in the sweater if I had knit it to the pattern gauge.  I do like the gauge that I am knitting to, I think the stitch work looks pretty good and I’m pretty psyched to be on the sleeves of my first Fair Isle pullover.  I have several other Fair Isle projects lined up to tackle next.  This has been such a great learning experience for me.  I have tried it on and I am very happy with the fit.

Pattern:  Holly Sweater by Ruth Sorensen

Yarn:  Shetland Wool

Needles:  US 2.5 (3.0 mm) and US 3 (3.25 mm)

 

Advertence - Clue 3 Done

I finally put aside my Holly Sweater long enough to work Clue 3 of Advertence.  I actually knit about half of this clue twice.  The change in mosaic pattern resulted in the garter stripes on the edges getting longer, and I just didn’t like the look of that, so I ripped back and added extra slipped stitches along the edge where appropriate when I could without disturbing the new mosaic pattern.  It doesn’t completely preserve the edge pattern from clue 2, but I think it does enough to fool the eye, without making the new mosaic pattern look strange.  My left edge appears to be a bit looser than the right edge, I will have to keep an eye on that.  Hopefully it won’t be too noticeable once it is blocked.

Pattern:  Advertence by Janica York Carter

Yarn:  Expression Fiber Arts Mirage Sport

Needle:  US 4 (3.5 mm)

 

Lato - One Section Done

Although I haven’t made any progress on this project lately, having become a little obsessed with colorwork, I had made some good progress on it before I set it aside.  You can tell it has been sitting in a project bag - it is all wrinkled.  All four of my colors are now in the piece and I like them.  I just need to get back to this in time to finish it before May 1.

Pattern:  Lato by Johanna Huck

Hook:  3.5 mm (E)

Yarn:  Expression Fiber Arts Blossom Fingering in Passion, Inflorescence, Budding, and Cultivar

 

Holly Sweater - Yoke Done

So I cast this on in early January, and then I let it sit for a while.  I picked it back up a few weeks ago and really started making some progress.  I was doing pretty well, or so I thought, when I realized that the neck opening was going to be too tight, and that my gauge was also too tight.  As I hadn’t gotten too far into the yoke I decided to just start over again on bigger needles.  This time I was able to master the two handed knitting technique and weave my ends in as I went, so I was feeling pretty good.  Then as I was transferring to a needle with a longer cable I realized that the needle that I had been using was not the correct size - it was one size larger than what I thought I was using, and I could tell the difference looking at the stitches - they were looking sloppy.  So, I put a needle in the row that I wanted to start on and ripped back and redid it.  Lots of practice, but I think I’m getting pretty good at the Fair Isle thing, and have become hooked on colorwork.  It is just so much fun.  Looking at the colors of this kit knit up I am kind of wishing that I had gotten one of the kits with brighter colors, but I think I will like these colors when it is all done.  My gauge is still a little tighter than the pattern calls for, but I like the fabric so I’m going with it.  I’m not a very big person and even the smallest size would have been very oversized on me.  I’m just hoping that I haven’t made it too much smaller.  I haven’t tried it on since I started the body, but I did try it on before that point and the neck opening is definitely good.  And it looks pretty good on my dress maker dummy, so it should fit me okay.

Pattern:  Holly Sweater by Ruth Sorensen

Yarn:  Shetland Wool

Needles:  US 2.5 (3.0 mm) and US 3 (3.25 mm)

Fan Shawl 2 - Finished!

I actually knit most of the second half of this shawl twice as I screwed up the decreases - decreases after the eyelet row instead of before.  I didn’t realize it until I was completely finished and bound off.  Fortunately when I did it properly it actually took a little less yarn.  I do like the colors of the Hand Painted Knitting Yarns, too bad it appears that they are no longer available.

Blocking is always a little bit of a challenge with this design.

But I think I’m getting better at it.  Maybe.

Pattern:  Fan Shawl

Yarn:  Hand Painted Knitting Yarn Superwash Fine Merino

Needle:  US 7 (4.5 mm)

 

Deck the Halls - Finished!

I actually completed this almost a month ago, but then it took a while before I found time to block it, and then I had to get some pictures, but anyway, here it is all done.  It was a pretty easy knit, and not too challenging to block.

The colors are nice.

And it is a nice size.

Pattern:  Deck the Halls by Tabetha Hedrick

Yarn:  Sweet Georgia Yarns Cashluxe Spark & Tough Love Sock

Needle:  US 5 (3.75 mm)