Delancey Knit Along: Week 1

Well we've just finished our Week 1 of our Knit Along. I'm enjoying the construction of this sweater very much.

You start out with 5 STITCHES for each side triangle and increase on your way up. The side triangles are then connected and you knit the body up from there, the are triangles pulled out as they are connected, to create the bottom of your sweater. It is really interesting construction and a great way to highlight the stripes.

many other people have mentioned how addictive/exciting it is to see this sweater come together and I completely agree. I even knit a few rows past our week 1 goal just to finish out my striping pattern. I'm following the shortened version of this sweater (short torso hey!) so this up coming week I have a few less inches to knit then everyone else.

I'm really loving how quickly this knits up, and the Swish DK is a pleasure to work with. This pattern is written with a lot of row counting (it's integral to the process) and I've even managed to stay on top of that so far. Thanks to this little trusty row counter.

Others have talked about their methods whether it's writing down row numbers and crossing them out, hash marks on a post it or smart phone aps, the consensus is- go with what works for you. I've never really used a row counter on a project before, although I happened to have a few tucked away in the corner of a knitting drawer. I'm glad I unearthed this baby because as much as I am a fly by the seat of my pants knitter, that method would not have worked for this pattern. I'm looking forward to next week, I have a feeling I might even make it past the week two goal (shhhhh, don't tell!)

Delancey Knit Along

I've participated in a few Sweatshop of Love Knit Alongs, although all of them haven't gone swimmingly (looking at you summer.) This time around I'll be knitting the Delancey Cardigan. I've been waiting to make this sweater for awhile now and I'm so excited to chart my progress along with all of the other fabulous knitters participating.

After my massive sweater debacle I've become a little more dedicated about swatching and calculating my gauge.I know that a little more work in the beginning will save me A LOT (re-knitting an entire sweater) work in the end.

This pattern runs a little large so I'm going down two needles sizes ( I knit a little loosely). I ended up with a swatch that is a little narrower than called for in the pattern gauge. I'm going to knit a size smaller than I normally wear. Sometimes sweater making is part logic and part gut feeling. I know that I would much rather have a smaller sweater I have to block out larger then a sweater I'm swimming in. I'm looking forward to casting on for this project so soon and excited to stay on top of it documenting it all! 

Summer Knit Along: Week Never

If you were with me over the summer you might remember the Sweatshop of Love knit along that I did. Last time I wrote about it, we were in week four. I had fallen far behind on the Loop Tank Top but was making decent progress on the Makeup Your Mind, and then, I just....stopped. I stopped knitting, I stopped writing.

There were a lot of other things that kept me away from the blog this summer, some good, some not so good, but after I dropped the ball on my knit along a big one was guilt. I felt guilty for not keeping up with it, I felt guilty for starting to write with out addressing it, My guilt kept me from writing about it. It paralyzed me. In the spirit of resolutions for this new year I have dubbed 2012 the year of action. This is a year of doing. Of simply picking up the pen, the mouse, the needle and starting something. These projects have two very different endings.

The Loop has been frogged and returned to it's original form. Wound and ready for...something. I still would like a Loop Tank Top and plan on making one in the future, but I know that this project doesn't need to be completed right away. There are a lot more projects I am itching to work on and if I've learned anything from last year it's that you need to follow your energy and passion where it points you. I'm sure I'll be dying for one of these once the sun starts to peak out a little more and the weather doesn't require multiple jackets.

My Make Up Your Mind however is much further along. Almost done, really! I only have a few inches of laces to finish on the bust and then I need to separate for the arm holes. I plan on throwing this back in the rotation and hopefully you'll see it as a finished project up here soon. It feels good to be letting go of my guilt and worry and starting to replace it with decisions and action.

Summer Knit Along: Week 4

Week 4 is hustling along right along over here. Make Up Your Mind is going swimmingly.

Working on the third band in the linen stitch. A deceptively simple stitch to knit it is wonderful looking and I already have some ideas floating around of how to work it into some other projects. This stitch is also much tighter than the previous ones so it starts to give the waist a little shape before you actually start decreasing stitches.

Over all it's coming along quite nicely. I love how the stitch changes keep you on your toes and although it is a little looser and softer than I really care for I'm sure that the final project is going to come out very cohesive.

Unfortunately I'm still behind on the Loop Tank and haven't done ANYTHING AT ALL this week, well so far that is. This will be quickly changing in the next day. Tonight I'm leaving Chicago to drive up to Minneapolis and then on Saturday morning leaving Minneapolis to drive up to northern Minnesota. I'm going to spend the entire knitting, relaxing, reading, knitting, swimming, hiking, knitting and just generally having a great time. Another perk of this vacation? No internet. I'll actually be on an island all week, living it up rustic style. So although I will miss next weeks posts I'll be sure to update when I get back to the cities.

Summer Knit Along: Week 3

Well, Week Three is here. I haven't gotten as much done as I would like over all. But lets start with the positive!

On Make Up Your Mind I am right on track in our second panel. The checkerboard stitch was easy breezy and I can't wait to get started on next weeks goal. My gauge is a little looser than I would really like but I'm not willing to start over so it's just going to have to be the looser side. If I was going to knit this again I would definitely size down to a size 5 needle for a tighter fabric.

The Loop Tank Top has been much more slow going. This week I was slated to start picking up stitch's for my boob flaps. (the front of the bust of the tank top) But I haven't finished my first strap yet, much less the second. So I'm about a solid two weeks behind on this one. I'm almost ready to bind off my first strap so once I get started on my second I'm hoping to fly through it.

Lots of knitting in my future!

Summer Knit Along: Week 1 AND 2

Well, things have been busy busy busy around here recently. I'm participating in the Sweatshop of Love Summer Knit Along. There are two options to choose from. A more simple pattern and a more complex and advanced pattern. Like a crazy person I am knitting BOTH.

My justification to myself it they are both tank tops so that's less time right? Well, that's what I'm telling myself at least.

Unfourtunatly I am already behind. Classic. I know. BUT considering that last time I started three weeks late, and only ended two weeks after everyone else. I think I'll be just fine.

The first summer sweater aka tank top that I am knitting is Make Up Your Mind.

From Knitty.com this racerback tank is made up of five different stitch patterns. Its sure to keep me on my toes. I'm using Knit Picks Fingering Comfy in Blackberry. It doesn't have stretch like the yarn called for but at a much more reasonable price I decided to use it anyway.

Our second sweater is the Loop Enterlac Tank Top

A Sweatshop original design this involves enterlac, the complex looking, but fairly simple technique that gives the straps their woven effect. I'm using they yarn called for, Knit Picks Comfy Sport which I've worked with before and absolutely love.

So far my progress is only a little past to week one on Makeup Your Mind.

And my enterlac is withering away, I'm only still on my first strap.

Luckily I've still got two more days to bang out some inches to get ready for week three. Can't wait to get knitting!

Seflish Knitting

It's been a busy month around here without any internet access. Luckily my frown is getting turned upside down by my new internet connection! It took AT&T 10 days longer than they should have and I spent a combined total of two hours on the phone but it is finally working.

The good news about being on hold is that you can get lots of knitting done with your phone on speaker.
This week I started and finished my sleeves for my beatnik sweater.

I'm using Allyson's method of knitting two sleeves at once. It helps them fly by faster and keeps the mistakes the same on both. I am notoriously bad at counting rows so knitting them together means they are always the same exact size.

 I'm trying to keep on with the body of my sweater but I've gotten a little discouraged, I've got the shoulder shaping on the back to finish and then the entire front.

I'm taking the beloved mega bus up to Minnesota this weekend so I'm going to have lots of time to finish up my body and seem my sleeves into my sweater. After that I just have the collar to do. There is a slim chance I might finish in time with everyone else!! But I'm not holding my breath, it's more important to finish than to finish it in time with everyone else.

I've got a few more projects sitting around on my needles that I'll try to get up here in the next few weeks and once my (very belated) Christmas gifts for my family once I've finally distributed them.

The Beatnik Continues

The Selfish Knit Along is rolling right along and despite my best efforts I'm still about two weeks behind. It's been a crazy week around here complete with an ER trip for a very very sick husband. Thankfully David is doing ok and there was a lot of waiting around in the ER so I did get quite a bit of knitting done.

This sweater has cabled charts which I had never done before, its really no different than following any other kind of chart but there are small variations between them that I took Allyson's advice and color coded the different cables so that I could identify the variation quickly and find the description. 

I had a really good time of calling out "GREEN" or "RED" when I got to the right cable, although I'm sure it was a less endearing quality to my surrounding human beings. None the less, it gave me a little chuckle and kept me entertained. 

I'm really enjoying this pattern so far and I've pretty much go the charts down so that I really only need to double check stitches a few times. The trouble becomes in remembering where I am in the chart and in all of my increases. The little post it note up there comes in handy to mark where I am before I put it down and don't have a complete brain fart the next time I pick it up. So, the plan is to just keep plugging along and hoping that I can pick up some time along the way. Either way, I know I'll finish and that's what's important.

Snowpacolypse

Here in Chicago we were treated to a truly epic blizzard last night. THUNDERSNOW is new to my vocabulary but it truely was a sight to see. A thunder storm INSIDE a blizzard. I felt like an arctic adventurer braving the snow this morning to make it to breakfast. After a quick (and by that I mean a few blocks through knee deep or waist deep snow drifts) jaunt to our local breakfast place david and I holed ourselves up inside most of the day.

I had the very rare adult treat of a snow day from work! Unheard of! But considering that the side streets were impassable at most points much of Chicago was shut down today. Tomorrow I'll be hitting the slopes bright and early to make it out to the mall that I work in. But today I got to relax and luckily get a lot of knitting done.

I'm still plugging away on my Beatnik Sweater as part of The Sweatshop of Love Selfish Knit Along. It's going pretty well for just starting it a few days ago, I've gotten through to the waist decreases and am just getting ready to knit up most of the body before the waist increases. Super exciting stuff all around.

Looking good!

I'm very excited to have Friday off of work as well so I'll just be drinking lots of tea, firing up some movies and knitting my little heart out. I also have some new projects I'm working on and hopefully will have some more information about in the next few weeks. Until then I'll be glad that this isn't my car:

There are two cars under there! Promise!

Knit Along!

While my lovely friend Allyson over at The Sweatshop of Love has been staycation-ing in Minneapolis for three months my Chicago knitting sceen has been a little lonely. That's why I was super pshcyed to get on board with a knit along. I've never done one before but I am drooling over The Beatnik sweater in the deep fall issue Knitty that I just couldn't help myself.

The Knit Picks gift card my lovely mother in law gave me for Christmas was a nice little bonus as well. Unfortunatly I waited so long in my deicion and ordered my yarn late so I'm THREE whole weeks behind schedule.

The idea is to turn this:

into this: 

I'm working with the Knit Picks DK City Tweed. It's a slightly thiner yarn than what the pattern calls for but I think that I'm going to be ok as far as size goes. I half heartedly knit up a gauge swatch, eyeballed it once or twice with a ruller and just dug in. It kind of just feels like I need a little blind faith in my life right now. So here's jumping in head first. I ordered a few extra skeins so I should be alright in the end. 

I'm really loving how soft and buttery it is. The yellow is a little more mustardy in real life than it appears on the web site which I love. We've got a crazy snow storm forecasted in the next two days here in Chicago so I plan on enjoying my days off and getting some serious knitting in!

cha-cha changes

Even with the end of the holiday season and the end of school (forever!) things have still been really crazy around here. I've got lots of projects to look forward to and set up to get shaking on my needles but its all been set back by my transition to MY NEW APARTMENT.

I'm pretty physced about all of it but its been a whirl wind of activity. I've officially been there a little over a week and tomorrow on my to do list is setting up my very own CRAFT ROOM!

I'll be sure to post some pictures up once I get it all arranged. I also was lucky enough to add a sewing machine to my repertoire (thanks to the hubs for a fabulous Christmas gift!) So we can also look forward to some sewing projects in the future.

I'll wrap this all up with a little finished Christmas project.

Crocheted Washcloths

These were gifts that went to all of my lovely sister in laws along with a cute bar of soap to round it out. 

Such a quick and easy gift these were perfect to whip up for a crowd. 

I also am going to be participating in the Sweat Shop of Love Selfish Knit-a-long. It officially started last week so I'm getting a little late start but once my yarn arrives in the mail I'll be off and running.