Cambridge Jacket DONE!

I finished Scott's Cambridge Jacket at Christmas, and just now got around to taking few photos of it. Luckily, it's still SNOWING and HAILING here into the end of April this year.

I ended up using all but about 3 yards of yarn. Cascade 220 is so nice to work with, comes in great colors, and is cheap! I have about three other projects I'd like to do with this yarn, but it'll have to wait until the fall. If spring ever comes to the Northwest it'll be too warm for wool.



The details:

Pattern: Cambridge Jacket from Interweave Knits
Yarn: Cascade 220 in heathered charcoal color
Size: small
Mods: I wanted to do this in the round (body and arms), with a half zipper. Also wanted to shorten the collar a bit. This was my first attempt at such modifications, and I think it went well. The sleeves are too long, and the arms are way too big at the join with the body. I tried to steam, wet block, and thought about using a quick run in the dryer to shrink it (it could really stand to lose some inches all around). It looked good after wet blocking, so that's where we are. If it stretches too much I may toss it in the dryer for a bit.




I'm really pleased with how it turned out. Hubby wears a uniform to work and mostly washable clothes at home, so it doesn't get much use, but I love it and I think the color looks great on him.

Something wrong in Sockville

I started the cable rib socks from IK's Favorite Socks book (which I love. Not one pattern I wouldn't make.)

But, hm. Something is off.

I turn the heel, and yes indeed! The cables don't do the neat swoopy thing they do in the photo! Argh! I turn it this way and that, and I think that maybe, just maybe, the cable directions are backwards! I've checked errata for the book, and this pattern isn't listed. Hm.

Here is a photo of my sock (on my hand. Perhaps not the best model, and absolutely not the best lighting.)

And here is the picture in the book. Note the cool way the cables loop to form the rib in the heel (if you can see with my poor photo skills).... :)

Ok...so perhaps it would be best if you looked at your own copy of the book ;) You wouldn't believe all the attempts to get a usable photo. I suck.

So, I'm ripping the sock and starting over. Or, I may rip it and try Bayerische by Eunny instead :)

Tree Jacket is nearly complete. I'm working on the arms now, and trying to decide to do more decreasing than what's written.

New Year, New Projects

Well, finished Flyguy's sweater and it's BEAUTIFUL! I have to get a photo of him in it, still-and that will have to wait for me to do a little crochet edging to prevent the ugly rolling action.

In the mean time, I am cookin' on the Tree Jacket, and I finished two hats just in time for some serious snow play at Mt Rainier!

His: I cast on 100 sts with size 5 needles and k2p2 ribbing for about an inch. Stst for about 5.25 inches, then reduced by one stitch (99 left) and did k2tog decreases every 9 stitches (11 times). K round, dec round, etc.

I added two stripes, two rounds high, about 2 inches from the bottom edge.

Used Cascade 220 in dark brown and off-white.

Mine: Followed directions for Norwegian Star Earflap Hat by Tienne (http://www.tiennie.com/) I didn't do the earflaps. I used the same Cascade 220 as hubby's hat, size 6 needles, and used directions for the child size hat (that gauge is about 5 sts/inch for me, which would yield 19" hat if following child directions)

I did a k round between dec rounds until about round #13 (on the crown) then I did all dec rounds.

To find the size I should knit I measured our heads, then subtracted 15%.

Sure kept us warm and cozy!

Progress!

So, it's Christmas Eve and Flyguy is on a trip. I have today and the 26th to complete his gift and I'm mildly FREAKING OUT. I think I'm going to bring it with me tomorrow for the extended family Christmas. Maybe I can get something done in the car. I'm using Cascade 220 in a beautiful almost-black color that is not showing well in these photos.

This is my first try at almost completely reworking a pattern. So far it's going well, but I'm concerned about fit. I haven't blocked it out yet, of course, so hopefully that will help.



For those in the know, Cambridge Jacket from IK is knit in pieces and seamed together. It has a full zipper and a long-ish collar. After consulting Male Neighbor Who Has More Shoes Than Me and Knows Way More About Men's Fashion, I decided to knit this sweater in the round to avoid seaming, put in a half-zip instead of a full zipper, and shorten the collar to about 1.75 inches-2 inches.

So far I have completed the sweater up to the zipper, where I will split the front and work on each side separately. I think it looks wonderful, but again, only fit will tell. I have finished one arm (in the round woohoo!) and I am so impressed with it! The increases make a false-seam look in the underarm AND it took me slightly less than a day to complete. I should be able to get it blocking by mid day on the 26th IF ALL GOES WELL. (Crossing all appendages)



If anyone is interested in my notes and recalculations for the changes I made let me know!

Starting again...

So, I got through the garter section of Juliet and started the lace, only to find that I was off by 6 stitches. Frustration set in, and I decided to frog the entire thing. I'll use the cotton fleece for a different project and maybe look for a better color and try this project again in the spring.

I finished Danica-it's beautiful! I wear it constantly, but so far have no pictures of the finished product. It is one of the few things I've finished lately that I like. I'm becoming discouraged with fo's and a little worried that my latest projects won't work out the way I'd like. One is for hubby for Christmas:

I am making an attempt at altering a pattern (that I love in it's original form, but I was informed by a fairly stylish man that it would be better with a half-zip instead of cardigan-like) and I'm completely freaked out given my previous three attempts or so. This is the MAJOR Christmas gift for hubby, and the amount of time that goes into it won't allow for much wiggle room or frog/reknit time if I screw it up.

It's the Cambridge Jacket from IK Summer '06, in Cascade 220. I'm doing it in the round up to the underarm/zipper area, then I have no clue what I'll do. How's that for a plan?!?

I'm also picking away at Tree Jacket from Zephyr Style. Cotton Ease in terracotta. Size XS.


I'm doing some needle felting projects for Christmas as well. Will post pictures when I finish them up...
That's it for now!

And, in conclusion......

Ok, so here we have the remainder of my post from yesterday....

Behold, the Lopi Sweater. I slaved over this thing for weeks, and my daughter wore it once and lost it before I got a picture of it. She found it this summer shoved under a ton of stuff in her closet when we were doing our back-to-school cleaning frenzy. Good thing I made it BIG!

(Little Guy wants in on the action)

and, the back....

I'm so stinkin' proud of this sweater and the way it turned out. I cannot begin to describe how pissed I was when she lost it. But, happy day! She found it again and all is well. I have enough yarn to make another Lopi sweater either for Little Guy (when he is much bigger) or for me. I really enjoyed making this, and the colorwork wasn't as bad as I thought it would be (although I do need to work on the tension when I'm stranding...they are a bit loose in places). I used three different colors, in the round (LOVE THAT...no seaming!). The instructions were very very easy to follow. I used a Lopi pattern book that I got at my LYS, and big ol' needles, so it went pretty fast.

Next up.....

The purple Cascade 220 is for the TTV from Fitted Knits, and the pretty multi-colored Cascade Quattro is for the back-to-school vest from Fitted Knits. Can't wait to get both going, but I'm currently drowning in WIP's, so I need to finish up a few things before I get started.

Many FO's and WIP's

So, I've been away a long time. Summer is always busy, but this one seemed shorter and busier than most. I finished a few things over the last several months (and started many more) but I've been bad about posting. Time to catch up!

Socks!

Pattern: 3 x 3 Cable with Moss Stitch

Source: Sensational knitted socks

Yarn: Can't remember!! I've lost the ball band in my bag someplace.

The photo is wonky, and it's not great at showing stitch definition because of the tweedy nature of the yarn. I LOVE these socks-I wear them all the time. One sock has the best kitchener stitches I've ever done. Gives me hope for future projects.

Danica!

Pattern: Danica

Source: Knitty

Yarn: The Fabulous SWS in Geranium

Needles: 8

Notes: I am loving this scarf. I never thought I would try entrelac-it kind of freaks me out. It's so easy, however, I'm wondering what took me so long! This yarn is too perfect for it-the colors blend well and it is so freaking soft! I can't wait to wear this over the next fall and winter.

Ladybug sweater!

Pattern: Ladybug sweater

Source: Family Circle Easy knitting Spring/Summer '98

Yarn: Encore DK (acrylic. Yuck. I know. But it's washable and cheap and for my daughter that's exactly what the doctor ordered)

Needles: 6 (I'm using circs)

Notes: Again, I'm loving the sweater. I am So Freaking Close to finishing it, but I am dangerously close to running out of yarn, so I need to buy another ball of yellow before I finish the second sleeve. Hopefully it will match up. Closer photo of pattern details below...

And, now I'm late for the Doctor....will post the rest later :)