Thursday, May 15, 2008

Another Sweater

Checked out a new (well new to me) LYS yesterday. Knitting on the Lamb is a nice store good stock of yarn and a very friendly owner. I chose to make an oversized Aran sweater made from raw silk yarn. Yes silk. Surprisingly it's not overly expensive at about $7.50 a skein. I don't do too many sweaters and this one will be for me. I'd like to have it done by the time we go on vacation this summer so I can take it along. The yarn is being ordered for me as they didn't have enough at the store. DD will come along when i pick it up so she can pick out some yarn for a pair of socks I plan to make for her. These socks will be done on two circular needles, a technique I've been wanting to learn.

But back to the sweater. I took one skein home, along with an Addi Turbo needle #7 to swatch it with. Unfortunately I didn't hit gauge with this combo and think I have to go down a size to make it. Gauge is 18 stitches to the inch and I'm at 16 to the inch. So I'll try a size six needle next time. The suggested gauge on the ball band was 16 to the inch on number 7 needles so at least I know my tension is reasonable.

The socks formally known as cursed are coming along. I have done the gusset on one and am on the heel flap of the other (had to do some ripping back to fix a counting error). The sweater for DH is up to the armholes on the back. So that's had some good progress too.

Sunday, May 11, 2008

The Sweater Revisited

Well after thinking about it quite a bit I decided to totally bag DH's sweater and use the yarn to make him a simple pullover. Boring I know but the yarn is sort of marbled and the simplicity of stockinette stitch will show it off to good advantage. I'm doing a drop shoulder, with the possibility of a rolled collar, DH hasn't decided if that's what he wants yet. The gauge swatch is in process and I will use the pattern in The Knitters Handy Guide to Sweater Patterns.

The now formally cursed socks are coming along very nicely. I have one done down to the heel flap and the other almost to the heel flap. (I always work the two at the same time so I don't get second sock syndrome) I have Cat Bordhi's book Socks Soar on Two Circular Needles on order from the library and plan to make the next pair using that method, perhaps doing two socks on the two circulars. I don't mind using double points, I rather like them in fact, but I want to add the other technique to my skills.

I promise pictures as soon as I find the blasted camera. :)

Thursday, May 08, 2008

Thought You Got Rid of Me Didn't You?

Well after entirely too long a lay off I am back in the saddle again with this blog. The cursed socks stayed cursed and were relegated to UFO status until I picked them up again this past week and have been working on them steadily. The sweater for DH got relegated to UFO status as well but I plan to do something with it this coming week. The sweater was/is an aran knit that did not come with a chart so it's a little hard to figure out how it's supposed to look. Row two of the instructions made no sense but I think I can figure it out. My LYS closed but the owner still sells from her house so I think I may contact her via email and ask if she'd be willing to go over the pattern with me and I'd pay her for her time. What do you all think of that?

In new projects I am going to try to teach myself how to do socks on two circular needles, Sensational Knitted Socks, which I have a copy of, has directions and I am going to try it with a pair of socks that I plan to make for DD.

To update you on the family and myself, I've changed jobs since last I was here. I work now at a local department store a few nights a week and then some weekend time. DD is in High School now and DS continues to do well at his boarding school. (you may remember that DS has autism and goes to a school for kids with special needs) DH is doing well at his job and keeps wondering about his sweater :) The kitchen project I mentioned in the blog is long done and came out great!

I've made some changes to the sidebar, eliminated the podcast list as many of them had given up the ghost I will produce a new list soon. If anyone knows of a good blog that I don't list let me know about it. I'm always on the lookout for a new blog. It can be knitting related or not.