Cabin fever goosebumps

I feel like I have an extended holiday.  I'm starting to get a little stir crazy being stuck in the house with no one to look at but myself.  Fortunately I have lots and lots of yarn to keep me company.

I've spent the extra days off, thanks to the snow storm, knitting warm hats and cowls.

The green set has a quite befitting name - Cabin Fever.  It's made from JoAnn's exclusive brand Sensations, the yarn is called Sumptuous.  I had to use size 17 needles to make it.  It took less than a skein for the hat and less than a skein for the cowl.  I used two separate skeins because I didn't want to have to tie off in the middle of my project.  The yarn is super bulky and making a clean join would not have been easy. I used moss/seed stitch to give it some texture.

The purple hat is called Purple Goosebumps.  I actually made a small bump by accident and like it.  They say that a mistake repeated becomes a pattern so I searched my books and chose I bobble that I liked.  The hat is made with a yarn if got from smilelysyarns.com.  It's one of those thick/thin yarns so really didn't know what to do with it; it's perfect for hats and cowls.  I used size 9 needles to make this one.  

Both of these project were pretty quick and very easy.  I don't like being a slave to patterns so it feels good to call these my own.

I'm ready for the weather to break!

When the weather breaks I'll be ready with my new sweater!
After some tears and a bit of shouting, but no cussing because I'm a lady, I'm ready to call this done.
The only thing left to do is work the zipper properly.  I hand basted it in just to get a look at the sweater and fell in love with the color pop.  I think it gives that extra oomph that the sweater needs to make it mine.
I actually had to cut the collar off, pick up the stitches and rework it.  This presented as an initial challenge considering the sweater was knitted top-down!  However, with a consult from Margaret Radcliffe I was able to get it done.
I am very pleased with the efforts I put into this sweater and the lessons learned:

1. Remember to do another gauge swatch if you change your mind about the pattern stitch, at the starting point.
2. The collar can be removed from a top-down garment without destroying the whole thing.
3. For a nicer finish, use reverse single crochet on the edges when applying a zipper.
4. Be bold, step away from traditional matching colors.  Instead add pop with a surprising color change.
5. Icord edging, great way to finish off a sweater.
6. Remember to carry cc color yarn along the back of work.

So the sweater was, as mentioned, finished off with corrugated ribbing and then icord on the bottom and sleeves.  The collar was finished with 2x2 rib and an icord edge.  The hand basted zipper will be sewn in properly and an interesting pull will be attached.  The pull will most likely be handmade.

Keep stitchin'

First project for 2014

I like to keep my needles warm so I move on the next project right away.  This one I call 'When the weather breaks'.
It's another contiguous sweater based on the Susie Myers method.  Why wouldn't anyone love a pattern/recipe/formula/method that allows you to customize a garment anyway you see fit, for any body type. So, in keeping my list of new things to try in 2014, I've decided to try adding a zipper along with trying more color work.
I started on New Year's Eve while waiting for the ball to drop and I've already gotten nearly to the waistline. I'm even thinking of adding a small monogram so wear on the sweater!  It's actual going to be more a pullover jacket then a sweater.  I want to wear it when I go out for walks/runs when the weather breaks this Spring.

Above is a picture of the stranded pattern I choose to add some color to my top.  Below is my nearly finished body.

MY HANDS HURT!!!
First of all, I have Lupus which causes all sorts of aches and pains already but when it gets cold outside I need to put the needles down.  I recenty read that working with bamboo can make a difference so I need to give it a try.  I have a set of Takumi Bamboo #13 dpn's that I bought last year.  I gonna dig out some yarn or  maybe just double up some strands so I can give them a go.

So for tonight, I'm flipping through books and trying to draw out some the ideas I have swimming in my head.

Keep stitchin'

H A P P Y N E W Y E A R

I ended the year with completing 3.14159. The PI shawl is approximately 60" across so it provides lots of coverage.  I love the color if blue that is and look forward to wearing it in early Spring or maybe even a very special night this winter.

 Keep stitchin'