Like a big hug!

That's right, I said it!  This dress is soooooo snuggly warm it's like a big hug!  What's the difference between a Redwood Symphony dress and man? My dress will hug me and keep me warm and comfy alllllll day long, and night too, until I decide I've had enough.
I'm thinking long sleeve would make this way too warm, especially if I have a personal summer while wearing it.  Yep, three-quarter sleeves or even above my elbows is fine.  I have the option of wearing a top underneath if I want long sleeves.

I did about four rounds of ribbing at the bottom, to prevent curling, and ended with Jenny's Surprisingly Stretchy Bind Off.  This was my first time using JSSBO but it was very easy to do and definitely made a difference.  My ends are still neat with plenty of stretch.

Keep stitchin'

Redwood Symphony

After donning such a good job with my previous sweater I decided to try a top-down turtleneck sweater.  I'm using one of my favorite quick yarns, Red Heart Symphony, doubled for extra warmth.  Symphony is a deceptively heavy yarn.  I constantly have to let people touch it so they can see for themselves that the yarn is not heavy.  It's very fuzzy/brushed so I don't bother trying to had a pattern, just stockinette so I can get it finished, since it would probably get lost.
I'm hoping that I have enough yarn to make a dress to wear with tights, or at least a tunic to wear over pants.
True story...
I wanted to make my dress form look pretty, like some of the ones I've seen online and in magazines. Since I don't have any stretchy fabric to cover it I used a top that I planned to throw out.  I pinned the arms down close to the body to make it look really nice.  I've been taking pictures in the kitchens because the light is so much better there right now so I left my dress form ( Ms. Sophia) in the kitchen.  The first couple of times I walked in and saw a 'person' standing in my kitchen I nearly peed my pants!

This is Ms. Sophia, eventually I need to steam her dress so she looks a little more presentable but for right now she looks a whole lot better covered than having all her innards showing.

Keep stitchin'

Lanesplitter done!

I finished my skirt and it came out wonderfully!!! I can definitely see myself making another one of these in a better quality yarn such as the Noro that Tina used to make the skirt. This acrylic tend to fuzz up and look knida kinky but I think I'm really going to like that. I think it will give lots of character to the skirt. Hopefully I'll be able to get a few shots of me wearing the skirt added shortly.

I have some beautiful options for blouses to wear with this skirt! My colors choices are many.

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So as promised I have a couple of photos I attempted to take of me wearing the skirt. I used the self timer feature on the camera and tried to show my 'good side'.
Making this skirt was a very easy, it did not require a lot of concentration but you do have to remember the increases. Then once you've gotten used to that and moved on to the straight portion then you have to remember the decreases. I'm happy to say I didn't have to rip any rows because of forgetting the pattern or forgetting to switch yarns. This pattern definitely gets two thumbs up!!

Keep stitchin'

Mookie Lives!!!

So after all the headache with trying to follow the pattern for Bang which was no good at all, I found something that works. I have been out sick all week with the flu so, being a good patient, I spent the week reading/looking through some of my old knitting mags. Some of the old 90's Vogue Knitting mags really helped. The mags had sweater with drop shoulders and set-in sleeves. I decided that doing a simple drop shoulder would be the easiest for me with this thick yarn. So now, as long as I've got the gauge right my sweater will be a hit. I also decided to use the cable pattern I found in my Harmony Guide book. I think a simple turtle neck will do nicely, my son did not like the neck anyway.

By Friday I was feeling up to moving around a bit and picking up my needles. The back piece was done quickly and easily since my only shaping was done at the shoulders. What I overlooked with the front is that with cables you need to add more stitches to keep your width right. I was at the underarm when I had this brilliant revelation; back to the ripping board. So once again I have to start the front over. Oh, this is after I had finished the back and actually worked 10" of the front and realised I had forgotten the cables completely!!
LOL, I CRACK MYSELF UP!!

Blame it on the flu, yeah that works, it's the flu bug.

So now I am starting the front over with more stitches than I used for the back. This is another problem I would finally have noticed with John's sweater too, the hits just keep coming with that one.

With my Mookie, I am doing careful, elementary math and hoping for the best. At least I know there are absolutely no errors in the cable pattern I am now using and this is going to be one great sweater! I'm proud of myself already.

Keep stitchin'