Skip to main content

Knitting without a safety net....

I am certainly no designer. I don't even aspire to "design" anything. I would like, however, to be able to put together a simple sweater/shrug with any yarn for any person. This is my first attempt and so far I think it's going well.
This summer cardigan is actually not for this willing model, but for her sister. (Who is less apt to be bribed most of the time.) I am using white cotton that I picked up at the market. I have chosen to knit it at a tighter gauge than I normally would because I keep thinking the cotton is going to stretch out. Hopefully it won't be like a suit of armor when it's finished!
I am using Barbara Walker's Knitting from the Top Down book as my inspiration. So far, so good- I am pleased with it. I finished the sleeves with a very simple yarn-over lace edging- I'll probably use it along the lower edge as well. I think I will single crochet along the front and neck and then use a single button at the top to close it. The weather here has been so weird- hot and then cold even on the same day, that it will likely get a lot of use.

I'd like to try incorporating a simple lace design into a patternless little sweater eventually, but first, baby steps.

Seems I have knitting A.D.D. at the moment. I have 4 projects on the needles, which is a record for me. I thought it would be fun to have multiple projects, but I think I am happier with just a project or 2. That's how I used to knit- one project at a time. Really you can only physically knit one project at a time anyway. I am always looking for some "mindless" knitting, which has led me to this situation. But it seems I get the "mindless" part over so quickly, that I have to find more mindless knitting and then, seemingly suddenly, I have several stalled projects that need lots of attention at once. It's just not working for me. So, I am going to try and finish a few of these projects up. Of course, there's always more yarn calling me.....

Comments

Unknown said…
Adorable sweater and countie! I miss you all. Roroxox

Popular posts from this blog

Friendship Blanket Done.....

To say our little knit group was "close knit" is the perfect cliche! When we moved to Italy, I desperately missed having a knitting circle and the weekly meet-ups. I tried for a long time to find other knitters- then I decided to create a few of my own. I started offering knitting classes. It went well, I am proud to say everyone who signed up WAS able to learn to knit. There was a teen-age girl, however, who was very resistant. At some point during this time, I remembered that a woman from my Italian language class had mentioned that she liked to knit. Then I met my dear friend Stacy who had the bug to learn how to knit. So there! I created my own little group! We were intermittent and not very focused, but boy did we have fun! I really looked forward to our meet ups. Then, like all good things, our friend Janny had to move. We decided to knit blankets- one for each of us. We each chose a color- Janny did all the research and ordering. Then we chose patterns- one horizontal

Another project from LMKG

Here is a sweater from Last Minute Knitted Gifts- my current source for projects : ) I made it for my tiny elf after the first sweater I made for her only fit her for a day- I thought I could do a lot more knitting right after she was born- HA! It didn't take long to knit and I only made two little adjustments. I made the body length much longer than the pattern called for. I wanted good coverage and that's what I got. I also made button holes and put buttons on it rather than the beads being pushed through the band. As an aside, you have to really go by the measurements of the child and not the "sizing" in the book to pick the right size. This was the 2 year old size, and she was closer to one year. I am thrilled with it. The yarn was Debbie Bliss Merino DK. I loved the yarn and the pattern and I will definitely make another one of these- for the elder elf- here she is trying it on for me!

Guiness Sock

We interupt this knitting program to bring you a knitted slipper sock. Oh, wait, this has since been ripped out (several times) and replaced with a new version without the middle stripe of oatmeal color. I have no idea why I keep starting new projects, when I have so many other projects on the needles. I don't think any of them qualify as "languishing" but the knitting at knoon sweater for my daughter is getting close. This project has spent a long time in my husband's head. I'll tell you, making a knitted version of what is in someone else's head is no easy task. Yeesh. I have never knit anything for my hubby. He DOES NOT wear sweaters....except the one that I knit for my Dad and then re-worked the collar to suit him. The only knitted hat he wears is from the 70's and has snoopy on it. He wears specific motorcycle gloves. What does that leave? Knitted boxers? Well, it leaves knitted socks. He's been watching me knit these for others (and