First, Suki is progressing. I've added two stripes since the last post. Sometimes it's nice to have a completely mindless project. And it's on big needles with real wool, which is a nice change for my fingers sometimes.
The baby cardigan is coming right along. No pictures, because it will most likely be a present for someone who visits me here in cyberspace. But the fronts and back are done and seamed at the shoulders. So right now it's a baby vest. And I'm working on the first sleeve. I should mention that I now know that my cat Cleo does not appreciate wearing vests. Oh, and I'm knitting to gauge (well, almost exactly - like 17.3 stitches to 4 inches when it's supposed to be 18) and the length is determined by inches, not number of rows, and this supposed nine-month sweater will probably fit a two year old. I know the oversized look is adorable, but this might be ridiculous.
Because two projects were too few (the hooded baby sweater is in UFO purgatory), I decided to start another one. I have been thinking about making a real sweater for myself for some time, so that's what I began. A few weeks ago, I found Bernat Illusions on clearance at my LYS, and remembered that that is exactly the yarn called for by Top Secret. The Yarn Goddess spoke to me, and the yarn followed me home (Can I keep it? It's so cute and fluffy!). So I cast on. And four rows later realized two things. A) I had cast on 10 fewer stitches than I was supposed to. B) I had twisted my round join. Frog, frog, frog.
Then I cast on again. I made super extra sure that I didn't twist the join. I got through the first few decreases and was a good 5" in when I stretched it out and realized that I had made a Mobius strip. Yes, I had twisted the join. I think it's the circular needle, or more precisely the cable. When I pull it out straight to make sure that the stitches are on the same side I'm actually straightening out a kink that I should instead be using. Well, anyway, I think I know what I'm doing wrong. BUT, to make sure, I decided to do a secret from a learn-to-knit book and knit the first few rows back and forth, and then join when I actually had some fabric built up.
So, I cast on again. I decided that I wanted a rolled hem instead of a real hem, so I was planning to just knit in stockinette. What I did was just knit. Which if I had been going in the round would have been fine, but I was working back and forth, so I wound up with a non-rolling hem of garter stitch. Frog, frog, frog.
And that's when I decided that, fortuitious yarn find aside, I was not meant to make Top Secret just yet.
So, I pulled out my Other yarn for the Other sweater that I had planned - Bella. (It's a knitty addiction here, folks - is there a 12-step program?) I am using four strands of Neveda Misty that I got off elann.com for an amazingly low price (so low that they sold out in a few nanoseconds, I think) in the Terra Cotta color. I cast on Saturday night, I knitted for a good deal of yesterday, and today I'm about an inch away from finishing the right front. I started with the right front, because I need some instant gratification, and the 12.5" of straight stockinette stitch over 89 stitches of the back just wasn't doing it for me. So crazy progress is being made, and the YG is smiling once again.
Tomorrow night will be yarn night at my house, and it's going to be all about Kool-Aid dyeing. How Kool is that?
Posted by Sarah at February 17, 2003 12:12 PM | in: Works in Progress | PermalinkIt followed you home huh?? I might have to try that one out next time a sack of fabric falls into the trunk of the car.
And when do I get something???
Reid wants a stocking cap you know.'
And just why do you know that Cleo does not like kitty vests????
Mom/Grandma to Cleo who you are obivously mistreating.
HI! Sorry to hear about your sweater trauma!
You'll be there soon, I promise! It's cool that you're thinking in that direction.
Maybe a sweater made of rectangles and squares sewn together would be easier to start with?
How's your week so far?
We're snowed in, the city is virtually shut down...except for groceries and bars, so we're going to go to the bar for supper...I haven't been outside for days.
-Stef.
You don't know me, but I found you by searching "Knitty Top Secret"
It is my first big project and I wanted to see what other people have done.
I made two sleeves in one day. (8 hour long bus drive) and started on the body the next day. Two hours later I had a beautiful mobius band. The bus full of people were shocked at how I stopped and ripped the whole thing out. "Can't you just untwist it?"
So now I have about 5 inches of the body, and no more bus rides. It will be awhile before I finish.
Have you finished yours?