Sunday 10 September 2017

back to school

Every summer I forget how little knitting time I have when I'm working full time, running a household, and parenting two very active and athletic kids.  My knitting slows to an almost-halt as the school year starts.  Still, I've managed to almost finish two WIPs:

I knit a Campside shawl by Alicia Plummer to give as a gift this year to a teacher.  She's into camping and has taught my child for two years now, so she's knit-worthy!  It's more blue than gray, and just needs the ends woven in.


I've also finished the knitting for my Rye cardigan by Thea Colman (Baby Cocktails), from the Berroco Portfolio Volume 1 collection.  I need to seam the sleeves (I knit them flat), sew on buttons and block it.  Hope to finish today!

I had problems with the symmetry of the decreases - didn't notice until I was almost done so I've left it for now but may rip back.  I think the error was in when I decided to keep the bramble pattern or not, leaving fewer stitches in the texture panel on one front compared to the other.  We'll see how much it bothers me when it's done.

Up next is another Lowlands Hat which uses grafting in garter stitch which is this month's technique for A Year of Techniques.  I'll be knitting a pattern I own using stash yarn, as I've done each month.  The patterns in the book (just published) are gorgeous but I'm challenging myself to knit what I have. At least for this series of projects!

I am also casting on a Joji Locatelli shawl:  The Girl in the Grocery Store using Fleece Artist Merino Slim in a purplish gray colour and a cream with the purplish speckles.   I have other shawls in the queue including a MKAL with Sweet Georgia Yarn that starts in mid October.

Now if I could just knit more and work less, I'd get it all done!

3 comments:

  1. Your projects are all lovely and I can't see the mistake you are talking about in the sweater as it looks very sweet too. For someone who feels they aren't getting much knitting done you are doing very very well. I love the campside pattern and grafting in garter stitch? Oh my, I have to learn that.

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  2. Just thinking about the accidental asymmetry in the Rye cardigan (although, like Mary-Anne (Breathing Life) I cannot see it in your photograph): If it ends up becoming very obvious when you wear it, maybe you can accentuate it as a design feature by adding some extra detail on one side - maybe extra decorative buttons or add something extra to the collar that is asymmetrical to balance it out? Sometimes the design features that 'make' a project arise from unforeseen 'happy accidents'.

    In a former life, I worked in a job which was open to public scrutiny. Mistakes were to be avoided but we are all human and mistakes will be made. The motto was: "It's not whether you make a mistake that counts but how you respond to it."

    I hope these ideas help you to feel better about any imperfections in your cardigan. It looks lovely and warm to me - surely that's what's most important.

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  3. Thanks! I think the problem is with the neckline. I may need to buy some ribbon to sew in place to make it less sloppy. I agree, mistakes are inevitable. I wore this to work on Thursday for parent interviews and had lots of compliments. I know the maker sees things that others don’t!

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