Hand In Hand Sweater Finished & some yarn purchases!

I've finished my hand in hand cable sweater! I thoroughly enjoyed this project, I have learned an awful lot from it. I loved the yarn too, Debbie Bliss Cashmerino Aran. Lovely and soft.

I also went yarn molesting today. As I scrapped the evil Tivoli Serene Sweater for my friend, I needed a new project for her for Christmas. I've settled on the Premiere Pullover from IK Summer 2005 for her. It recommends Classic Elite Premiere, which I can't get here but I looked at the gauge and I figured any DK yarn would work just as well. So, I trooped over the the yarn store nearest me which is about a 45 m inutes drive. I hate this store as the owner is so unhelpful, but beggars can't be choosers!

Anyway, this is what I got:

It's Robin DK. Only acrylic, but my friend has a baby and a toddler, so I figure she'll need a good workhorse sweater that can take a lot of washing.

While I was there, I couldn't resist these:

A ball of Rowan Bamboo tape. I got it for €1.95, a total steal. I have no plans for it, other than to try out knitting with bamboo.

And this is a ball of Regia sock yarn, also €1.95! I should get a pair of sock for my daughter out of this.

Overall, a good day's shopping!

Summertime Tunic Progress

Progress is coming along on the Summertime Tunic. I'm nearly done the 4 1/2" from the CO edge. It's a very pleasant knit so far as it's all stockinette. I'm liking the yarn colours too. Nice and fresh. I've decided if I have enough yarn left over I'm going to do a shrug to cover my not so attractive top of arms for it too.

Something from Lace Style or I spotted a lovely one in an older IK magazine, I forget the name of it now. It was a Debbie Bliss design.

Pardon the messy work desk, I took the pics on the QT this morning before anyone else was in!

Good night last night

The knitting club was good last night, 5 of us turned up. A bit disappointing after such a good start last week, but we had a great chat and good fun! That's what it's all about really. I must try and not let the stares from other people in the coffee shop bother me. I know they're just curious, but I feel a bit like a monkey in a cage when I look up and see them staring. I suppose I should be more pro-active and ask them if they want to join in!
I was working on the Summertime Tunic and it flies along!

I have finished the armholes on Dad's sweater now. I just need to sew up the two side seams and I'm done! Woohoo! I'll probably leave that until the weekend when I can do it in daylight. I'll probably try mattress stitch again as I think that seems to leave the most invisible join? It'll take me hours as I'm hopelessly bad at seaming. Still, when it's done, I'll be really proud of myself!
I made a decision this morning to dump the evil Tivoli Serene Alpaca sweater. I've just had enough. I gave it my best shot, but the yarn is so pernickety that it won't even meet me part way and try and behave. It definitely is evil personified.

I must try and think of a way to dispose of it that will satisfy my hatred for it. Any suggestions for ways that you "bumped off" yarns that you hated?

Summertime Tunic

I've finished knitting around the neck and one armhole of Dad's jumper. I have to say I am really proud of this garment; definitely my best so far.

I've cast on for the Summertime Tunic from Interweave Knits Summer 2007. It's a handy one to do for my knitting club on Tuesdays as it's mostly all stockinette. I measured myself around the fullest part of the bust for this, am I right or should it be the bra band?

Almost Finished!

Happy Sunday!

I'm almost finished the sweater! I finished knitting the front last night and I must say the neck shaping was a nightmare. I found it really difficult to follow the pattern correctly. Plus, I noticed that I had finished the armhole reductions before I needed to begin the neck shaping. Still, I have cast it off and it looks good if I say so myself!

Didn't the pattern come out well?? For my first attempt at cabling I'm mega pround of myself. I tried to block it last night but I'm not sure if I did it correctly. I pinned out the front & back to the specified measurements and put a teacloth over it. I spritzed the teacloth with water and steamed the lot with a steam iron. I was afraid to do any more in case I damaged the fibre - it's 55% Merino, 33% Microfobre and 12% Cashmere.
Any other suggestions as to what would be a good and safe way to block it? Thanks!

I had to drive to the other side of the city yesterday to get the 4.5mm 24" circulars to knit up the armholes and neck for it. This city drives me mad that the choice of yarn stores is so poor. My husband had gone to 4 stores in the city centre to find that none of them had the needles required. One of these days I will live the dream and open my own store and make sure I stock them! Of course, while there I couldn't just get what I needed and leave - oh no, I had to indulge in some yarn squeezing and I snapped up this:

- some yummy sock yarn in gorgeous shades of pinks and browns that will be destined for my feet soon. mmm.

Ok, rant over!
Let me know what you think of the sweater so far!

Sinéad

Disaster Averted

Thank God for that, disaster averted. I don't know how I did it, but I managed to rescue it and only had to rip back 4 rows. I'm very proud of myself, that's my best bit of troubleshooting so far. I'm also amazed I managed to pick up the pattern at the right place again too (not one of my strong points yet).
So overall, mini disaster major recovery!

Knitting club success!

Well, the knitting club last night was a great success. About 10 or 15 people showed up, much more than I expected! It was great fun meeting all the new people, molesting their yarn and ogling their yummy magazines and pattern books. I couldn't believe the time passed so quickly! before I knew it 9pm had come around and it was time to go home. I'm really looking forward to next week. I hope we get the same kind of turnout every week - it'll be a roaring success!

I splurged while I was there and bought IK's Fall issue. Ok, I lie, I had been lying in wait for it like an animal stalking it's prey and the second it hit the shelves, I snatched my copy. I only had the briefest of glances at it, but I love Kathy Zimmerman's Dickinson pullover and Eunny Jangs Tangled Yoke Cardigan. I *must* get over this obsession I seem to have with cables. I don't know where it has come from! Bad Girl! Knit things that are at your skill level!
I'm not mad about the Tilted Duster, I think it would be great as a maternity cardigan, but would make me look like it was a maternity cardigan if I wore it. I suppose if you're all sylph-like (like the model) it would look faboo.

I made a horrific mistake last night on my hand-in-hand sweater! I knew I should have brought something easier with me to the group, but I don't have anything else on the needles except the alpaca cable sweater from hell, and I wasn't introducing myself to strangers by showing them that evil thing and them hearing me call it names all night.
So, I was doing great, second last row before I go home, boom. Disaster. I don't know what I did, but it just looked like a lump instead of a graceful cable. I tried to rip it back when I got home, but I'll post pics later so you can see how well that went! I think I may have to start the whole front again as I can't seem to get all the stitiches picked up again due to the cables. they're all over the place. Boo! I had done about 40 rows of the cable pattern and the ribbing. That took me ages!
The joys of knitting.

Knitting Club Tonight!

I'm really excited. A new knitting club is starting tonight in the Starbucks in Borders, Blanchardstown. I think the start time is 7pm, but I hope to be there from 6.30 in case they need any help setting up etc.
I hope to see some others there!

My New Knitting Home!

Well, Here I am in my new knitting home. I decided to split my blogs into two and have one focus on my personal life and one solely on my knitting.
I will add pics of projects from my old blog here in time, but for now, welcome to my house!

Sinéad