I am the knitting Queen

Bow down before me, I am the Queen of Knitting. I rule. It's official.

I proudly present Dylan Goes Electric:

Yarn: Cascade Sierra, 8 skeins

Needles: 4 & 4.5mm circular

Size: 50" chest

Watch out Armani, it's the next top model:

Dylan from the back modelled by lovely hubby. See the neck shaping?:

Dylan flat:

The neck shaping. Hubby needs a lot of shaping!:

I can't believe I've finished! I am soo proud of myself for persevering and going ahead with the jumper in the round.

It fits hubby perfectly and he loves it!

To fix my saddle shoulder problems, I knit 10 rounds consuming body stitches, then switched and consumed the sleeve stitches until I had 20 left on each sleeve. Then I knit the saddles for 10 rows each side, did 20 rows on the back to eat up the saddle and add some extra rows for the back of the neck, then an inch and a half of ribbing for the neck.

I still have to weave in the underarms and block it, but couldn't wait to show you it finished!

I can't think of a nicer present to give to the one I love than a hand made gift.

Phew! Now I can relax and enjoy Christmas. I would have been furious with myself if I hadn't finished it. Although, I never should have doubted my Queen of Knitting status, my crown hadn't disappeared, just slipped out of place a little.

I don't know if I'll get to post before the big day, so Merry Christmas to everyone and I hope Santa brings lots of knitting goodness to you all!

SOS Calling all knitters

Calling all knitters!

I am in an awful bind!

Dylan Goes Electric has gone all wrong. Everything went tickety boo up to the joining of the sleeves to the body and I thought I was great.
I looked at EZ's different methods of completing the yoke and as this is a cable pattern I decided the saddle shoulder would be the easiest and keep more of the cable pattern on the front of the body.

Well, I followed the instructions but the sweater came out all wrong! It has eaten up loads of the body and I have another 20 rounds to go before beginning the neck and it's already up to his chin!

It is a big sized sweater (50") but in order to get to his shoulder measurement (19") requires 35 rounds of the body decreases, 20 rounds of the sleeve decreases and another 10 rounds of body decreases before the neck.
Am I doing something wrong, or should I rip back to the sleeve joins and do a yoke instead? Could I do this with the cabled body? How would I do the decreases without screwing up the cable pattern?

Desperately in need of help, so all replies greatly appreciated!

Here are some pics:

I wouldn't mind but I've wasted about two days of frantic all day knitting... I know these things make us better knitters, but did it have to happen now?

Apart from the yoke disaster, the rest of the sweater fits him perfectly though, so I should take some small consolation from that I guess.

Yay for progress

Progress is good, no matter the price. My house is in a heap of mess and dust bunnies, my daughter has forgotten what I look like and my hubby has gone neglected and hungry (too bad awww).

But! look! progress!

After many false starts I finally finished the body of the jumper up to the armpits last night. I am so proud of myself that I'm amazed my head fits in the living room. Perseverance does pay off. I then promptly cast on for the sleeves and after about 6 fudges and restarts, I think I finally have it. Of course I've written it down for sleeve 2. I'm learning!

The sleeves were miles too wide to start with, so I've cast on 20% (EZ's EPS wizardry) on a smaller needle and after 2 1/2" moved up to the correct size.

Do you think I'll be done for Christmas?

My secret pal got her package the other day. I really hope she liked it, I tried really hard to put in some unusual things that you wouldn't be inclined to buy for yourself. Here's a pic of the package (Ravlink)

As for my previous dilemma, I have decided not to knit the socks for my hairdressers daughter. If during the Christmas break I find myself at a loose end knitting wise (hahaha I have soo many things I want to knit, especially a colourwork afghan) then I may cast on. Sod the consequences, knitting is meant to be a pleasureable activity, particularly for the knitter and I wouldn't enjoy that, I'd feel like I had been railroaded into it.

Really not much else to report, except this crappy picture (you try and take a picture of a Christmas tree with the lights on and not using a flash) to show that some things are worth putting down the knitting for. This was yesterdays hard work. I think I'm finally feeling the Christmas spirit now!

Dilemma, Secret Pal and a HUGE mess

I know, I know, I haven't been around, but I've been desperately trying to get some knitting done!

I finally finished Dad's Garter Rib Socks on Sunday after solidly knitting on them all day.

Pattern: Garter Rib Socks from Sensational Knitted Socks

Yarn: Sirdar Town & Country Sock yarn

Needles: 2.75mm dpns

I tell you, I will never knit these dudes again. For such a simple pattern they have given me hell all the way through. From stitch counts to unbalanced ribbing after doing the heel to just plain mistakes I have redone these socks 3 times. I tell you, my Dad better love these babies for Christmas!

So my hourglass socks have hit the wayside and will stay there I think until after Christmas. Just no time for them I'm afraid. Still, I'll enjoy them all the more when I get back to them.

Alice's communion crochet cardigan is coming along very slowly. I've decreased to the first shoulder and need to do the same for the second and then do the back. Once those are done I need to figure out how to do set in sleeves. I dunno if I'll ever get it done as I can't attend the last class of the course tonight. Hubby has school Parents Association meeting and i can't bring Alice to the class. So, it's with a very heavy heart that I'm going to go back to my knitting girls again instead. Woohoo!!! I've really missed them I have to say. Plus, becuase it's in a coffee shop I can bring Alice. Can't wait to catch up on all the gossip!

Right, on to the dilemma. My Mam's hairdresser in in the same crochet class as me. The week before last she was admiring my beautiful handmade socks (snigger) and of course I lapped up the praise. Last week, she came over to me and asked if I could knit a pair for her daughter for Christmas! hahahahaha. I tried my best to be polite in my refusal, saying that I had to finish Dad's socks, hubbys jumper and the crochet cardigan and I really didn't think I'd have the time. Her reply? "Sure that's ok, I can give them to her after Christmas if they're not ready"!!! I nearly choked to be honest. No mention of money for the yarn, not even I'll give your Mam a free hairdo. Plus, there's not a snowballs chance in hell that they'll be done.

What should I do? I don't want to piss her off too much in case she says anything to my Mam or dyes her hair orange or something.

Next up is Secret Pal time. This is my first one, and it's organised by the brilliant dmaxi from the Irish Knitters group. I won't say too much about my swap pal, but I'm having fun shopping for her. Have you done pals before? What did you get them? I'm a bit stuck for small things to put into the parcel.

Lastly, the disaster. I saved this for last as it's a doozy. Put down coffee in case of spillage.

Hubbys jumper? Have a look:

Remember Sesame Street? What's wrong with this picture? Have a guess.

It looks like I'm progressing nicely no? ummm no. In my infinite wisdom and all fired up by Elizabeth Zimmerman, I converted this baby into a seamless all in one sweater. No biggie, I recalculated the pattern and off I went. Except....

On either side under the arms there a band of ribbing instead of the cable pattern. Grand I said, and put the ribbing at the beginning of the round, then the pattern and then the other ribbing. See what I did wrong? Yep, that means I have one large band of ribbing where the beginning and end of the rounds meet and all pattern the rest of the way. The pattern now goes under one armpit, or there's a big band of ribbing all up the back.

DUH!

I only copped this at the end of Bones last night. Hubby nearly fell out of the chair at my outburst of ****! and other juicy tidbits. When I explained my problem he dissolved into fits of laughter. He'd seen me knitting like a lunatic all week and knew how much I wanted this done for Christmas. And he laughs! At my face, he says. yeah. I was nearly crying I was so annoyed at myself for being so stupid and then at him for being such a meanie. I think he's getting coal this year instead of a jumper.

So, it's off to the frog pond with me and some more sums. A weeks frantic work wasted!

boo hoo.

Lots to tell!

I am one excited girl today.
Look what eventually arrived in the post! Through no fault of Claudia AKA Wollmeise I hasten to add. The yarn was delivered while I was on holidays and because it was registered they'd only hold it for three days before returning it. She was really kind to send it on again. Thanks Claudia!

Sockenwolle 80/20 in Red Hot Chili intensity medium
a
Sockenwolle 80/20 Peppermint Prinz in intensity medium. This is almost peacock shaded.

Aren't they just delicious? I can see what all the hype was about. Photos don't do these guys justice, the intensity of the colours, particularly the peppermint is unreal. The texture of the skein is great too; really firm but oh so squishy! I can't wait to knit these babies up!
Pattern suggestions welcome! I'm thinking Pomatomus socks for the peppermint, the other I'm not so sure, maybe a clapotis? Would I have enough yardage in 510 yards?

Project progress:

The hourglass socks are progressing, slowly but surely. These require concentration, so when I'm at home and have a free quiet minute, (yeah right) I do a few rounds.

I don't have startitis, no, not me. This new project is a figment of your imagination. It doesn't exist. But, for those of you suffering from delusions, here's the details:

Dylan Goes Electric from IK Summer 2005. For hubby for Christmas. I'm making the 50" chest as he's a big bloke. I hope to have it finished for Christmas Day (hahahaha).

I'm using the recommended yarn, Cascade Sierra. So far, so good, although it must be said this is being heavily modded. I decided I've had enough of sewing seams together as I suck like a duck at it, so here goes Elizabeth Zimmermann's EPS to knit it in the round. I did a gauge swatch (I know, I can't believe it either) and I got 5 sts to 1" so that's 250 sts = 100%. The rest is hopefully going to fall into place. We'll see. I swear though, if this works, I shall be the greatest knitter ever. Seriously this is a total wing it job. Still, you gotta try!
Here's a pic of my ultra scientific A+ art job of a sweater with the %ages worked out. Eat your heart out Michelangelo...

I shall leave you with a pic of where I wish I was now. Sunny Florida, by the pool in my SIL's fantabulous holiday home, knitting on my hourglass socks. If I were there, they'd have been finished now. :( only 50 weeks to go until next time......

BTW, all comments must state how uncannily like Heidi Klum I am in my tantalising swimsuit. Any others may bugger off with all due respect and kindness.

Happy week!


P.S Spot the butterfly by my shoulder? It was a dead one hubby found on the ground and thought would look "great" in the photo. Like I was Sleeping Beauty or something summoning nature to me. Personally I think it looks dead and reminds me more of Giselle in Enchanted in New York when she summons nature and rats and pigeons arrive...