Um, hit a little problem with the ribby cardie. It kinda grew during blocking and came out longer than I'd like. But, in the "two wrongs make a right" department, the neck ended up being too small (due to a minor calculation error on my part), so I needed to rip back and start the neck earlier anyway. Thus, ribby ripping and ribby (yoke) reknitting.

Here's the new version. I really like the length now and the collar is very comfy. I should be able to zip it all the way up.

But, in the" three wrongs make one wrong too many" department, I just noticed that the zipper I bought isn't a separating zipper. Doh! I guess I got carried away over finding a zipper in exactly the right color and forgot that there were some other important requirements to consider. Heh, heh. I'll have to go online and special order one to match the yarn for the button bands. Now, I'm thinking 2-way separating, so I can close it just in the middle, like in the picture. You like?

I finished the pipsqueak sweaters just in time for the cool weather yesterday. (All I had left to do was sew in the snaps.) The boys wore them for a trip around the pond to feed the ducks.

Okay, so only about half the crackers made it to the ducks!

Here's B wearing the sweetheart sweater while playing with his trains waiting for us to go. And here's S wearing the little star sweater while enjoying his new blinky sneakers that we got yesterday. Isn't the first cool day of fall fun?! New shoes, new sweaters, and I see we haven't quite grown into those jeans yet either. My little pipsqueaks!

The bugs are back! At Knitsmiths on Sunday I picked up where I left off in March. But after about five rows, I decided that the whole thing was looking a wee bit small. B's grown since then, so this is not a trivial issue! So I ripped it all out (230 stitches) and started over with size US2 needles instead of US0's and now it's just right. And despite having been sooo bugly when I was working on it before, it's coming out rather pretty this time!

Other beautiful l things I've spotted this week: Kerstin's ChicKami, Rebecca's Smooch (wowza!), and LoobyLou's Janda. Man, I love that sweater! And the loveliest of all, Kerrie's wedding photo! Awww (sniff, sniff).

The phildar filly is starting to rethink her "summer top" knit-along. The summer's almost over and it seems silly to start something now in such a fine gauge (read - that will take a while to finish) that will only have short sleeves. But although this filly may be fickle, she's not disloyal, so she's hunted down a few other Phildar patterns that might do for the same yarn, different season. What do you think? The cropped rolled vest (very similar in style to the original plan, just more of a vest thing going on), the patterned vest (but with a more reasonable neckline, thank you very much), or this funky cardie (with some added fuzzy front panels, fun!)? Or should I simply stick with the original pattern and wear it layered with other things (that might require losing the rolled edges)?

Don't forget, the Phidar filly is also planning on making a fabby little Phildar cardigan. The oh-so-yummy yarn arrived yesterday. Yee haw, giddy-up! Here's S checking out the new stash.

In the second picture, he's actually saying "wow". The kid has taste!

And there will definitely be another Phildar sweater or two in this filly's future. But I want to start the Phil - um, I mean fall - season off right, so I've got to figure out this knitalong thing first.

I did it. I took the lace off of the purple stripey skirt and opened up all but one of the seams to start over. I decided that it wasn't just the lace that was bothering me, bringing back those visions of 80's prairie skirts. It was also the fit. It was too long, too loose, and too poofy. So I took in the side seam about an inch and plan to shorten the whole thing another couple of inches. I wanted to have it done this weekend while the weather is warm again, but then I decided that it needed a lining. After an end-of-the-week run to the fabric store, I only managed to get the lining pieces cut out and ready to join to the skirt.

Any suggestions on the best way to attach a lining? The pattern doesn't call for one, so I'm just winging it here.

After I'm finished with the ex-prairie skirt, I'll be moving on to my fall projects. I've decided to put aside the summer projects - too much work for something I won't be able to wear for a while. So my flowery top, the Cleo pattern, and a couple of skirts go into the time capsule until next spring.

Next up on the list then will be a light, drapey jacket for me. I fell in love with this Burda pattern when I first saw it and then I found this pretty patchwork fabric on sale to use for it.

And for the boys, I'm planning some safari pants! I'm going to try this Burda kids pattern in these fun fabrics that grandma picked out.

I'm excited about a new season of sewing. And the ex-prairie skirt just might turn out okay after all. Change is good.

Finished the back (the oh-so easy back) of the holiday island sweater. For fun, I thought I'd sew it up and see how it looked. Then, I thought, well, if I'm going to sew up the body, I might as well finish off that fabulously frilly neck. An hour of seaming and no less than three hours knitting, reknitting and reknitting the ruffle, and...

Essentially I've finished the shell version of the sweater. Not bad as a shell, but it is September already and I do so love the frilly sleeves on this sweater. So sleeves it is.

I've collected enough shells this summer.

You know it's fall when the Oktoberfests begin. The real Oktoberfest won't start for a few weeks yet, but New England's largest Oktoberfest was held just outside of Boston last weekend. And as a good german-american family, we were there. They boys in their knitted lederhosen, of course.

And here are all my german guys, very focused on their ice cream.

We'll be off to Germany ourselves come October. I'm working hard to finish the current projects, so I'm clear to bring something new for a little easy vacation knitting. I'm thinking about this poncho from Sally Melville's The Knit Stitch.

Anyone up for a poncho-along? Any poncho pattern counts! Let me know.

Fellow Knitsmith, Shannon, has been making some kids chemo caps for her boyfriend's patients at Childrens Hospital here in Boston and I decided to join in. I'd often thought of doing some sort of charity knitting project, but nothing really motivated me to actually put down my own knitting and start something for someone else I don't know. Until now. In fact, I'm a little startled by my sudden need to make these caps. I guess it's some sort of hope that by making them I can keep my boys from ever getting seriously ill. It's bittersweet knitting, that's for sure, thinking of the sick little one you're making the hat for. But I'm trying knit through the sad and scary thoughts to produce something very special.

So here are my first two: a wee little yellow cap in Wendy Velvet Touch yarn. If you haven't felt this yarn, you must! It is perfectly baby soft. The Snuggle teddy bear wishes he were this soft!

And the second is a young adult size version of the lace cap from Rowan's Calmer Collection, which I knit up with a skein of all seasons cotton I had left over from my Smooch tank. I really liked this pattern - it's hip and young, much more stylish than your basic hat.

I hope these will be nice and soft and pretty for girls. I've got some ideas for boy caps too, which I hope to finish for next week.

Another row of bugs is underway. Send bug spray!

I guess it's only fitting. Blue blog, blue fingers. This is how my fingers looked after knitting up a couple of zipper facings for the ribby cardie (yes separate facings, I can't stand picking up stitches!). The blue dye in the Manos yarn really left its mark. I looked like one of my boys after eating a popsicle. Luckily Claudia (dye queen extraordinaire) was at Knitsmiths on Sunday when this happened to help. Apparently turquoise is hard to set. Who knew? And I need to give the yarn a little vinegar bath to set the color completely. Hmmm.

And since we're all about blue today, here's my latest kids chemo cap - a blue's clues joe hat!

I found these leftovers in my stash and the blues coordinated so well, it reminded me of the great colors in Joe's shirts. And I'm sure you remember what a kick I got out of the idea of making Joe sweaters for the boys some day. So, a Joe hat was born. I hope there's a little Joe fan at Children's Hospital who'll enjoy it.

One more reason to be blue today, this week is the one year anniversary of the blue blog. Wheee - what fun it's been! I'm proud to note that I finished the two major projects I was working on when I started blogging last year (native and elizabeth I). But I think I've most enjoyed the knit-alongs and getting to know so many others out there through knitting together with them.

I guess it's appropriate that the ribby will be my next finished project since it will be the blue blog's first blue sweater!

Anything blue to share?

pagan

Rowan #27

other tank girls

Swatchy
Julie
Melissa J
the not so skimpy?
Ucan2 gals

project archive here

Time to retire the first of the knit-alongs, Pagan. As a knit-along wraps up, I'll post the list one last time and then save it in the knit-along archives, so everyone can still find their knit-along buddies. After four months, Pagan's been pretty inactive, so away she goes. Let me know if you also made one and I'll be happy to add your name to the list and link to a picture.

All the other knit-alongs are still going on. There have even been a few finished Smooches recently, Deena's and Maureen's. Great work, girls!

Sleeve caps, that is.

Totally made up some sleeve caps for the holiday island sweater this weekend. I'd been redoing all the numbers in the pattern for my gauge and size but the sleeve cap seemed way weird when I just converted mathematically, so I ripped and reshaped. And ripped and reshaped. I think I've got it how I want it now. I've pinned it in the armhole and started seaming a little to see how it will fit. So, look for this sweater to be finished this week. (I'm frenzying, Sandy!)

Here's a peek at the frilly sleeve edging. It's purty.

The finishing fiesta is about to begin! I've got four projects in or on on their way into the finishing basket (holiday island, ribby cardie, giranimals II, and the ladybug sweater). So this weekend I sat down, cracked my knuckles a few times and did a little warm up: I finished a sweater for a fellow Knitsmith, who's not a fan of seaming. She'll be finishing the neck, but I did the seams for her.

Isn't the color pretty? I don't know the yarn, but the color name is french clay. Now how's that for a name?!

First finished project of the fall finishing fiesta...

This is Kristi's bulky baby bibby knit up in Berroco's Pronto yarn. And I simply can't say enough good things about both pattern and yarn. The pattern was so clever and easy to follow. The garter stitch version would really be an excellent project for a beginning knitter (no shaping, no picking up stitches, no setting in sleeves, and yet it doesn't suffer for the lack of them like some beginner patterns do). I love moss stitch, though, so even though it was more work, I had to work it up that way. And the yarn is extremely soft and just as pleasant to work with. I was worried that it might be too bulky for me. I'm not a fan of real bulky knits. Knit on 6mm (US10) needles, this was as bulky as I go. But I'm getting more comfortable at this gauge. Don't be surprised if you see some more bulky knits from me in the near future!

And the finishing fiesta continues:

The holiday island sweater is finally finished. Whew, there were a lot of ends to weave in on this sweater! But luckily my redesigned sleeve caps fit in the armholes just right. I guess I'm still learning something with every project. I really like the frills and the neckline, but my favorite thing has to be the 3/4 length sleeves. Now I just want to knit 3/4 sleeves all the time! I loved the Spotlight yarn from Classic Elite: 100% cotton, but oh so soft. And despite the error in the pattern (the company confirmed the error), I still really enjoyed knitting this sweater. And wearing it? Well, it's absolutely perfect for the early fall weather we're having today. And it makes me feel purty. Aw shucks, I'm pretty proud of it.

The finishing basket isn't empty yet. But before the fiesta can continue, the remaining projects need some work!

While waiting for my zipper, I sewed in the bands on the front of the ribby. I'm all ready to add that zip, unfortunately it's arrival has been delayed due to a little online ordering form snafu. Next week, I hope!

And here's my progress on the ladybug sweater (The little spots on the bugs aren't so visible in the picture, but believe me they're there. Just feel the need after working three colors in each of those rows to be sure that you know: they ARE there!). One more set of bugs to do and then the steeking and sewing can begin. That last bug row is going to be a bitch though, as the neck shaping begins smack dab in the middle of it and I've got to figure out some neck steek solution to shape it properly and yet not have to knit back and forth (as called for in the pattern - I say "ha!" to that!).

And under these lovelies, at the very bottom of the basket, the second giranimals jacket waits, last touched some six months ago. I pulled the poor, neglected thing out yesterday to see how much needs to be done. Some of the parts are sewn together, but once I've gotten the seaming done, I've still got many hours of embroidery and darning work to do on that crazy giraffe pocket!

The boys were tumbling about on the sofa while I was inspecting the giranimals jacket, and I was amazed at how much they've grown since I knitted these up. When I finished the first giranimals jacket, it was huge on B, but now it'll fit perfectly. I'd better get this finished fast before they grow even more!

March & September

Same jacket, same kids. Six months difference. Grown right into it. (Just as I planned - mmmwahhhahhhaa). Now to make it a pair....

The ponch-o-along is going strong! Two finished ponchos already: Sharlyn's and Stephanie's! If you're looking for inspiration to join or get started, be sure to check them out. Gorgeous!

I had planned to start mine later, but I got so excited watching everyone else start that I went searching through the stash to see if there was anything there that I could start with. And I found three skeins of Manos with nothing to do.

Two were in the turquoise color I used for the button bands of the ribby cardie and the third was in a pretty green. I picked up a few more skeins in the same colors at my LYS and set about making the poncho from Sally Melville's The Knit Stitch. But, as some of you warned, I did not like the garter stitch. I'm not a huge fan of the look of garter stitch, but the pictures in the book made me think I could handle it. Nope. Not in the thick/thin Manos yarn. So I decided to structure the poncho the same way, but use stockinette stitch instead. And since I have two colors, I thought I could try adding the stripe detail from the poncho design in the new Knitty. Here's my progress from the weekend.

Although I did do quite a bit, there was one moment there where the fledgling project was in peril. After I'd knit a few inches, I started to be less sure about the color combo. I like the two colors and I like them together, but then I had the rather paranoid thought that maybe I'm the only one. Perhaps no one else would ever put these colors together and everyone will think I look like some color blind freak in my huge green-turquoise poncho. And then "While You Were Out" came on and Theresa was wearing this. I felt MUCH better. There's a sign for you!

So as predicted last week, I'll be sticking with the chunky gauge for a while. Yeah, with five feet of poncho to knit, this is going to take a while.

Okay, poncho gals, how's your poncho coming along? Please share.

Fall has arrived and with it, a ribby.

My final ribby report: my zipper arrived on Friday; I immediately got to work shortening the two-way separating zipper down to size; sewed it in; did a few finishing fixes (see below); and ta-da! I love the color and am really pleased with how the contrasting zipper and bands came out. It's quite big and slouchy (not exactly the most flattering style for me), but as long as I always walk around with my hands on my hips like in the photo, it looks good!

The ribby does have some issues though. I made some mistakes and it always seemed way too late to fix them, so I applied some after-the-fact fixes and am living with the result (it's like therapy for the OCD knitter). My main problems all revolve around the neck. I redid the neck several times. My numbers were never correct, mostly because I noticed that the jacket was getting long and so started the neck early. Well, that left me with a large, low neck. It looked more like the band on the top of a sweater than a jacket collar. And while I was dealing with the number fudging, I apparently missed lining up the ribs with the sleeve on one side. So, in order to help the collar stand up and also minimize the ribbing mistake, I ran some elastic through the neck, cinching it in and up and pulling those ribs together more so the mistake is less obvious. Here's a close up of how the neck looks now: inside, and the off-set ribbing. Not a bad fix. I can live with it.

There you have it. A finished ribby. Did you see Claudia's? Go now! But be kind when you return ('cause hers is absolute ribby perfection). And be sure to keep your eyes peeled in the next few days for some more finished ribbys from Leigh, Greta and Melissa. It's ribby week in knitblogland. Let the fiesta begin, again!

Go drive the kitties wild!

Who would have thought that I'd be making scarves? I'd pretty much written off knitting accessories (socks, hats, scarves) because I would simply prefer to make a proper sweater. That is until the plan to knit chemo caps was born. Several caps later (and more still in the planning stages) and now my mother has me knitting scarves for a child she sponsors in the Ukraine through the Crimean Women's Humanitarian League of America.

Here's the first one all done. I used "Joel's Scarf" pattern from Sally Melville's The Knit Stitch (I just got the Purl book, by the way - thanks, ma!) and some bulky Sandnes yarn that was in the sale bin at my LYS. I'll also be making garter stitch scarves for his sisters. I think there are four of them. I've picked out several skeins of Lamb's Pride Superwash in various girly colors for theirs.

I wonder if there's anyone who could get me knitting socks again? I'll tell ya, though, that's gonna be much harder!

One bug sweater, reporting for steeking!

Can I tell you how annoying these bugs have been?! Apparently, the bugs aren't centered over the middle of the sweater. That, I thought, was the point of the pattern identifying a specific stitch in the middle of chart where you should start the round. But I guess not, since when I cast off the center stitches for the front neck opening, I had a bug on the left side and space on the right. Hmmm.... I knit a bit, couldn't deal with that assymetry every time I returned to that part of the round, ripped back to the divide for neck part, and set everything aside to crunch some numbers. I've got the split looking a bit more centered now by making the neck a bit wider and losing three stitches on one shoulder. Three stitches off (at 7 st. to the inch) is acceptable in my book.

Still why did they have me start the dang pattern where they did? Starting at a different point would have centered the pattern. I even scrutinized a sample ladybug sweater at my LYS and the pattern's not centered under the neck on theirs either. Can anyone help solve this mystery?

As I cast on for a purple scarf for my scarf project, I kept thinking about my purple top for the Phildar knit-along and how sad it was that I'd stopped working on it. So I pulled it out of its project bag and took a good look at it. I had to look back at the old entry to recall why I put this aside in disgust. Looking at it a second time, it seemed fine. I'd been concerned about the size, but it seems okay to me now. So, I thought, what of that idea to reinvent it as a vest? Any way to do that without ripping out the 5 inches I'd already knit? Without having any real plan, I said yes, and started knitting from where I left off. Quick, before I change my mind again!

I'll probably cut off the bottom half inch or so and add a ribbed band to it, then work on doing something funky to the front.

And as for my purple skirt, I guess I haven't quite forgiven it yet for going all wrong on me. All my sewing is on hold until I work up the strength to rip a couple more seams and give it another try.

I've been asked this question several times during the frenzied finishing fiesta of the last week (two more projects to go to finish the finishing!). Well, I don't know yet. The next project will have to be a good vacation project, since if I get my finishing all done, I'll have a pretty clean slate (except for the mondo poncho, which is too big and bulky to bring with me).

These are my current faves:

filly cardigan
Man, I want to start this so bad!

sooty mango
That's Mango in black, with sleeves. This would make for easy relax-and-chat-with-family knitting.

the blue sweater
I seem to be on a blue kick. And a three-quarter length sleeve kick. Hmm.... How about a blue three-quarter length sleeve sweater like this?

So what do you all think would make the best vacation project?

And judging from my current fantasies, these could be next up when I return:

leigh's sweater
Took the yarn for this stripey sweater off Leigh's hands when it didn't work out for her. Love the colors and the shaping. Mighty tempting.

snowy
Not sure why, but having just finished knitting the ladybug sweater, I'm really itching to start another fingering weight fair-isle! I'm nutty like that.

Can't let the finishing fiesta peter out, so here's a reason to celebrate: another finished scarf for my scarf project.

I'm using five skeins of Lamb's Pride superwash bulky in five girly colors to make three (I hope!) scarves. The first is the simple color block scarf above. Next up are a couple of sideways garter stitch scarves. I'm enjoying working at this gauge (3 st./in.) and the yarn is quite nice, although the white is a bit thinner than the other colors. I am totally digging the fringe, though. I love attaching it. I love how it looks. What a difference a few pieces of yarn (intentionally) hanging off the end can make!