Knowing My Limits

The holidays should be fun and when I embarked on a sweater for my niece I really thought it would be. Despite all the documented math issues, I did enjoy knitting all the cute little pieces.

It is the pieces that are the problem. I should have done a top-down raglan, what was I thinking! There is no way I can seam this sucker together in time for Christmas without going totally insane.

It is also unfair to ask other knitters for help with 2 weeks to go before Christmas.

So I decided this weekend that the sweater is going to be a Valentine's Day gift (it is very red and light weight enough to wear into March) and I will spend January learning how to assemble it. Problem solved.

Mom's scarf is blocking, photos soon!

Another Gift Done!

So I finished my mother's socks, yay!



Here they are blocking on my awesome sock forms. It seems like a million years ago I started these, but it was the beginning of November. Since I am working multiple projects that doesn't seem too terrible.

I made them out of this gorgeous purple variegated Malabrigo sock yarn that was a delight to work with and is much prettier than the picture does justice.

I am almost done with Mom's scarf too, which I just love and will have to tear away from myself to give her. It is made out of a gorgeous red soft alpaca yarn that is glorious.

Also, all the pieces of Madison's sweater are knit, now I have to tackle seaming... stay tuned!

I Can't Knit and Blog...

... Obviously. It has been nearly a month since I blogged because in every spare moment of time (and there are nary few this time of year) I am knitting.

I still only have 1 item completed for Christmas, but I am close to finishing my mom's socks (pictures soon). Last night I did the gusset decrease on sock #2 and now it is just the foot and toe (it is simple stockinette) so I should be able to finish them this week.

I have enough of Mom's scarf done to see the light at the end of the tunnel there as well.

And last night I cast on for another scarf, very simple 5X5 rib for my friend Karin.

With so many festive plans coming up though the holiday knitting season is dwindling. I did decide that in future years, socks are birthday gifts that can be focused on during non-holiday times, that should make it less stressful come Christmas.

Hope everyone is enjoying the holiday season!

Why Did I Pick a Hobby With So Much Math Involved?

So Sunday I tore out sleeve #1 of Madison's sweater for the 2nd time and last night I cast on for the 3rd time vowing to do the increases right finally.

While reading the pattern properly is my sole responsibility, it really could be written more clearly with the math done out a little more thoroughly so I have an idea of how many stitches should be on the needle at various points and not just the starting # and the ending #, because if after 54 rows the ending # isn't right I just wasted a lot of time.

Now I could multiply and divide out the # of stitches increased over the # of rows divided again by how often I need to increase (every 3rd row until 56 stitches and then every 4th row until 64 stitches), but math is hard.

Also this pattern is written for 6 different sizes and halfway through the sizes split and where my # was the 3rd one listed for most of the pattern it suddenly becomes the first one listed when the sizes break off and I totally missed that the first time...

Thank god I started early on the holiday stuff.

My New Sock Blockers

So I finished my brother's Christmas socks, yay! One of the toes was way pointier than the other, but I figured with good blocking it would be fine.

I had heard talk of "sock forms" for blocking socks, but failed to locate them in any stores, but KnitPicks had them!


This is the large size for my brother's giant feet. I also got the medium size which looks perfect for women's socks.

I will take better photos of the socks themselves when they are dry and blocked, but I was so excited about the forms, they made the whole blocking process a snap!

I Have Completed...

... the back of my first sweater:


I am so excited! It seems a little big to me for a not-quite 2 year old, but I would rather it be big than too small.

It is the Perfectly Plain Sweater from Alison Dupernex's Beginner's Guide to Knitting, it is an easy to follow pattern and it is really just stockinette with 1X1 rib on the collar, cuffs and bottom.

I am using Sirdar Snuggly baby bamboo yarn and it is so nice and soft and a gorgeous cherry red color, sadly despite being awesome yarn, it has no cool colorway name, what a waste.

I am going to see the Christmas recipient of this sweater next weekend and will surreptitiously measure her. Oh, in case I haven't mentioned her before, here's Madison:


Doesn't she look cute in red?

A Revalation

So just now as I started working on my first sweater (a tiny little one for my niece), I realized why handmade gifts are so special... When you are working on a project for someone they are constantly on your mind. As I knit this adorable little red sweater I keep smiling as I picture my little niece Madison wearing it.

I had the same pleasant thoughts about my brother as I worked on his socks.

So, yes I could buy 2 sweaters for Maddie with the $$ I spent on fabulous bamboo/wool yarn, but I would be done with the transaction in 5 minutes. This project will keep me smiling over her sweet little face for hours and days.