Torsdag

So one sweater has been finished for the Luvinthemommyhood KAL

And sweater number two (or is that three?) is moving along quite nicely.

I have chosen 5200k by Suvi Simola

I am knitting with Universal Yarn Pace in the colorway Olive.

A fingering 4 ply  75% wool - 25% Nylon blend

I made a few changes already by using a Us 5 for the collar and knitting a ribbed collar 

instead of the garter it called for. Then I switched to Us 6 for the body.

I am unsure if I will make any changes to the shaping of the sweater, as the last sweater I made had no shaping and I actually preferred it to the ones that did. We will see what happens.

It's moving along quick quickly for fingering thanks to the size needles. My last fingering sweater was knit on Us 2's, which would be why it took me a year and a half !!

Tonight though I think I am going to make a change of pace, I am going to spin some wool for sweater #3 of the KAL. I am almost done, but it has been waiting patiently for me to actually sit at my Ashford and spin!

Onsdag

So in the middle of my KAL I decided to tackle some Wip's that I had sitting on the sidelines.

This was the first.

Cruiser Mitts by Cailyn Meyer

These were made for a co-worker that I started this past winter. She was very pleased to see that I bit the bullet and finished them.

Another project that I am going to work on while my KAL is still ongoing is 

TTL Mystery Sock 2012

I have one sock completed, The other I am decreasing the gusset.

I think if I keep this up I can have all my Wip's done by the end of the year!

The idea that I had was while I am spinning at home for my sweater is that I can be working on the wip's in the office in between work.

IF I am not too busy. I'm hoping for the best.

FO

Done!

One sweater done for my KAL challenge.

Torsdag

Sweater #1

95% complete
5" of collar left to go and arm ribbing. That's it!

KAL deadline is end of September.

I still have 1/2 of another sweater to go.....

Onsdag

And so here we go with a little recap of my Summer Sweater KAL

I have my handspun Acer Cardigan on the left, and my Plain & Simple Pullover on the right.

So far I am still working on some singles for the Acer. It's going a bit slow as I haven't had much time for spinning. The Pullover however is making quite the progress finally!

I'll be glad to have both of these done for fall.

Onsdag

I haven't exactly been the greatest blogger as of late.

But I have been a busy bee.

Well that and I stopped knitting my cardigan so I could join a KAL!

It's probably not to late to join in if you'd like.

You can go to the Ravelry group & sign up.

I was able to join in even though I had already started a sweater. But, I had to stop where I was. 

The rules were that if you had already started, then you can join, but late.

I asked if I were able to join at the start with everyone else due to my disadvantage of having to scour, card, spin & set the twist on my Romney fleece. They said yes :)

So today I get to pick it back up and start knitting. 

However, I am soon out of yarn and will need to wash more fleece. I figure if I alternate between knitting till I run out & making more yarn, then I will stay interested enough to finish the sweater in a timely fashion.

Unlike the other sweater I am about to show you.

A sweater that I started May 1st 2011

Life got in the way and it became something to do in between kids, life, knitting deadlines etc.

But now that I have been waiting for the KAL to get started, I actually made headway and have started on the front top. This is where I am and where I will be stopping yet again.

It's time to work on my KAL sweater now. I am hoping by fall/winter that I will have two pretty sweaters to wear.

Måndag

Things have been quiet around here lately.

I have been busy spinning and knitting and hiking.

I do have some progress photos which I will share later,

and some wonderful pictures from Saturdays hike.

But, for now I have work to do.....

The cast on.....

I've begun. 

Prematurely so.

Will I regret it?

Possibly.

Do I care?

Mmmm not really.

Well I can say this...

I'm spinning really consistent and I'm checking often so I'm fairly confident I'll be alright.

However,

I'm thinking I might need to change my cast on.

I'm not so sure about it, yet I keep going, telling myself.... 

"It'll be fine. It'll work out"

Errmm. I'm not so sure about that.

I almost always use a specific cast on & this time I didn't.

I fear the edge might be wonky.

Will it block out?

I doubt it. UGH!!!

I really don't want to re-cast on, but I don't want to get so far then realize I wasted all that time with a crappy cast on and a horrible looking edge.

So, before I get any further than the measly 4  rows I knit already,

rip, rip, rip, rip.........

Onsdag

I can't seem to get it right.

I was spinning and spinning and thought I was getting sport weight?

No...

More of a dk/worsted.

I'm ok with that, but that means I have to change what sweater I am going to knit, again.

This is actually a good thing because what I was going to make had a lot of stockinette. I want something to keep me interested.

I have my first hank of yarn (only 188.33 yds.) and I set the twist, knit a swatch, and I got 18 sts/4" on a Us 6

That is worsted right there but I can get 20sts on a Us 5

So as long as I get gauge I can make the Acer Cardigan

I just started carding more fleece last night. I think I carded enough to get me a full spindle, then I have to keep going and going and going....

At least until I have enough yardage and then some to make this project.

Wish me luck!

Måndag

The thing I like about Romney is its sheen.

This is the first time I have worked with this type of fleece before and I love it!

It's spinning up really well and I have to say that this is the most consistent I have ever been.

I'm getting a nice sport weight for my cardigan and I am very pleased with the first hank.

I have to soak it in the morning, a bit late right now, but soon as I hang it to dry I am going to count the yardage. 

It will give me an idea of about how many spindles I will need to go.

I could have over filled my spindle and cranked it on there, but I didn't this time. For the next ones that I fill, I am going to make sure it's a really good fair amount.

I started this project on 5/15 and we are now on the 21st.

Normally it wouldn't take me so long to spin one hank, but I have been gone for the weekend on my motorcycle and I can't exactly take my wheel on the back of the bike. Though I bet that would be a sight to see!

Change of plan

Originally I had planned to knit a cabled sweater, and then I couldn't spin my singles up to be the right thickness. I had gotten so used to spinning fingering and lace weight yarns, that I struggle making a thicker yarn. From what I hear this is true for a lot of spinners. 

I am able to spin up a sport weight yarn. This is quite the miracle for me. 

So I will just change what pattern I will be knitting to suit my yarn making skills.

Larch Cardigan.

By: Amy Christoffers

I love this little number. 

It's simple and it has this little panel on the chest that just...

I don't know exactly, but I love it!

What I can't decide now is do I leave the yarn I am spinning the natural creamy white color, or do I dye it and risk an uneven dye..??? It's possible. I am not a professional dyer.

It's a chance I might take. 

Onsdag

I am a sad, sad person.

Since I have no more deadline knitting for the time being, I have resorted to trying to finish a sweater I started....a year ago.

Yup I did say a year ago.

I took a new picture of it today, loaded it onto my Ravelry project page, and because I keep track of dates etc...It shows I have been knitting this sweater, in stockinette, for exactly 1 year and 4 days.

I have only 10 1/2" done.

I blame this on a few things.

#1 Deadline Knitting

Reason: Well I think the title explains it all. I had three a few deadlines in fact, so I had to set the sweater aside while I worked on those projects and the pattern writing etc etc.....

#2 Good Weather

Reason: Well in between my deadline knitting there was summer which makes me want to be outside. But it was more than just being outside in the good weather that put my sweater on hold. See #3

#3 Motorcycle

Reason: (yes that's me on my bike) If not for this love of my life fine piece of equipment, I would have been sitting outside in the sun knitting away on my sweater. Instead I was enjoying the breeze in my hair. Then came along deadlines #2 & #3.

So now I have resorted to taking it to work and when I have a minute to spare, I put on a few stitches. When I have a ten minute break, I add on a row or four.

When I come home from work, I am spinning my fleece for my sheep to sweater project.

So all in all by this coming fall/winter I hope to have 2 sweaters ready to wear. If I can accomplish this, then I can do anything!

Happy Knitting!