One Of These Things Is Not Like The Other

Posted on November 19, 2013 by atangledyarn84

At my last post on Nutmeg, I was working on the sleeves. Seriously….one of these things is not like the other….

Sleeve #1 from my Nutmeg

Sleeve #2 from my Nutmeg

It might be hard to see in the pictures. But in real life….the decreases are NOT the same. Sleeve #1 called for K2tbl or knit 2 though the back of the loop. And I don’t know if I’m doing it wrong or it was supposed to be that way. But the decreases left raised bumps or visible loopy thing. They were raised enough to actually snag!

Now Sleeve #2 called for K2tog or knit two together. This decrease, while still noticeable, did not leave a raised bump or loop. Much prettier to my eye. So I’m going to finish up the second sleeve, put a lifeline in the first sleeve, and then re-knit the first sleeve to use the same decreases.

It’s not huge deal as these knit up pretty quickly. But still…AAARRGGGHHH! I’m becoming one of those knitters that has to have perfection. Life was easier before, lol

Happy Knitting!!

WIP Wednesday: Sleeves

Posted on November 6, 2013 by atangledyarn84

My Nutmeg sweater or Stashbustin’ #37 is getting sleeves!!

I was swimming along the body section and noticed my yarn quickly disappearing. I decided to pause on the body and work the sleeves (oh the joy of interchangeable needles!) lest I run out of yarn.

I’m one sleeve down and quickly dispensing with the second. They are quite lovely and are giving me the tight fit I was missing on my Brick sweater. I am finding once again that I have to cut out a few pattern repeats on the sleeves to fit my shortish arms. I also opted for garter ribbed sleeve cuffs.

Now, when I’m done I will then work the remaining body either to my desired length or until I run out of yarn, lol. And I’m definitely going to use the garter ribs for the hem. I think it looks very sharp!

Happy Knitting!

WIP Wednesday: Nutmeg

Posted on October 30, 2013 by atangledyarn84

WIP Wednesday: Nutmeg Sweater or Stashbustin’ #37

I have finally conquered my early hurdles in this sweater. I am finding that I like lifted left and right increases for top down raglan sweaters. They just look much neater to this knitters eye. And I can knit them “twisted” so I can reduce the appearance of holes.

Pardon the dog hair. I have a white dog and his hair is EVERYWHERE!!! No matter how much I dust or vacuum. Nonetheless, I have finally divided for the sleeves and I’m working down the body. Miles and miles of stockinette but I find that it suits me and my current mood.

For a bulky sweater, this is creating a fairly dense fabric. This will definitely be a warm sweater for this winter. I haven’t been working monogamously on this, but it is growing!

My only decision left is if I am going to work the hem as written with a rolled edge to match the neckline? I am waffling….perhaps a 2×2 rib for a few rows?

Any thoughts out there?

Snails Pace Sweater

Posted on October 28, 2013 by atangledyarn84

WIP update on my Stashbustin’ #38 sweater, Sophisticate!

At my last post, I had just divided for the body and separated the sleeves. Since then I have only completed the waist decreases section. I’m afraid I have a case of the “too many WIPs” and this sweater is suffering.

I manage a few rows here and there. So I’m showing you guys to keep myself honest. I don’t want this to fall to the bottom my knitting pile. I really want to wear this sweater this winter.

Anyone else have a case of the “WIPs”?

WIP Wednesday: Sophisticate

Posted on October 23, 2013 by atangledyarn84

I have a BA in accounting, an MBA, and I’m a full time working accountant…but apparently this week I can’t count or read for comprehension.

My Sophisticate or Stashbustin’ #38 is finally making forward progress. I’ve completed the yoke and divided for the sleeves.

But getting to this point has been a battle. I thought I was following the increases according to the pattern. I did a stitch count at a couple of pattern repeats before the end and I was WAY closer to the end total then I should have been. Now I probably missed making some marks on my pattern as I completed a row. And I probably worked too late into the evening after a glass of wine. I literally couldn’t count to save my life. So I’m claiming total responsibility.

So I put my big girl panties on and did some quick stitch calculations. This was made a little difficult as the pattern only indicates how many sleeve stitches and how many total stitches I should have. But I’m supposedly smart so I figured it out. And just fudged the pattern to get where I needed to be. And after some re-knitting I completed the raglan increases.

It used “firmly” backwards loop cast on stitch. Not my favorite but it looks ok. But I really had to keep the loops tight to avoid holes.

Now, enter stupid error number two. I got off a section and started to complete the men’s sweater directions instead of the women’s. I knit two extra inches of stockinette that upon realization of my error I frogged those two inches….I could not follow directions to save my life. This time because of movie watching with my hubby.

But I digress. I’m off and running on to the waist shaping instructions. No wine, no late nights, and I’m making clear and dark pattern notes. At this rate I should have a sweater by spring, lol.

Happy WIP Wednesday 🙂

FO Friday: Brick

Posted on October 18, 2013 by atangledyarn84

Stashbustin’ #33 is complete!

Love love love this sweater!! Despite all the ups and downs it came out wonderfully. And after a bath and some drying time it’s ready to wear just in time for fall!

Nice and roomy and I had just enough yarn for the project. Only have a skein left! I used 452 grams or 4 1/2 skeins of Berroco Vintage DK. That’s about 980.8 yards of yarn in one garment! Start to finish I think this garment took about three weeks?

My one complaint is that the sleeves are still pretty loose even with knitting the tapered instructions. As I have said before my arms are not necessarily proportional to the rest of my body, lol. So as I was knitting I noticed the sleeve getting very long and I still have an entire decrease section to do before the ribbing. I measured and confirmed my fears. So I only worked five total decreases in the tapered sleeves with the final decrease having only 8 rows of stockinette following it. This solved my length problem but I feel the sleeves deserved to be tapered more to fit my arms.

I managed to make both sleeves match this alternation. So I didn’t have the heart to rip out and re-do. Besides this is going to be my cozy winter sweater anyway!

P.S. Totally wish I was headed to Rhinebeck and this was my sweater….

TGIF and Happy Knitting!!!

A Grown Up Sophisticate

Posted on October 15, 2013 by atangledyarn84

Remember the secret project I mentioned I started at my friends wedding? Well, I finally made enough progress to merit an update. Albeit, a small one at that.

After making a few baby sophisticates, I decided I deserved one in my size! This is Sophisticate by Linden Down and will be #38 in my stash-busting efforts. I had just not quite enough Caron Simply Soft in Grey Heather….so I had to hunt down two more skeins in my dye lot. Having conquered that, I grabbed my needles and cast on!

I’m making the medium size and I’m still in the yoke section. I have a feeling that this will feel like it’s taking forever after making the mini size!

Happy Knitting!

A Brick Update

Posted on October 11, 2013 by atangledyarn84

Huzzah! I have one sleeve complete!! And it’s a pretty one to boot, if I do say so myself! It only took me a couple evenings to finish one sleeve since I picked up at the armholes.

This pattern has tested my patience, but I’m finally feeling in the groove. Here’s hoping I can slog along on the second sleeve and have this sweater ready for a bath by the weekend!

I did have to do some pattern mods to shorten the sleeve. But I’ll wait to finish the second sleeve before I post them. Here’s hoping I can make them match! Apparently I have moderate T-Rex problem when it comes to the length of my arms in relations to my torso. Ugh…

Until then, Happy Knitting!!!

Foiled Again

Posted on October 10, 2013 by atangledyarn84

I’m been on a HUGE sweater kick as the weather is slowly turning to fall. And I have had The Nutmeg Sweater in my Rav queue for a while. I’m pretty close to finishing my Brick sweater do I thought, what the heck and cast on! After all it’s a bulky sweater and will go crazy fast right?

Oh, the knitting hubris. Remember when I had all the trouble with my increases in the body of Brick? I’ve been foiled again!

The pattern didn’t specify what kind of increases to use in the raglan portion of the yoke. And I was in too much of a hurry to check Ravelry notes, so I just clicked along using the backwards loop cast on method. Don’t know why…just did.

After a whole evenings knitting and tv watching I looked down and what did I see but holes at the increases! Now this is black yarn and I’m very pale. Therefore with any stretch these holes will become readily apparent with my skin underneath. Sigh.

To the frog pond I went and ripped back the whole thing. On the next go round I’m going to use the make one left, make one right increases as explained by Twist Collective.

I really should learn faster. This is probably one of those “fool me once and so on” moments. Good thing it’s bulky yarn and I had some chilled wine in the fridge!

This will be Stashbustin’ #37 and I’m using Knit Picks Brava Bulky in black for those who are interested.

I Am The Master Of My Own Knitting

Posted on October 9, 2013 by atangledyarn84

For this WIP Wednesday I give you, Stashbustin’ #33 aka Brick is finally making serious progress!!

After some major frogging and frustration, I think I have conquered the body of my sweater. And being of top down construction, I have tried it on and it fits exactly how I want. It’s loose without being baggy. I’m shooting for a cozy sweater to cuddle up with on weekends this fall/winter.

I have picked up the stitches for one of the arms. And based on the size of the opening and numbers of stitches, I’m definitely going to knit the sleeves with a taper. Otherwise I think they would just be WAY to big and loose. Good news is that I’m going to have enough yarn. Maybe even enough leftover for a small hat?

Happy Knitting

My Tangled Yarn Knitting Adventures

Ramblings from an obsessed knitter

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