Tag Archives: sweater

Blocking Radiate

Posted on by
2

It’s blocking time humans! My Radiate is complete except for the binding off of the sleeves. I have blocked this baby in a nice sink bath and I have set it in front of a fan to dry.

I am really pleased with how the yoke blocked out and the sleeves did grow a bit. I am glad I didn’t bind off the sleeves first. The yarn really softened nicely and this is going to be a lovely thin lightweight but warm sweater.

For this to be a FO I need to bind off the sleeves and convince my husband to take some real photos. Fingers crossed I get that done this week!

Happy Knitting!!

Almost A Radiate Sweater

Posted on by
5

Knit night zoom knitting did the trick. I have an almost finished Radiate! And don’t worry the sleeves are the same number of rows and do actually match. I made sure to mark my decreases and count my rows to match on the second sleeve.

I have not bound off the sleeves as the body is superwash yarn. I plant to soak and block the sweater to see how much it is inevitably going to grow. That way I can add or subtract sleeve length if needed.

I do need to weave in the ends still. But otherwise I’m SUPER happy to have an almost finished sweater. And it helps that this a ton of yards of yarn out of my stash and clearing my needles for the 2020 Pigskin Party KAL that started 9/25.

Happy Knitting!!

I Found A Knitting Group

Posted on by
9

I have reached that point of 2020, as great as I get along as an introvert, I needed PEOPLE. And I needed MY people. A few of the knitting podcasts I listen to have been referencing Zoom knit nights that are open to anyone and I finally bit the bullet and showed up to one.

I was nervous because I didn’t know anyone on the call. But I grabbed my Radiate and a glass of wine and showed up anyway. And like most all in the knitting community they were kind and welcoming and it was an amazing night. I mostly just enjoyed seeing other people’s project and listening to the banter. I didn’t feel like I was intruding and they seemed genuinely happy to have new people in the group.

Bonus, I also made good progress on my second Radiate sleeve. I might have a finished thing soon!

Happy Knitting

Just Be A Sweater Already

Posted on by
4

Hello from DK weight yarn sleeve island! It’s a balmy 70 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit in Kansas and it’s hampering my desire to knit with a full sweater in my lap. I really am ready for my Radiate to just magically turn into a sweater already.

Sleeve number on is complete with all my decreases marked with super fancy paper clips. And I’m roughly halfway through the decrease on sleeve number two. I have plenty of yarn and I’m not seeing any discernable pooling with the black. So I think this is the home stretch. I just need to find the mojo!

Happy Knitting!!

Recasting On DK Ripple Bralet

Posted on by
4

I got over my disappointment for my first attempt at the DK Ripple bralet and re-cast on. I went up two whole pattern sizes this time to account for my gauge in the first go around.

I managed to complete the stretchy cast on again and get working in the round for the 1×1 twisted rib. Twisted rib is not my favorite but it doesn’t last long for this project. I think I may sit this one aside for a bit until I can finish the sleeves on my Radiate pullover. I really feel like I need another FO win to boost my mojo.

So for now, I think I’ll stick to one sweater a time! Happy Knitting!!

Radiate Sleeves

Posted on by
4

My Radiate body is complete and I’m squarely into swimming on sleeve island!

I managed to slip on this garment and I’m pleased to report that it fits. It does need a good blocking for the fabric to relax into that good sweatshirt style fit I want. I’m super pleased with my alternating skeins of the hand dyed yarn. I can’t discern any pooling or flashing in the sweater body. I do not plan to alternate skeins on the first sleeve. I have enough yarn left over that I can knit the full sleeve from the same skein of yarn.

I can FEEL this sweater almost being done. So I’m hoping to power through the sleeves so I can have another fall sweater.

Happy Knitting!!

Radiate Ribbing

Posted on by
3

Can I get a hallelujah and an amen? I have finished the body of my Radiate and i’m starting the hem ribbing.

I added an extra inch and a half to the body length than the pattern asked for. I know I want to block the body out a bit wider for a nice sweatshirt style fit. So that means I am going to eat into the length a bit even with super wash yarn that is likely to grow. I want my finished sweater to fall at my hip line

One other modification I made is to turn the hem into a split hem. Being a women with robust hips and waist I really like how the split hem allows a garment to stretch and lay nicely on my body. I think I am close to finishing the back hem. My plan is to knit the front hem to be a bit shorter to create a mild high/low effect.

Fingers crossed this goes quickly! Happy Knitting!!

Starting Over

Posted on by
6

Even with my decreased knitting mojo, I have been making decent progress on my DK Ripple Bralet. I completed the body and the shaping for the first strap. The pattern specifically tells you to knit with negative ease. So I chose an appropriate pattern size for my bust measurement BUT I didn’t gauge swatch. That was a poor choice.

When I slipped this sweater on to see how long I needed the straps to be….it was beyond sausage casing tight. It was completely unwearable. Even my husband could tell and raised an eyebrow at me, sigh.

Cue the sad violins…because this is what my bralet looks like now. I ripped that sucker right out. The good news was that I hadn’t gotten far enough to wear I needed to cut the yarn. So I still have one full complete skein.

I did measure my gauge before ripping so now I know I need to go up two full pattern sizes to get a fitting garment. So I’m choosing to think of that first attempt as a REALLY complicated swatch. I haven’t gotten around to re-casting on again. I hope that isn’t a bad sign. Maybe this project just needed a good cooling off period?

Happy Knitting!!

Office Upgrades and Sweater Progress

Posted on by
3

I am back to working some days from home every week and school is gearing up to start in a Phase II capacity which means at least three days of home school for Jellybean. And I have been in a bit of a rut. So I decided to ask the hubby to help me rearrange my home office. I ordered an ergonomic keyboard and mouse and moved the monitors around to the center of the desk. It feels much more “officey” this way and it made me feel more engaged. And I made space for Jellybean to work on the backside of my monitors in his own “school space”.

My go-to conference call knitting right now is the body of my Radiate pullover by Joji Locatelli. The pattern tells me I need 14 inches of body but I feel more comfortable usually in the 17 inch range. So I’m doing that. But that means I still have a ways to go and lots of round and round in stockinette.

I did slip this on to my try-it-on tubing to get a feel for length. This is mainly superwash yarn so I know it will grow but I still have a great deal of knitting to do. Not to mention sleeve island….

Happy Knitting!!

Slowest Knitting Ever

Posted on by
7

I got a wild hair this past week and decided to make a Ripple Brawlet DK in some precious Chromatic Yarns DK from my stash. I bought the pattern, skein-ed my yarn, kitted up a project bag and accessories. I was full of enthusiasm and cast-on-itis so I jumped right into the pattern. I then came to a screeching halt as the pattern called for an Old Norwegian Cast on. I don’t know how to do that one and after an hour on YouTube and complete concentration in a kid free environment…I had five stinking stitches.

I used many tutorials including the “slow” version by Very Pink Knits YouTube channel. I just couldn’t make it click with my brain and my hands. I really want to start this project so I think I’m going to use an alternate cast on that is also stretchy. I will learn the Old Norwegian Cast on someday….today is just not that day!

Happy Knitting!!