Stashbustin’ #5: Antrose

Posted on January 13, 2014 by atangledyarn84

I read too many knitting blogs for my own good, but sometimes I read about projects that I just fall in love with. Enter, Antrose by Shannon Cook

(Photo credit to Nicholas Kupiak and the Antrose Rav page)

My bread and butter when it comes to sweaters is a top-down raglan. I have a unique body shape and I like to try sweaters on as I knit. This way I can make alterations if I don’t like the fit. And this sweater is all that and more.

Top down with a reversible funnel neck. Lots of easy plain stockinette with great chevron details thrown in. Just enough to make you pay attention and not get bored. And worsted weight yarn should fly off the needles!

This will be my #5 stashbustin’ project for 2014. I have some Knit Picks Brava worsted in Dove Heather. A lovely cream/neutral color to be sure. I recently dyed my hair several shades darker and I have been craving some neutral pieces to set off my new hair.

Well, I’m off to swatch! Happy Knitting!

FO Friday: Sophisticate

Posted on January 10, 2014 by atangledyarn84

Its finally done, buttons on, and tag sewn in! 2013 Stashbustin’ #38 is complete! This officially completes all my (non-hybernating) WIPs from 2013. I feel a great weight lifted off my shoulders!

Pattern: Sophisticate by Linden Down

Size: Medium (I should have made the large)

Needles: US 8

Yarn: Caron Simpy Soft in grey

I used 1,043 yards of yarn or 562 grams. That is about 3.31 skeins of the 6oz Caron Simply Soft.

I worked on this project on and off for several months. I should have finished waaaaay faster. But I chose to savor the process and the soothing stockinette.

I love it open or all buttoned up. (Sorry for no modeled pictures….the husband has been working overtime and therefore is unavailable to help me photograph my projects while the light is good.)

The buttons are my favorite. I found some plastic buttons that look like wooden/brushed buttons in a coordinated grey tone.

I highly recommend this pattern to all knitters! It’s a paid pattern but so worth the money! It’s creative, yet simple. And the instructions are very clear….trust me, that’s not always the case!

Happy Knitting!

FO Friday….(err I mean Saturday): Abalone

Posted on January 4, 2014 by atangledyarn84

I did a bit of monogamous knitting the last couple of days. And so I actually have a FO to show you!

Well it’s done…but despite my best math and knitting know how it’s not quite right. Don’t get me wrong, the pattern is great! It’s written for small size only with directions/percentages given to help you “upsize” your garment. I should have been more meticulous…

Here it is anyway….

I completed this sweater in a little under a month. I used 3 skeins of Knit Picks Brava worsted in Wine knit up on size US 8 needles. I simple adore the color! (In math terms I used 657 yards or 300 grams of yarn)

I did my calculations and cast on 80 stitches and increased up to 149 total for the body section. I then knit 17 inches of stockinette up to the arm holes. Then I separated and knit another 7 1/2 inches of height for arms shoulders.

Now looking at the FO, here is what should have happened:

Cast on 90 stitches (ish) and worked up to 159 stitches (ish)
Knit 19 or 20 inches of stockinette before getting to the sleeves
Knit 8 or 8 1/2 inches for the shoulders/arm holes
Paid attention to the written directions and added increase at the corners of the knit border so it would curl.

This was supposed to have been a gift for a very lovely, elegantly tall, and slender friend. This sweater doesn’t have a snowballs chance in you know where of fitting the intended recipient in any flattering manner. So into my closet it will go after some additional aggressive blocking. I would like it to hit past my butt at least.

Instead my friend for her birthday shall get some local Kansas wine from grape vines that I helped to plant. That’s sort of like knitting her a sweater right? Sigh….

P.S. this is one of my last FO from my 2013 Stashbusting efforts! It’s #45 and I hope to have a post with my final year end stats soon!

Progress: Abalone!

Posted on January 2, 2014 by atangledyarn84

Remember the other sweater I was going to finish on Christmas vacation? Yeah well, this is that I got done on my Abalone…

I finished up the last of the stockinette body section (right at 17 inches) and promptly separated for the sleeves. God bless stitch holders!

Now I get to work just under 8 inches of arm/shoulder sections. They are worked separately and then seamed together using a three needle bind off. I’m well on my way to meet my January 15th deadline. And this the second to last project I need to finish for my 2013 stashbustin’ projects, yippee!!!

Now if you will excuse me, I have some quiet knitting and coffee sipping to do before I head off to my big kid job!

The End Is Near: Sophisticate

Posted on December 31, 2013 by atangledyarn84

I had the best of intentions to finish this sweater on Christmas vacation. Yeah right, lol!

I did manage to finish both sleeves whilst traveling. (Sorry about the low light, our days are too short to get good photographs!) Here is the back view. And don’t worry the sleeves are the same length, I just didn’t get the sweater laid out very well.

And the front view:

All that’s left is to pick up and knit the button band and shawl collar! All in glorious knit stitch so it should go fast!

I have been knitting the medium size as that is what fit my measurements and gauge. However, trying this on (pre-blocking of course) it’s a bit tight. It fits, but I was hoping for more of a loose cozy sweater. I probably should have knit the large size or gone up a needle size on the medium. Live and learn! It will still be a lovely sweater.

That reminds me, I need to find some coordinating grosgrain ribbon! I want to reinforce the button band so that my button holes don’t sag. I’ve never done this but I have seen it lots in the blogging world. It always looks so sharp and sneaky!

This is Stashbustin’ #38 for those keeping score. I hope to finish this in the next couple of days to wrap up my 2013 year!

Abalone Update

Posted on December 19, 2013 by atangledyarn84

I’m onto the second skein on my Abalone! This simple knit has been going to work with me every day and getting some serious lunch time knitting.

Being a stockinette body…I had to use the clips to keep it from curling so I could take photo, lol! Don’t worry, it will get a garter stitch border to sort out all the nasty curling. This Knit Picks Brava Bulky has been a dream to knit with. I just love the feel of the wool/acrylic blend. And the color is divine, even in stockinette!

This is sort of a present and needs to be done in January. This will probably be my Christmas traveling knitting so I can be done with it by my deadline.

How are your deadlines coming?

Wine and Cardigans

Posted on December 16, 2013 by atangledyarn84

I fell in love with a photo for a pattern on Ravelry. One of those kismet situations where I was instantly hooked. Take a look, it’s Abalone by Beata Jezek…

(Photo is from the Ravlery page and all credit due to beatka’s flickr photo, it is amazing!)

I’ts a open front short sleeve worsted weight cardigan. It would be amazing over a long sleeve tee or even a simple tank top. I just HAD to make this. It’s even a free pattern. Only one problem, it’s only written for size small and I need a slightly bigger cardigan. Not to worry I perused the completed projects section on the pattern page and checked out other knitters modifications. The author included percentages for each section so you can back into your number stitches based on swatching and doing the math.

Based on my scribbles, I am going to cast on 80 stitches instead of 54. And I will work to 149 total stitches instead of 98. As swatch as my witness, I hope this works. I just love the color and the yarn! I am using Knit Picks Brava Worsted in Wine.

Now I’m off to grab my needles and cast on, Happy Monday!

FO Friday: Nutmeg

Posted on November 29, 2013 by atangledyarn84

Just in time for some seriously wintry cold weather here in Kansas! I give you a finished Nutmeg!

I knit this using Knit Picks Brava Bulky. Black may have been a poor choice as I spent 20 minutes with a lint roller getting this FO photo ready, lol. I have a white lab that sheds all year round! I used just under 7 skeins or about 922 yards of yarn. This sweater weighs about 680 grams and is seriously warm.

I find that I like the open boat neck of the collar. I did opt however to knit the sleeve ends and hem in garter ribbing rather than the rolled hem to match the neck. I just don’t like the rolling. I like my garments to stay down over my tummy. And oh the sleeves….I highly recommend anyone knitting this sweater to omit the K2tbl and use a K2tog instead on the left sleeve.

This sweater is seriously warm!! The finished fabric turned out pretty dense. It was 30 degress (Fahrenheit) on the day we took these photos and I stayed pretty warm, even without a coat. God bless wool blends!!!

Would I make this pattern again….maybe, but only if someone requested it. There are soooo many other sweaters waiting in my queue. And this one was quite vanilla. I think some challenges are in order for my next project!

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”?

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