FO: Shalom Cardigan

Posted on June 13, 2013 by atangledyarn84

Here she is! Stashbustin’ #18 aka Shalom Caridgan finished and thanks to the husband photographed!!

This is an awesome pattern! Just as an aside this is only written for a small/medium size or 32″ bust. My chest is a bit bigger than that so I followed the author’s suggestions and tweaked the pattern for my needs.

I used a 10 1/2 US or 6.5 mm needle.
I used a 7 stitch garter border by simply adding two stitches to beginning and end of each row. This added just enough to make the sweater close comfortably across the top my 37 1/2 inch bust.
I worked a three stitch button opening to accommodate my larger button.
I worked an extra decrease section (row 83 followed by rows 48 & 49 alternating for 7 rows) at the bottom after row 105
I knit 7 rows garter bottom border in order to match the length of the collar instead of the 9 rows in the pattern.

I did dork up the garter border a bit. See my 911 post here and my fix here. But all in all I’m very happy. This will look great over a tank (as pictured) or thrown over a long sleeve tee in the fall/winter. Not sure I would re-knit this particular pattern but it’s a great addition to my wardrobe.

Sweater 911: The Fix!

Posted on June 10, 2013 by atangledyarn84

Remember my sweater 911 from last week? I mistakenly knit part of my garter edge as a stockinette edge. It looked something like this….

After some hemming, hawing, and wine drinking I decided on a fix. I picked up my yarn and tapestry needle and went to work. I ended up with something like this..

I cut a length of my leftover yarn and threaded on my tapestry needle. With the right side facing me I simply stitched over and around each one of the 7 edge stitches with a whip-like stitch creating the top of a faux purl like bump. When I reached the stockinette section I turned the work around and stitched back across but this time staggered by half a stitch. This way I could create the bottom of the row to create the look of garter stitch. It didn’t turn out as perfectly as I wanted but it definitely looks better then when I started.

I think the corrections are hardly noticeable when looked at the garment as a whole. Stashbustin’ #18 is officially complete! I hope to snag the husband some night this week so I can get some shots of this garment in action!!

Happy Monday and Happy Knitting!!

Sweater 911

Posted on June 8, 2013 by atangledyarn84

I was sooo happy to finish my Shalom Cardigan (Stashbustin #18) that I snapped a few quick photos with my iPhone….

I was so happy and excited! It fit great and I had the perfect button for it….and then I found them! Did anyone notice the two glaring mistakes in my sweater above? Here is one of them….

I totally messed up the sweater edge/ribbing. I know exactly what I did, I was on a purl row and purled row all the way across…sigh. This happened in two obvious places. I didn’t even notice until I was ALL the way done and bound off and washed/blocked.

After much brainstorming (drinking a little wine) and consulting of the online tutorials and blogs, I have settled on a solution. I have lots of yarn left over. So I am going to cut a small length and with a tapestry needle sew over the stockinette stitch to create an artificial garter ridge. So that is my mission today is to fix these oops.

Wish me luck! I hope to have a success story to share with you later….fingers crossed!!

A Little Cuteness For Your Friday

Posted on June 7, 2013 by atangledyarn84

I don’t have a FO this Friday because I got all the way done with my Shalom Sweater and found two glaring errors I need to fix. That is for another post…..

So I’m hoping to distract you with a little cuteness….

Here are some action shots of my Snug…

Many thanks to Baby B for being a good sport about taking pictures in a sweater in June, lol!!

I’m off to work and then to work out how to fix my sweater problem, TGIF.

Happy Knitting!!

FO Friday: Snug

Posted on May 31, 2013 by atangledyarn84

Tah Dah!

Stashbustin’ #16 finally has buttons!

I was walking through Joann’s this week and these puppy buttons caught my eye. They are super cute and matched my chocolate yarn. And it made me think of that commercial on TV where the little girl talks about her puppy brother, lol. So of course I had to buy them.

I was hoping to snag some pics of this on a real baby this week but my friend’s sweet Baby B has an ear infection. So we snuggled instead of having a photo session.

I’m off to work and to get ready for my parents to visit this weekend! TGIF!!

Stashbustin’ #18: Shalom Cardigan

Posted on May 25, 2013 by atangledyarn84

When I was organizing my craft space vi found five hanks of some Berroco Vintage Chunky in purple. I made my last two sweaters, Mud Season #1 and Mud Season #2, from this yarn. I love this yarn! It’s wool blend that’s soft but yet easy care. It knits up beautifully and who doesn’t love chunky projects?

I have settled on my next stash buster: Shalom Cardigan by Meghan McFarlane!

(Photo from Meghan’s Ravelry page)

I’m terribly excited! And thanks to the tips on the pattern page I’m going to alter this a bit to fit my bust size by simply making the garter border a few stitches bigger. I’ve also been a good girl and swatches for gauge.

I had to go down to 10 1/2 US needles to get gauge on my unblocked swatch. I’m probably not going to wash or block this swatch as I didn’t get any difference in my last two Vintage Chunky swatches. And I’m out of Soak and need a trip to a yarn store, lol.

It’s a three day weekend for me thanks to Memorial Day. I’m hoping to give this sweater some attention this weekend. But I have several other WIPs and a test knit for a new pattern by a fellow blogger. I’m also excited about this test knit, it’s completely adorable!!! And the hubs and I have several projects in our new house. Not to mention I might need to make a trip to the yarn store…hehehe. I’m sure I can get it all done right?

Happy Knitting!!

WIP Wednesday: Snug

Posted on May 22, 2013 by atangledyarn84

Stashbustin’ #16 is almost complete!

I bound off the last edge last night as I was catching up on my DVR. I had to pull in a lamp this dark yarn really started to play with my eyes as I was trying to pick up and finish the crochet edge, lol. However, I love love love using the leftovers of my Berroco Vintage Chunky from my Mud Season. I haven’t found a yarn that Berroco makes that I haven’t liked yet. And it didn’t hurt that this project was chunky yarn on my big needles, lol.

I didn’t exactly follow the directions to a tee….not that they weren’t very well written! Hinke did a great job of spelling things out and including lots of links to tutorials. I just kinda took her directions as suggestions, lol. I used a knitted on cast on instead of the crochet on waste yarn. I also cast off in pattern instead of a sewn method. I also accounted for three buttons instead of two. And finally I crocheted all the way from the left bottom corner, around the hood, and down to the right bottom corner.

I still need to find the right buttons for this project. But I’m not in a rush. I think this little sweater is going to stay with me. It’s the partner to my Mud Season and hopefully I can bundle up a little one in this when the hubs and I decide to have kids. And then mommy and baby can match. That means the buttons have to be special. Next up for this sweater is a good bath and blocking!!

Happy Knitting!!!

Mud Season #2

Posted on May 16, 2013 by atangledyarn84

Sometimes you just find a pattern that speaks to you, is fun to knit, and flatters your figure. In my recent knitting, this has been Mud Season. I had the yarn in my stash so I started a second one this week as a vacation project and Stashbustin’ #17. My friends think I’m crazy for knitting sweaters in summer when the temps are hitting the 80s and 90s. But I like to knit what speaks to me no matter the season, lol.

I’ve got my second Mud Season off the needles, washed, blocked, and photographed!

Being wiser and smarter the second time around, I made a few deviations from the pattern instructions:

– I used a crochet cast on method in the beginning and when I cast on the additional stitches before joining in the round. In my first attempt I used a knitted cast on method. With the dark yarn it was hard on my first sweater to find the stitches when I went to pick up and knit the neckline and therefore the neckline was tighter. The crochet cast on was a neater line and made picking up stitches much easier. You can also see that the neck is more open than on my first Mud Season.

– I paused knitting the body just after I divided for the arms and had knit about 10 rows down. I wanted to maximize the yarn at the bottom of the sweater without having to worry about running out and not being able to make the neckline or the sleeves. It actually worked pretty well and I liked not having to go back do those at the end.

– I have a long torso and wide hips. I’m of Scandinavian decent and these are the gifts of my ancestors. My first Mud Season was a bit short for me and tight across my hips. I wanted to change up the increases at the bottom of the sweater to make it more flattering. When I got to the increases I worked the following:

Increase round
Knit 5 rounds
Increase round
Knit 5 rounds
Increase round
Knit 6 stockinette rounds
Increase round
Knit 6 stockinette rounds
Increase round
Knit 6 stockinette rounds
Increase round
Knit 6 stockinette rounds
Increase round
Knit 1 stockinette round
Work ribbon as instructed in pattern.

I love this pattern and will probably stay in my rotation as a “go-to” sweater and gift knitting. It’s just the right mix of fun and easy that I can watch TV or a movie or even carry on a conversation. Not to mention it’s a very quick knit!

Happy Knitting!!!

Picture Day!!!

Posted on May 15, 2013 by atangledyarn84

Some of my most recent FOs got a good bath this past weekend and the husband helped me take some photos of them in the beautiful May sunshine.

First up, my Stylish Square Blanket or Stashbustin’ #13

This blanket was delivered to it’s new home yesterday. This golden treasure now belongs to my bestie from high school and her baby due later this year. I went to see her new home and couldn’t go empty handed. And what better to take to a new mom-to-be than a snuggly baby blanket?! She loved it of course and I can’t wait to meet my newest neice or nephew!

Next up my chocolate Mud Season or Stashbustin’ #14

I gave this sweater a spin on Monday as I ran errands. I threw a tank on underneath and it was perfect as the temp only made it to the mid 70s. I got a few compliments on it and I can’t wait to wear it again. But as the temps are getting into the 80s and 90s….I may have to wait until fall.

Happy Wednesday to all! I’m off to continue my battle of organizing my craft room. Wish me luck, lol

FO Friday: Mud Season

Posted on May 10, 2013 by atangledyarn84

Stashbustin’ #14 is complete!!

I finished this in no time!! Ten days start to finish. It really helped mitigate my stress of late, lol.

I mentioned a few of my pattern alterations in my WIP Wednesday post. I really like this pattern. It was easy to follow and well constructed. It’s a bit snug…but that’s probably more due to my poor eating of late and not the pattern. I would definitely wear a tank or long sleeve tee underneath.

It still needs a good soak and blocking. But I haven’t unpacked far enough to find my Soak or blocking mats yet. I hope to get that done this weekend and take some photos of it on. It’s so pretty and soft I can’t wait! Neither could Chloe evidently…

I used four and a 1/3 skeins of yarn. I have 2 2/3 left and I have had Snug by Hinke in my queue for awhile. Me thinks my chocolate leftovers are going to make a Snug for my Stashbustin’ #16. I plan to cast on tonight!

I also may or may not have already cast on anotherone in the Vintage Chunky in teal for my Stashbustin’ #17….

Oh WIP-itis thy are a cruel mistress!!

My Tangled Yarn Knitting Adventures

Ramblings from an obsessed knitter

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