Tag Archives: sweater

FO Friday: Sweet Cream Striped Raglan Cardigan

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Stashbustin’ #12 is DONE!!!

I finished up this sweater this past weekend. It took me 11 days to complete this sweater. Nothing like a little stress knitting to light a fire under your butt. Finishing was pretty easy because I wove in my ends as I went. I did have to do some crochet “fixes” around the edges to make the different knit bands line up. After a good soak and blocking this sweater is ready for Spring!

I made the whole thing out of Lion Brand Nature’s Choice Organic Cotton that I picked up on clearance. The yarn was wonderful to work with. I have a soft spot for a good soft cotton, especially this time of year. The one regret I have is that I was not diligent in checking my dye lots on the lighter cream color. I knit the entire sweater down to the knit bands up the front before I realized. The darker stripe on the body of the sweater hid the fact that the creams didn’t match. Sigh, the color difference is subtle so I’m just going to live with it. As a knitter friend pointed out, I’m probably the only one that’s going to notice.

I used the Lion Brand Simple Raglan Cardi pattern that’s free online and the same as I used in my Simple Raglan Cardi. I just kept knitting the body until I got the length I wanted. The stripes are two inches each, except for on the arms where I didn’t want the sleeves to go past my elbows.

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I can’t wait to give this sweater some wear. This is officially my first full sweater project and I’m very happy!! I think I have been bitten by the sweater bug.

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I want one of my next Stashbustin’ projects to be Mud Season by Elizabeth Smith. I have the yarn in my stash and the pattern already marked up in my size! I just need to get a swatch started for gauge.

What’s on your needles this weekend?

FO Friday….almost

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Stashbustin’ #12 update!

This soooooo close to a FO, I just had to post today!

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I have one sleeve to finish and then pick up and knit the bands on the front. I am tapering the sleeves rather than knit them like my cropped cardi. I think they help minimize my arms. I knit until I literally ran out of yarn. The last macadamia stripe on each sleeve is not two inches as intended. But I didn’t want to scout the interwebs for another matching dye lot, so I’m calling a design choice!

I love the length of this sweater. It hits right above the bottom of my bum. And I’m in a cotton obsessed phase. The feel of good quality soft cotton under my fingers is just what I need this spring. Not to mention that knitting is literally saving sanity between the stress of buying a home and rehearsing a play!

Happy Knitting and TGIF!! I’m off to finish my sweater!

Stashbustin’ #12 – Sweater Fever

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I didn’t end up swatching for Mud Season this past weekend….

Instead I cast on another cotton raglan sweater! I have named her Sweet Cream Striped Raglan Cardigan. It my Stashbustin’ #12 project!

In getting the house packed for our move I realized just how much cotton I have. In the spirit of spring I wanted a longer version of the cropped cardi I just finished. I freeze my butt off at work because I share a work area with a lady who has, as she calls them, “hot moments”.

I don’t blame her, it’s way easier for me to put on a sweater than her to strip to her undies! So I grabbed more of the Lion Brand Natures Choice Organic Cotton in Cream and Macadamia and off I went.

I don’t have any photos as we were CRAZY busy this weekend with winery trips, BBQs, and getting ready for the new house. But I’ll try to snag a few tonight and update tomorrow!!

Happy Knitting!

Mud Season

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I have several skeins of Berroco Vintage chunky in teal burning a hole in my stash! It’s a birthday splurge purchase from last year. I really really really want to Mud Season by Elizabeth Smith!

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How cute is this!? Its very much spring and mud season here in Kansas! I’m crazy though. We are attempting to pack our house to move by May 11th. I’m in the middle of rehearsing a play. And my big kid day job is crazy right now.

Maybe I’ll just pull the yarn out and feel its squishy goodness and work on swatches? Oh and maybe mark up the pattern for the size i want? That can’t hurt me right!?

FO Friday: Simple Raglan Cardi

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Stashbustin’ #11 is complete!

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I LOVE this project and its easy to follow construction! I don’t know why I had been afraid of sweater construction. This top down raglan was so super easy!

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I added the zipper. Now I can’t decide if I like it? (Please ignore the awesome pony tail, lol)

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The 18 inch zipper fit perfectly but it makes the fabric pucker a bit. And due to my less than amazing hand sewing skills you can see the white zipper in places. Should it be ripped out and knit the ribbing instead? Should I rip out the 18 and resew in a 16 or 14?

I can’t decide…..

What do you guys think?

WIP Wednesday: Simple Raglan Cardi

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Update for Stashbustin’ #11

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(Sorry for the photo it was late and I had no natural light)

I’VE FINALLY DIVIDED FOR THE BODY! It actually looks like a sweater!!

This is my first top down/raglan sweater attempt. And I’m perty darn proud. I may have made a few mistakes but only I will know they are there. The pattern has been pretty easy to follow, rav page here.

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I love the yarn over detail at the shoulders. I am now left to complete 4 1/2 inches of stockinette body, 2 1/2 inches of body ribbing, both sleeves, and the ribbing along the front edges. I still have aways to go but I love this project and I’m addicted!

So far it it fits without needing to alter the pattern, fingers crossed!

What’s your current project addiction?

Sweater 911

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I got a call a few weeks ago from my Aunt Barb. She was packing up her summer clothes and found a summer knit/crochet shell that needed a little TLC. So she packed it off to me via USPS.

When I got the garment I could see that the sleeves were pulling away from the arm holes. I stared and looked and studied and turned the piece over and over again. For one, I couldn’t decide if it was knit or crochet! For two the pattern was complicated and there was definitely no way to frog it, re work it, and piece it back together without a pattern. And there was no pattern because this was a store bought garment.

So I surrendered and took it to the Yarn Barn in Lawrence, Ks. Even though I live in the Capitol city of Kansas…there are NO quality yarn/wool shops!! I have to drive to Manhattan or Lawrence good yarn or good advice! But that’s a rant for another time. The kind ladies at the shop studied my sweater and suggested some creative sewing to tie up the unraveling strings. What would you know? It worked!

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No more gaps or holes! I was so pleased with the shop and customer service that I even bought some wool wash for my sweater project.

Here is a close up shot of the arm. There are still a few places that are stretched and a little holey but much better than when I started! (Sorry, forgot a before pic!)

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The whole process took less than fifteen minutes and saved a sweater! Pretty darn proud of myself 🙂

Happy Knitting!

FO Friday: My First Sweater

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I finished my Stockinette Shrug. I used Berroco Vintage DK and the Lion Brand Glitter Shrug pattern.

This sweater took me over a month, but I was running three to four shows a week at the local community theater. So my knitting time was limited to say the least, ha! I loved loved loved the yarn! It is wonderfully soft for a wool blend and I didn’t have any problems with it splitting. While I was hoping to make this project with larger yarn and bigger needles to make it faster, I was glad I chose this yarn. I will definitely use it again!!

I did have one major hiccup, see that blog here. I survived that disaster and my skills (and sweater) are better for it! I even managed to make pretty seams for the first time ever 🙂 !

My only regret is that when I washed and blocked it….I blocked it a bigger than I intended. I made the sweater a bit wider across the shoulders than I intended. I wore it to work this week and ended up having to safety pin it to my tank to keep it from slipping off my shoulders. No worries my friends, I can remedy this the next time I wash it.

Finishing this project has really stirred the sweater itch in this knitters’ soul. But alas, I promised myself I would learn socks first. And on top of that, I have TWO craft fairs to prepare for this fall. A knitters work is never done!

For now just enjoy some FO photos! Happy Friday!!

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Rainy Saturday Indulgences

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It’s rainy day here in Kansas, a much needed rain I might add!

To me this means couch time with my knitting and puppies, listening to thunder, and delicious rainy day food. I picked up a new crock pot recipe on Pinterest the other day, Beef and Broccoli.

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I made a few changes to recipe:

– I doubled all the liquids and the broccoli but not the beef.
– I used stew beef because that is what I have in the freezer.
– I thickened my liquid but not to the point of sauce or glaze.
– I used low sodium soy sauce to cut down on the salt.

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So in my version it’s more of beef and broccoli soup but it’s still delish! Soup just felt right today. Husband thought it was a little sweet but he still loved it!

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We poured the beef and broccoli over steamed brown rice and paired it with a mixed green salad and cottage cheese for a heavenly warm, filling, and nutritious lunch. This is another Pinterest find that’s going to stay in our permanent kitchen files!

In knitting news, I finally cast off my Stockinette Shrug! I gave it a nice bath in Soak and blocked it out to dry on our guest bed. Should be able to seam it up tomorrow after its dry tomorrow! For now I’m going to cast on some matching boot cuffs for my sweater.

Happy Knitting and Eating!!