Tag Archives: top down

WIP Wednesday: Mud Season

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Update on Stashbustin’ #14

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Between knitting at the theater and being home sick Monday I have made very good progress on my Mud Saeson.

I deviated from the pattern a bit. The benefits of top down construction is being able to try it on. I tried it on before I started the 2×2 rib. Good thing too!! I realized the increases in the pattern weren’t enough to cover my Scandinavian hips and it was going to short on my torso.

So I added some extra increases. I worked four rounds stockinette, one increase round, four rounds stockinette, one increase round, and finally one last stockinette round before starting the ribbing. I also did a smidge more than the two inches of ribbing to get it to fall where I wanted on my hips/butt. It’s going to look fantastic with a long tank underneath now!

I just need to do the sleeves and then pick up and knit the neckline. I might not feel up to unpacking boxes with my cold…but I definitely can knit!

Happy Knitting!

Stress Knitting and Falling

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I received a comment from another blogger, Knitigating Circumstances, about learning how to fall properly. Now we were speaking in context of learning to deal with errors and fixes in knitting. But I found it that it was very appropriate in my current circumstances, especially after my insanity rant yesterday. (Sorry about that btw)

My life is literally crazy right now and there is not a darn thing I can do to change it. I just need to let go and fall properly. The best way I know how to deal with stress is to knit. So this week I cast on my Mud Season sweater. The yarn is some lovely Berroco vintage chunky in Chocolate!

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This is my Stashbustin #14 project. But I’m not sure it’s fair to call it that anymore as I swapped out my original real stash yarn in teal and purchased new the chocolate instead…but I’m not in the mood to be picky at this point.

However crazy my job, my house, or my theater stuff gets….I can always knit. It’s calming and familiar. And I get a pretty cool FO when I’m done provided I don’t knit at such a tight gauge that only an elf can wear the clothes. So here I am, attempting to fall properly….right into my knitting!

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This is an old photo by now as I have already passed the divide for arms and working on the waist decreases. This pattern is fun, right at my skill level, and most of all beautiful. I knit pretty dsrn fast when stressed, lol. Just what I need!

Happy Knitting and may your week be going better than mine!!

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!

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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Stashbustin’ #11 Update!!

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I completed the body, ribbing, and sleeves!! This pattern is amazing and just my speed for my first sweater construction. I was almost reading to do the ribbing on the fronts but I stopped. After trying it on I thought a zipper would look amazing. The pattern c I pulled a 18 inch separating zipper and I’m sewing it in now!

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I only had white but I did have some blue grosgrain ribbon. I will sew in the zipper and then cover it with the coordinating ribbon. Never done this before wish me luck!

Happy Knitting!!

Update: Stashbustin’ #11

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Stashbustin’ #11

I have finally cast on for my Simple Raglan Cardi. I was a patient knitter. I read the pattern, took my measurements, knit a swatch, measured said swatch for gauge, washed and blocked the swatch, marked up the pattern for my required size, re-measured just to be sure, and FINALLY cast on my sweater. This is my first really foray into a fitted garment for myself. I have made generic shrugs and other easy garments before and I’m finally brave enough to try.

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As you can see from the photo, I don’t have much progress. But it’s a start!!! And I just love love love the feel of soft cotton under my fingers and on my needles. Being as this is a top-down construction, I intend to try it on as I knit to ensure proper fit. Sure, this entails putting it on and taking off waste yarn in order to check fit. But isn’t it worth it to get a garment you will actually wear?

Keep you posted on my progress!

Happy Knitting!!

Stashbustin’ #11

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Stashbustin’ #11 – Simple Raglan Cardi

I have 7 skeins of Dusty Blue Lion Brand Nature’s Choice Organic Cotton. I splurged awhile back and bought a whole bunch on clearance at Michaels. And I have made two lovely cowls from this stash so far, Mere’s and mine. It’s a very soft yarn to work with and it washes nicely (with a little extra special care). I have really enjoyed working with it lately. So I decided to keep going.

A quick search on Ravelry and I found a simple top down raglan style cardigan and I fell in love. This will be my first top down raglan. I am the master of my own knitting and it will be scary, but I know I can do it (Elizabeth Zimmerman says I can)!! And I’m bound and determined to do this correctly. I am starting with swatching for gauge.

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I made a pretty large-ish swatch. I got almost spot on gauge on the unwashed swatch, 17 stitches to 4 inches on the larger of the two needles in the pattern. I then gave the swatch a good soak in some Eucalan and then pinned and blocked to dry.

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I am going to be a good girl and wait until tomorrow when it’s completely dry to measure again for gauge. I really want the finished garment to fit appropriately. In the mean time I’m marking up the pattern to get ready for this knit.

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I really don’t want to get off pattern so I measured for my size and highlighted the appropriate directions. Even went as far as blacking out all the other directions. I’m nothing if not thorough and I don’t want the reason this sweater gets wonky is because I can’t read! Hopefully I can have the blocked swatch measured and providing that goes well cast on the sweater this coming weekend. Keep you all posted!

Happy Knitting