Happy Halloween!

From me and my nephew Chason to all of you!!

1st pic is him with his first carved pumpkin. He was seriously excited, can't you tell?


And earlier this month, a "Boo at the Zoo" program, Chason was Spiderman! He looks a bit mean here, but I take it as Spidey looking fierce, right?

Ariann . .Somewhere in the Middle

I can't really call this, Ariann, the beginning, because really I've been knitting on it since the end of August. We had a crisp day and I was ready to cast on. Ariann has been getting some love off and on. Lately I've had a lot of startitis, so some things gets worked on more than others and eventually enough is done so that it's finished.




One of my October goals was to get Ariann to the armholes, so that I could get started on the sleeves. That goal was met about 2 weeks ago. Finally last week I cast on for the first sleeve and over a long weekend, that sleeve was finished. One would think that I would cast on for the second, but I was kind of bored and instead worked on Farrow Rib a bit more instead.

The yarn I'm using is Cascade 220 Heathers in color 9453, I think. I really love how the yarn is knitting up, the color keeps entrancing whenever I put it down. Since I've finally knit with a beautiful purple that I know I will wear, I've been in a purple yarn buying mood. Hmm, things to see later down the road.

I hope to cast on for the second sleeve this weekend and once done, I'll be ready to join the sleeves to the body and get this sucker done.

Diary of a Knit Gone Wrong

Of course, this is the weekend of Rhinebeck. For those of us not going, maybe you will see my meager blog post offering. (hee!)

Today, I thought I'd talk about a project which was on the needles for quite some time, my Classic Elite '03 Tweed Neck Down Shaped Cardigan (scroll down to see pattern pic). After several attempts with this project, I had to put the needles down and declare defeat.

I started this project sometime in January of this year. Thinking it would be an easy knit, lots of stockinette and oh, yeah, I have to pay attention to the seed stitch. The thing is, this is a simple project and one that should have been a success story.

The great tragedy with this knit, was not with the pattern, but complete and simple user error. This knit turned out to get a lot of play when I was on the telephone at work in the busy, busy months of call center world in January/February. During one of those days, in between phone calls, I somehow managed to select the wrong count (in a multi-sized pattern) for the sleeves/body. Somehow I believe, I was knitting one size for the body and a different one for the sleeves, but not bigger/smaller, i.e. bigger for chest area and smaller for sleeves, but the opposite. The body fit was good, however, the stitch count for sleeves was just off.

As you can see in the pictures below, the first two pictures show the left sleeve, which was the first sleeve I worked. After I finished it and was about to start the second one, I tried it on and a had a lot of bulk under the arm. Didn't really like how that worked and looked at it again and again and had my expert friend (Susan)take a look. She and the LYS owner both agreed I had picked up too many stitches.





They advised of how many stitches I should pick up and ignore the pattern. I tried that suggestion, cruised along, took it by for a look-see and no, I had a different bulge under my arm this time on the right sleeve. Some referred to it as a goiter(that would be the bottom two pictures here. And please ignore my bathroom shots while in my pjs. It was either with pjs or no pictures and no pictures = no post, so there you have it.





I tried once more and I still had bulges, in all the wrong places, and finally I admitted defeat. For, you see, I was knitting a top-down raglan, and to get those sleeves corrected, I'd have to at least rip back to the armholes and probably a bit before that, to get back on the right track. While I do like this pattern and expect that I'll try it again, now is not that time.

This project has been ripped and the yarn is awaiting another time on the needles. I guess the best thing is that I'm getting a lot of knitting enjoyment out of this yarn, right? ;-)

'Til next time . . .

Stash Sale

Friends,
I guess it's that time of year again. I've been culling the stash a bit and there are a few gems that while nice, just aren't for me anymore.

Hopefully some of you will be able to help me out with it. Please be sure to send me an email for anything you are interested in. Sales are on a first come, first served basis. Email to : awandaATgmailDOTcom with subject title: STASH SALE

Prices do include shipping.

First up, a skein of vintage Opal. This skein does not show up on the Opal web site as part of any collection. My best guess is that it will knit up in some type of striping, but not as a regular sequence. Approx. yardage=420 yds 75% wool/25% polyamid Price $9 SOLD



Berroco Uxbridge Tweed, now discontinued. 11 skeins, 92 yds each. 33% wool/46% acrylic/9% polyester/8% cotton/4% nylon, all skeins same dyelot. 1 skein was partially used to start a swatch and is included. Price $29 SOLD



2 skeins Lorna's Laces Shepherd Sock, 80% wool/20% nylon, 210 yds each, color: Vera
Price $13 SOLD



9 skeins Reynolds Sedona, also discontinued, this is a lt worsted yarn, 111 yds each, 100% mercerized cotton. Most skeins are wound, however, one ball had an explosion and I've never corrected it. Pretty plum color, Price $20



2 skeins Handpaintedyarn.com Laceweight, colorway unknown. 100% wool, has olive greens, blues and peach 850 yards each. Price $8 SOLD



3 skeins Mountain Colors Weaver's Wool, 100% wool, 250 yds each. Colors: blues/greens/purples. Price $21 PENDING



Thanks for looking

FO: Opal Caterpillar socks

I managed to finish up a pair of Opal socks this month. I started these socks while at Camp WannaKnitKnit in July, as I was also finishing up my Sockapalooza socks. As these were plain stockinette socks, they lingered around for a bit, but they are done and I still really like them. Very fun!



Project Specs:
Opal Caterpillar yarn from the Rainforest Collection
Started: end of July 07
Completed: beginning of October '07
Needles: US 1.5 2.5 mm Pony Pearl needles
Mods: None, just my basic 64 stitch stockinette socks, cuff down, with heel flap

Next up, a sample sock for the shop in Southwest Trading Company Tofutsies yarn. I knit it using the Fanny sock pattern. OMG, I really hated how this yarn pooled. Pink and green colors on the front of the sock and purple/blue on the back. Very weird. I didn't enjoy knitting with it at all, but I finished a sock. The second will be done eventually. One good thing to note about the sock yarn is that it softened up after a wash and dry though.





Now, on to new socks.

October Knitting Goals

With a nod to Polly, I've decided to start a list of my knitting goals for the month. I find with most things if I have a list, it helps me to prioritize what I'd like to work on, even if I don't get it all done.

1) I'm going to be go out on a limb here, to finish theFarrow Rib scarf I'm working on for M's brother, also known as the BIL scarf. What Farrow Rib Scarf you ask? Well, it's this one I started around the first of September, you know, back when I was taking that blog break? Yeah, thought that would jog your memory.

2)to finish at least a sock from the Tofutsies that I'm working with, which is really irking me, but it's best to get it all done now.

3)Start a new pair of socks, in honor of Socktoberfest, although it's doubtful they will be finished during the month of October

4)Get to the armholes of
Ariann. This sweater I am knitting out of Cascade 220 in a lovely heathered purple, that I adore knitting with.

5)Start the Corrugator Scarf with some of my stashed Colinette Jitterbug.

Thanks to everyone for the helpful information in the last post. I am exploring several for more information and tips. You guys always come through!!