Citrus yoke pullover

I have finally finished this sweater. It really didn't take that long, it's just that I got side tracked by other projects, and then took vacation, and slightly side tracked again.

So here are the particulars:

Yarn: Wool of the Andes Bulky in Sky from Knitpicks

Needle Size: 11

Pattern: Citrus Yoke Sweater by Katie Himmelburg (Ravelry link)

Size: large?

Mods: Only 2 repeats on the neck, added a ribbed/yarn over border on bottom and sleeves,

I did a gauge swatch and fell in between needle sizes 10.5 and 11. Yes, I measured and so did Suzy, so I decided to go with 11. I didn't want the neck too tight. I followed the pattern for the most part. I started out following one size, but as I was doing the yoke, I realized I couldn't do all the repeats for that size. The yoke would have been down to my waist. So I think I eliminated one yoke repeat. Sorry it was a while ago.

From then on, it's straight knitting, so I just did what worked for me. I didn't want the hems to roll, so I added the ribbing/yarn over border. Which I think looks cute and goes with the flow.

I loved working with the yarn and the color. I am just not crazy with the pattern. Cattywampus told me that I will eventually figure out what sweaters work for me, and I can tell you already that yokes like this don't. I want the arm holes to be more fitted. These kind of hang down a wee bit. But since the pattern kind of continues onto the arms....well I didn't realize this was going to happen. Maybe I should have made a smaller size?? I don't want to look like a sausage either. Come on, you know what I'm talking about.

Anyway, my dear friend told me to add a single crochet chain around the neckline in the inside. This should help with the arm hole thing. I have yet to tackle this. I'm thinking raglan increase sweaters work best for me so far. And I think I will definitely attempt a set in sleeve sweater too.

{I apologize for the blurry pictures, but you don't even want to know how many pictures Suzy and I took. They just didn't look good.}

TTFN!

Citrus Yoke sweater update

So I haven't been knitting this sweater for too long. I showed Suzy Girl my progress and she thought I was nearly ready to separate for the sleeves. Mind you I was following the directions for size B, but where I was in the pattern was for size A.




Yes, I did a gauge swatch for this project. I was falling in between needle sizes 10.5 and 11 with this bulky yarn. It is Wool of the Andes Bulky from Knit Picks, and I really like knitting with it. Back to the swatch, I washed and blocked and still in between sizes. So I went with an 11, because I didn't want the neck to big super tight against my neck, and from the picture the necks looks close fitting. Well as you can see, I am ready separate.

This will lead me to follow the directions for Size A. When I explained all this to fellow knitter Cattywampus, she gave me a look of concern. She is quite knowledgeable;e when it comes to knitting and sizing. She just didn't want me to be disappointed with my mistakes later, which I completely understand. However, I am stubborn and if this doesn't work out, I will learn from my mistake. It's a sweater I know, but it's only stockinette stitch from this point on. I will just frog, live and learn.


Besides, I think this sweater is going to be okay. And I actually did measure myself as a result of this. So something good to come out of this. Not something I wanted to do, but I did it. And i survived.

TTFN!

My Mother's Day with Chatty Kathy

Who is Chatty Kathy, you might ask? That's my nick name for my mom for obvious reasons. BTW, Mom told me if I take a picture of her, let alone put on my blog, she will kill me. "You know the rule Jennifer! No pictures!" She doesn't think she takes good pictures so I obviously respect her rule.

Every year, I take my mom to Rice's Flea Market on Saturday of Mother's Day weekend. It's only open on Saturdays and Tuesdays. Rice's is about an hour outside of Philly, just down the road from Peddler's Village. And every year, without fail my mom and I seem to go a different route, and sometimes get a little lost. "Oh this looks famailiar...oh...wait...no it doesn't." Then we figure out that we are going the right way, and we laugh. My mom and I are always laughing about something. And whenever we go somewhere, it's always an adventure.

There are several barns on the property, with lots of stuff (aka junk) in them. My mom loves looking at stuff.


These flowers are made of clay. I kid you not. This woman had talent!

Delicious and cheap fruit!

The weather was not very promising Saturday morning, so there weren't as many vendors as usual. That didn't stop us from finding bargains though. Where else can you get a Dolce and Gabbana bag for $27??? Not authentic mind you, but why spend lots of money on a designer bag when you can spend that money on yarn instead? We also bought some cookies, some plants (for mom; I kill plants), my mom got a handbag, hair styling products, hair clippies. Basically a bunch of stuff. I am always on the look out for knitting paraphernalia, but I really don't think that is the type of place to find any. Next time we decide to go to Rice's we are going to take a Tuesday off from work and go. Everyone there was saying it was so much better on Tuesdays. Even my girlfriend Tara, who is not a flea market type person, said Tuesdays were awesome.

Beautiful flowers ready to bought and replanted!

While driving to Rice's the roads are rural. The houses are nice and big, and it's kind of woodsy. Well, on the way we saw this house, and thank god no one was behind me because I basically came to a complete stop. This house was built and situated in way to make one come to a complete stop. On the way back, we pulled into the drive way to get a better look:

We could not believe our eyes. This is not a typical house for this area. It put us in mind of a castle, yet French chateau possibly? My mom said, "Oh my God! It has chimney pots!" We busted out laughing. We can't imagine who lives there, or how one could keep it clean without several maids/servants. I'm sure the people across the road must be real happy with this traffic stopper.

Afterwards we went to lunch and just chatted. We did have a lovely time.

The rest of my week kind of stunk. I have had a sinus thing since last Thursday, and actually called out of work two days. So sick I couldn't even knit! Now I just have cough that won't go away. I call it my kennel cough, because if you ever had a dog who had that, that's pretty much what I sound like. My Flyers, although they won yesterday on my birthday, are down 3 games to 1. It's not looking good. But then again, I didn't think they were going to make it into playoffs to begin with. I really have no business to complain. But as a die hard, this is what I do.

Oh and I had to frog my Citrus Yoke Pullover. Now I read the pattern directions and notes several times, but I just assumed it would work correctly. How was I supposed to know I had to keep track of what stitches were increases so I could purl them the next round? Can't the pattern creator tell me to use markers? I searched the pattern on Ravelry and realized that if I kept going with what I was doing....well one of these things won't look like the others. One of these things just doesn't belong! So I frogged. Oh well! I wasn't that far along anyway.

Until next time, take care and have a great weekend!

TTFN!

Never leave home without it

I have a part time job on the weekends, Saturdays usually. I know, full time job, school and knitting! I am crazy, but I have worked weekends forever, since the age of 14. To not work a Saturday once in a while is nice, but to not work for a while seems boring to me. I was going to cut back to every other weekend, but the Hawaiian vacation is not cheap. After that then I 'll cut back.

Anyway, I go to my other job Saturday, and find I don't have access to the new program that is now in use. No problem, I'll call IS and be operational shortly. Apparently they couldn't track down anybody, and after two hours, I left. The sad fact is I HAD NO KNITTING WITH ME. I know! What an idiot! Especially after Suzy Girl, myself and Cattywampus discussed the guy in the elevator for 41 hours. Luckily I had the latest issue of IK with me, or else I really would have gone crazy. Never again knitting goddess! I swear!

So on to knitting, I am still working on the same projects. But here are some new WIP pictures:

The shrug is actually coming along nicely, considering I don't knit a lot or very fast for that matter. Using Shine Worsted from Knit Picks and it is soft and comfy. Suzy girl and I always pet this when I bring it to work for show and tell. This yarn would make for nice spring/summer tops or sweaters. It feels nice against your skin too. So, as you can see it's chugging along.

Next we have my first sweater, the citrus yoke pullover:

Far away and close up. As you can see I am working my way down the neck. The pattern starts on dpns, and I am using 10.5. You increase every 2nd row in the 4 rom pattern, so it moves along quickly. I was uneasy with all those stitches on dpns. I was afraid of losing some, so I bought 16' circulars. Well, the stitches are squished on there, so now I need to get 24' circs. That's what the pattern calls for anyway, but at first I didn't feel as though what I had would fit appropriately. Now I think it will. Using Wool of the Andes Bulky and I like it so far. Not really itchy, and pretty soft considering. Did I mention I have to wind up the yarn by hand? I'll get a winder eventually :)

I should also mentioned that last Friday night, the 25th, I finished my last paper and presentation for school. YEA! Very happy and excited about this momentous occasion, because I have spent a lot of time at the kitchen table writing papers and stuff. I'll give that presentation on May 5th. It's a piece of cake!

Also my hockey team, the Flyers, miraculously made out of the first round of the playoffs! Very excited. They won game seven in overtime! Nothing like giving me a little heart attack boys. They are currently playing the Montreal Canadiens, and don't even get me started. I am only asking that all the games get called fairly. Game 4 is tonight, and my boys are up 2 games to 1. Keeping my fingers crossed.Lets go Flyers!

TTFN!

I gots me a swatch

I did the right thing and swatched for my sweater. I even washed the swatch, because I am a smidgen or scosh off from stitches per inch gauge. Both Susie and myself measured, and we think that I should be okay. Poor Susie, you see I am a wee bit dense when it comes to the math part. The patient girl, bless her heart had to explain the math to me a couple of times. Math and I just don't get along. Just ask my former pre-calculus teacher. Anyway, the citrus yoke pullover is a top down knit, so I can try it on as I go. And try (keep fingers crossed) to adjust as I go. We'll see how that goes.

Not much else to report. CBS cancelled one of my most favorite shows, Jericho, and so I sent them a nasty email. Not that they will do anything, but it made me feel better. Hopefully another network will pick up the show. The show delivers a good story every week. So sorry there weren't singers or dancers in it. I like reality TV too, but come on, we still need some dramas.

One last thing. My friend Bea over at Baa Baa Blacksheep is having a contest. The contest is a celebration of both her and her sister's birthdays and it is about her two cute dogs Gus and Abby. You have to guess at each of their favorite activities. The dogs not the sisters. So, please visit, take a guess, and tell her I sent you. Please.

And if you haven't had your fill of dogs, here is one more picture. Lucky likes to lay beside my chair and the end table. Easy access for Mommy to pet her...all night long. That's why there isn't always a lot of knitting going on!

What's with the petting mommy?

Have a great weekend!

TTFN!

A package is delivered

Ahh yes! My package from Knit Picks! It actually came some time ago, but you know I am a tardy poster. It arrived 3 days after the order was made. Great turnaround time.

The bare yarn is a merino wool for Suzy's dyeing purposes. I can't wait to see what she makes. No pressure though. Seriously! And the blue yarn is my first sweater yarn. I just realized I should have taken a better picture of the yarn. But I was trying to get all my loot in there. I had to get some needles for hat knitting as well.

Now mind you, I don't know when I am starting this sweater, but at least I have the fixin's ready to go.

TTFN!

Not another bunny?!

Oh yes, I made another one of those bunnies. This yellow one was for the wife of a very dear friend and coworker of mine who was expecting (she had a baby girl, yea!). You may recall I made one of these before Christmas for a female coworker. That was blue for her little boy.

Well, let me just say two times were enough for this little project. Although it didn't take long, the yarn is on the thick side and my fingers were hurting a wee bit as I worked with it. Besides, been there and done that you know? Both of my coworkers loved their bunnies, but the bunnies stop there. No more of these ever! There is someone else in the office who is due in June with their second child. I haven't decided yet if I will make her somehting. If I do it has to something quick and easy and different. Susie has told me that was enough with making things for our coworkers. And I kind of agree with her. But if I can find a small simple project......hmm....

So, Susie has mentioned our sweater project attempts. Yes it's time to make that first sweater. I am a weanie and don't want to do any seaming, so I am choosing the Citrus Yoke pullover by Katie Himmelberg from Interweave Knits Winter 2007. I have spent all week searching out yarn on the internet. Sometimes I am just not good with decisions. However, after much searching and mind changing I am going to use Wool of the Andes Bulky from Knit Picks. Not too expensive, and I figure I good choice for a first sweater.

I also want to order some Shine Worsted from Knit Picks for the comfy shoulder shrug from the septmebr issue of Creative Knitting 2007. I did a swatch from a skein from Knitting Novice via Susie Girl. I really like the way it knitted up. And it feels nice and soft and silky. I'll probably order over the weekend

The purpose of the shrug is for my vacation. Which I finally booked today, yea! Hubby and I are going to HAWAII!!! For two glorious weeks in november. Poor Susie has had to listen to me about this trip. You see I have been researching for almost a year, because it's not cheap. Decisions to be made, and you know how I am about decisions. Susie and I have even had conversations about what kind of projects I should bring on the trip, since flight time is 12 hours each way. Oh yeah, I know there are beaches and volcanoes, but what can I knit on the road? Socks baby! If only my hubby knew what I really think about sometimes :)

As far as current WIPs I have a sick with the heel turned, and a multidirectional scarf which I had to frog, because I apparently wentt in the wrong direction. Maybe some pictures next week. Until then take care!

TTFN!