Summerbelle V2.0 Just published

A new version of Summerbelle, Summerbelle 2.0, was just uploaded to Ravelry. I completely rewrote the directions, sizing, and charts, and added an optional buttoned shoulder for babies with large noggins. I also updated the specified yarn with two new choices, as the previous one was discontinued.

new sizing
new charts
new buttoned shoulder
new yarn selections

Woohoo! Hope you enjoy.

Siobhan is Kicking My Ass

I finally finished the sleeves! I was doing the happy dance of completion even as I double-checked that the sleeves would fit into the armscye. They fit! Found a new problem, though.

The neck is WAY too small!!!!

I am really kicking myself that I didn't notice as I was blocking the lace fronts to the dimensions specified in the diagram that a 2" neckline drop is CHILD SIZED. From the photo, it clearly should be 3-1/2 to 4 inches to accommodate the edging and not strangle the wearer. Sigh.

I do confess, instead of following the directions to add a garter edging later, I added a knitted-on ribbed band because I hate garter edgings in most cases. But I put those stitches on holders (see pic) and followed the neck decreases as written. Which would have worked, had they started 2 inches sooner.

So, now I'm looking at my blocked fronts, which I had to stretch the bejesus out of because, hello, linen and lace, and I just want to run screaming into the streets, possibly naked. And the more I stare at that ugly, ugly pic, the more I think those collar points are going to roll forward no matter where the neckline is, which will piss me off. Because this sumbeech is getting worn A LOT after two months work of work!

The solution is to rip back to the armholes and begin a sloped vee-shaped edging to the cardigan. But I'm angry, and giving it the silent treatment for now.

Wow! Four years!

My move to another state really disrupted my whole knitting life. I had to close down websites, say goodbye to a design job I loved at Hobby Lobby, and dive into a new state, new friends and new adventures. Finally, I am organized and re-energized to knit.

I have a new knitting design but it needs test knit and the yarn for the three sizes will be a little pricey. So I'm waiting for a good sale and/or the right time. It's a men's chunky cabled pullover with a shawl collar. It was a special request from my husband, who with me spends a lot of time in freezing cold ice rinks watching our boys play hockey.

I have also completely revamped Summerbelle and will be publishing it as soon as a sunny day for pictures appears.

Also simmering are some quick holiday gift designs.

And, gulp, I finally bought yarn for Siobhan in Jean Frost Jackets by Jean Frost. I couldn't swing the Euroflax sportweight, so I am hopeful that my substitute yarn, Fibra Natura Flax in Blue Spruce (close to emerald green, but a little more blue) will be just as gorgeous as the picture in the book.

OTN: contract knitting job, a Michael Kors Cabled Tunic in luscious, I-could-never-afford, Louise Harding Grace Silk & Wool.

Crop Circles Coat not happening

Meet Crop Circles, a double-knit coat by M'Lou Baber. I had been corresponding on Ravelry with another member who was knitting this coat who had run into some problems with the sleeves, but had solved the problem and shared her solution with me. My sleeve problem was very different, however, and unfortunately will result in my having to remove the sleeve and rip back 2/3 of the coat. Is this the fault of the pattern or the designer? No. The fault is all mine.

This is a coat, not a cardigan, and I was afraid after seeing other pictures that I'd look like a big fat penguin in it. So, I added waist shaping. However, having never done double knitting before much less decreasing in double knit, I did not understand that the thickness of the fabric would cause it to bubble if the decreases were not spaced very far apart. Mine were not. Thus, the camel hump right at the waist. So, I'm either going to have to rip back to where the decreases started, or rip back to the beginning and decrease very slowly.

The second problem caused by my waist shaping, was that it removed stitches from the chest and shoulder area, which changed the drop shoulder to a fitted shoulder, making the sleeves too short. (They were going to be too short anyway, I have freakishly long arms.) I will have to add several inches to the sleeves, which means redoing the sleeve decreases as well. I also noticed after examining the book's photos more closely, that there were originally TWO DIFFERENT sleeve patterns, but only one was included with the pattern. Will have to think about that later.

So, now, I am faced with ripping out 50+ hours of work which will probably take several hours due to the twisting of the two yarns, and recharting the sleeves. Or, I could just throw it back in the closet and pretend it doesn't exist for awhile or forever. Is it Happy Hour anywhere?

How to knit a circle

At first glance, knitting a circle would seem fairly straightforward. You could either start at the middle and increase slowly around until your circle was the right size. This works well in lace knitting, because the yarnover (YO) holes help take out the bulk, allowing what is essentially a cone (you're knitting a spiral, not a series of rings that start and end at the exact same place) to lay flat as a circle. What if there are no YOs in your design?

Being an engineer, I went to the trusty graph paper, thinking just start with a few stitches, increase one on each until you reach the right circumference for your circle. Nope, that makes a diamond. And to add to the complexity, what if your gauge is 3 sts / 4 rows to one inch? Not square (or rectilinear, to be more precise).

Enter knitter's graph paper! You can chart anything no matter how wacky your stitch/row gauge. Here's some I use a lot:

www.tata-tatao.to/knit/matrix/e-index.html

Now on to chart my 36 stitch by 48 row circle (you'd think that would make an oval, wouldn't you?!?)...

Mark the diameter points both horizontally and vertically, and mark the center of the circle. Using a compass (come on, you know you still have your old metal one from 6th grade in a drawer somewhere), trace out your circle:



Now just repeat that evenly in each direction, and you have your circle chart!

I'm Published! (sorta)

Was just in Hobby Lobby and saw my very first project for them, Cabled Tunic. I received this pattern from them and was asked to rewrite it, so it's technically not my design, but I changed about 60% of it and feel like it's "my baby." The pattern was originally written in Chinese and had been translated by someone, but was lacking the customary knitting information and directions, and it had been written in one size for a different yarn. So, I rewrote the pattern to use Hobby Lobby's Yarn Bee Snowflake yarn, and to add sizing for small, medium and large. I was so excited to finally see the pattern in print that I came straight home and added it to Ravelry's pattern database, created a project for it, and uploaded my own pictures. I've also discovered the pattern online (since it's free, anyway). It's on Hobby Lobby's Project Inspiration tab of their website.

A Visit From the Stupidity Fairy

I received a set of interchangeable knitting needles for Christmas from The Gourmet Yarn Company and have really enjoyed them. (Okay, the truth is: I told my husband what I wanted, he got a glazed look in his eyes, I received a gift card. Whatever works. ;)

I am working on a contract project for Hobby Lobby that I've mentioned before. (It's drying on the blocking board right now, and I'm squeaking with pride, I LOVE it!). But, a tragedy occured during the washing process. I left the shoulder stitches of the sweater's back side on one of the interchangeable cables with stops on the end. The picture above shows my woe -- the cable ends snapped off inside the stops. Waaah!

When I wash a sweater by hand, I gently wring the water out of it, then spread it out flat on a dry towel, roll the sweater up in the towel like a sausage, and then place it on the floor and walk up and down it to wring out more water. Then, I unroll it and repeat with another dry towel. Sweaters dry in record time without fear of mildew in my humid climate. However, little plastic discs are no match for a zealous knitter stomping the water out of her creation. I used a couple of spare Addi's for the fronts. ;)