Knitting Projects

I finally got around to downloading my digital pictures and than proceeded to crop them (hard to do without my trusty photoshop). I always hate when people crop their heads off of their sweater pics, but after taking a dozen plus timer shots, I can now fully comiserate. So without further ado, here are my finished projects (details to be added later):

Rowan Red Cardigan:

I love this sweater, and is my new favorite. It is a bit on the short side, if I were to do over I would add a bit more length in the body and arms, but I think that is more me (I have a long torso and arms and always seem to forget when making things). The yarn is wonderful and I've been holding off using it for several years until I found just the right project to use it for - I just love the color - a wonderful shade of red - which of course pictures can't capture (especially mine). The pattern was not a simple, stop thinking and just knit pattern, but simple enough that after awhile I had it memorized and could knit on the bus/subway to and from work. It did make for slower going but isn't the point to enjoy the journey and not just the destination - although I do love the end product. Details are:


Pattern: [ ] from Rowan Magazine (borrowed from Cece)

Yarn: [ ]

Needle Size: [ ]

Pattern Size: xs (which was by accident, hadn't realized it went down that small and thought I was knitting just a normal Small).

Simply Marilyn:
This was a fast sweater to knit up, gotta love chunker yarn. I think it took me just under a week of knitting and than I was pretty good at just finishing it on the go - did some of it at work, which suprisingly a lot of people were impressed with- I think it was the coming together of the random pieces into a final product. I did almost loose my favorite darning needle, but it reappeared so all is good. Again, I wish the torso and arms were a bit longer, but wearing a camisole underneath is a good pairing (which I just happen to have one that matches perfectly - it must be providence). At one point I was thinking of adding ribbing on the bottom (similar to the arms) to make the torso longer, but have decided not to. I have one coworker who I think loves it so much that she would steal it if it was a bit bigger. Details are:


Pattern: Simply Marilyn from Interweave Knits, Spring 2004, free pattern found here.

Yarn: [ ]

Needle Size: [ ]

Pattern Size: Small

Baby Sweater:

I was knitting this for Ann Desorbo (old family friend) who was pregnant when I started but has since given birth and I'm starting to worry that by the time I send it off, Sam, her new son, will be too big for it. I think I knit it in a matter of days (it was so long ago, I can't remember). The delay was in finishing it and sewing the buttons on, well and of course taking a picture before it gets sent off. The yarn is wonderful! I have no clue what yarn it is as I got it years ago from Straw into Gold, a great yarn store in Berkeley that had been liquadating their inventory before they moved. It's a soft purple, and a nice wool for a baby - not too scratchy (hopefully). I think I will be making another one again soon for a coworker's son.

Pattern: Peapod (or something like that) from Interweave Knits

Yarn: unknown - Crystal Palace perhaps, purchased at Straw into Gold, 2001

Needle Size: [ ]

Pattern Size: 3 months

Not Quite Right Sweater:

So, this one didn't really work out. I really liked knitting it - nothing complicated but I was using this great cotton yarn. I never really have knit with cottom before, this being my second time, and was pleasently suprised how nice the motions were. The fitting of this sweater is something out of the late '80s - short and boxy. I took a bunch of pictures and they make the sweater seem like it is ok - which it isn't. I'm going to pull it apart at some point, but figured I'd let it live a bit longer. Plus, I had gotten a cone of this yarn and you can't tell I even used any yarn (i.e. there is enough yarn to knit 20 of these sweaters it seems). I don't think the yarn really lays nicely for this pattern and the shaping was completely off. As you can see in the picture - again it was too short (mental note, add more rows when knitting sweater for me). In the end, I fell out of love with the little twist at the top so won't reattempt making the necessary adjustments.


Pattern: [ ] from Interweave Knits

Yarn: unknown, purchased at Webs warehouse on cone, 2005

Needle Size: [ ]

Pattern Size: small