FO: IntSweMoDo#7 Women's Weekly Jumper

This pullover is from an issue of Women's Weekly magazine. I'm not sure which issue - my mum rips all the crafty patterns out from her magazines and saves them up for when I visit her, so I get a whole bunch all in one go. This is the first one I've made. When I saw this one in the pile last time I went down to visit her, I totally loved it.

I used Stylecraft Special 4ply yarn in black, and a 3.5mm hook (I think). I started by making the size I would normally make but then it soon became apparant that it was going to be too small. So I went up a size, but I think really I could have comfortably gone up even another one. The arms are a little tight, but I'm hoping it'll stretch out a little with wear. Maybe even a larger hook would be good as well to open out the lace. I'm kind of thinking of making another one, which is why I'm going over what I would do differently :)

The pattern worked up really easily. It was only written, no charts, but it was totally easy to understand, and there were no errors at all in the size I made. It's kind of sad that the lack of errors in a pattern should be a plus, but there are so many patterns that I've made from magazines where I've had to check errata or just fudge bits because of pattern problems. This one though, was perfect. It was definitely a good experience making this pullover, and I'd definitely use another Women's Weekly pattern.

FO: IntSweMoDo#6 Lace On The Bias

I finally got pics of my FOs!! This is one of my IntSweMoDo2010 projects, so it gets a post all to itself. I've got a feeling there will be quite a few FO posts coming over the next little while ;) (I really need to get better at documenting things as I go, lol!)



Technical details:

Pattern: Lace on the Bias by Sam Shubitz from Crochet Today! magazine Jul/Aug 2010
Yarn: Stylecraft Life DK, Olive colourway

I saw this pattern on Ravelry, and favourited a few people's versions. I didn't think I'd be able to make it as I don't normally see Crochet Today magazine in the shops here, but then I went to WHSmith and there it was! Yay!! So I started it immediately :)

I used this Olive yarn as I figured it would look nice in the open lacework pattern. I'd tried to use it for a cabled vest before, but it didn't really work with my colouring as a solid fabric, so I ripped that and made this instead.

The pattern, once I got into it, was quite easy to work up. The lace pattern was easy to "read" in the fabric, so eventually I wasn't reading the chart, just the fabric. Speaking of charts, the pattern was both charted and written, which is good. The way I tend to work with crochet patterns is to try to read the written instructions as I get confused going straight into the chart. Then I use the chart to verify what's going on in the written directions. By doing it this way, I'm hoping to get better at reading crochet charts. At the moment, when I first look at a chart in a pattern, I get a bit confused with all the symbols going in different directions, even though I know technically what each symbol means by itself. I think it's mostly the placement of each stitch, where you're supposed to work into the in row before. Sometimes that isn't very clear to me in a chart, especially in a magazine where there's limited space and the chart can sometimes be a bit squished up.

This chart was pretty good though, and using both it and the written directions, it was easy to work up the vest, and it went quite quickly too. Yay for the quickness of crochet!! :D

I changed the straps, as the ones in the magazine picture looked quite thin, and like they would stretch out. I just worked 5 stitches in US double crochet back and forth until it was a suitable length, then sewed them onto the back. And this way, if they do stretch, then they're thick enough to sew some grosgrain ribbon on to strengthen them.

I'd definitely recommend this pattern. It's quick, fun, and I just love the diagonal lines in the finished item! I even like the fringe, even though the only time I usually like fringe is on bellydance outfits, not normal garments :)

FO: IntSweMoDo#5 Tubey#3

Ug. I resolve to blog more often, and then what happens? I get a horrible cold that turns into some kind of nasty infection, and I haven't been near the computer for ages :( Typical! Anyway, I've decided I need to blog about my IntSweMoDo2010 progress, or I'm going to end up being hideously behind. I already am, I'm somewhere around my 7th or 8th sweater already, but I need photos and to blog about them before I consider them truly done.



Pattern: Tubey by Cassie Rovitti

Yarn: Teddy Vanguard acrylic DK

Needles: 4.5mm (changed from recommended to account for different gauge)

Yet another Tubey! I love this pattern, it's so easy and fun to make, and I like the way it fits on me, and just generally how it looks. This one took a little longer to make, because I got a bit tired of the endless ribbing. Knitting 2 Tubeys one after the other meant that I got a bit burned out on the whole ribbing thing :) But the good thing about this pattern is that it's so easy to put down and then come back to later on.

Because of the different gauge that I got, I used the Medium size stitch count, but kept the 19" across the back of the smaller size. There was no problem with picking up stitches around the neckline, I just picked up the number of stitches for the Medium size, and it worked out just fine.

I think that's the last Tubey for now, but who knows? ;)

FO: IntSweMoDo#4 Tubey#2

I finally got photos of my 4th IntSweMoDo sweater!

Pattern: Tubey by Cassie Rovitti

Yarn: Teddy Vanguard acrylic DK

Needles: 4.5mm (changed from recommended to account for different gauge)

I ripped the yarn from my Lion Brand Cowl Neck Sweater because it was way too large. I didn't really know about gauge back then, so when the pattern told me to make it a few inches smaller than my body actually is, I ignored it and made it the same size. Since it's crocheted around, it just swam on me, and I don't think I actually ever wore it except to take photos. So it got ripped, and the yarn became Tubey instead.

I'm still in this repetition kick, making patterns that I've already made before, and this is my 2nd version of Tubey (the other one was black). I'm making another right now in purple (the same brand of yarn). Well, right now I'm not, as I've been knitting so enthusiastically on it that my index finger on my left hand hurts. So I've been crocheting instead. Thank goodness I learned that other craft so I'd still have something to do when I overdo the knitting!

A Couple More FOs (IntSweMoDo #3, and Vest-uary)

I'm trying to catch up on photographing my knitting. My ravelry page is full of white spaces with no picture! So here's a couple that I finished over the past month or so:



These are the first in my attempt to knit every pair of socks in the book "Favorite Socks". They're the Diagonal Cross-Rib Socks by Ann Budd (I love her patterns!). I went through a couple of yarns trying to find one that showed the pattern, that didn't pool - I seem to be having some trouble recently picking out the right yarn for socks first time! But this yarn - Regia 4 fadig in colourway 1936 - is just perfect for them! The yarn is light enough to show the pattern, and the variations look quite nice with the pattern. I love these socks!!



And I love this top!!! It's the "Perfect Periwinkle Turtleneck Tube Vest" by Stefanie Japel from the book "Fitted Knits". I used Teddy Vanguard acrylic yarn for this top, and it took all two balls that I had (about 560 yards). It was knit top down though, so I could just keep going till the yarn ran out. And there was absolutely no seaming at all! Fantastic!! When I was done, I was done!! I like that :)

The only thing about this pattern (and the whole book really) is that it is full of errata. Before you make anything from that book, I advise you to download the errata pdf here. I think just about every set of numbers in this pattern was wrong. Only the basic outline of the pattern was correct (at least in my size). The pattern is fantastic, but if it wasn't for ravelry, I probably would have just gone ahead and tried to make it as is. I don't think that would have gone well. But with the errata file, everything was fine :)

This vest is my IntSweMoDo project #3 (1/4 of the way done already!), and my project for Vest-uary, a knitalong of vests during the month of February. I'm doing the ravlympics just now (I'll post about that soon!) though so I can't do another vest for Vest-uary, or another sweater till at least the end of the month. This one though, I just love it! If only it would warm up a bit around here!

IntSweMoDo2010 Sweater #2 Completed!

I haven't been about on blogland so much lately :( My brain has not had much space for that recently. It seems like I've been super busy and stressed and have only had head space for quick things like Facebook or Ravelry (not even uploading pics on Rav either, just browsing patterns and forums). So I guess what had to give was blogging and posting about knitting here and on Rav. But I want to get back into it, so here goes... :)

I have been knitting tons though. Knitting is very good for emptying my head and getting back into a rhythm. I've finished the next item on my IntSweMoDo2010 project list.



It's the "Woman's Textured Sleeveless Pullover (C179)" by Melissa Leapman (rav link). It's a free pattern from the Cascade Yarns website, you can get it here. I didn't use Cascade yarn though, I used James C. Brett Aran With Wool in a wine colour. I used a size smaller needles and a larger size in the pattern to get the right size for me (the gauge was a little tighter, but that's the way I like it with that yarn. It recommends 5mm needles, but I think it looks too loose when I use that size. Gauge is right, but it just looks wrong.)

I really liked knitting this vest. I actually made it in January, but I just got around to taking pics and uploading and blogging just now :( Lack of headspace.

So this is the 2nd of my IntSweMoDo sweaters. I've actually knitted a third (another vest) already, but again, I need to take pics, upload and actually write about it. I'll be starting my 4th sweater soon. So far it seems like I can knit two a month. Although they're not full blown sweater sweaters, they still count ;) Now if I could only do the rest of the stuff that goes with it. But I think things are starting to calm down around here though, so I hope I'll be around a lot more.

IntSweMoDo Sweater #1 Completed!!

I completed my first sweater of the year the other day!





The pattern is the February Fitted Pullover by Amy Herzog, available on ravelry here.
It's based on the February Lady Sweater, which if you're on Ravelry, you'll have seen went totally viral as soon as it came up. I made one of those myself in purple, and I totally love it, so when I saw the pullover version come up, I had to put it in my queue.

I bought the yarn last year off of ebay. As soon as I saw the colour I knew it would look great in this pattern (it's Woolcraft Aran yarn, BTW.) It comes in 400g balls (875yards/800m), and I used nearly a whole ball making this sweater. I had a tiny little ball left at the end. I had bought two balls of it, just in case, so now I need to find something else to make using the other ball! :D

I saved the actual knitting of this sweater till after the new year, becauase I wanted it to be part of my IntSweMoDo2010 project. It's my first sweater out of (hopefully!) at least 12 this year. It knit up very fast, and the pattern was very easy to follow. I had to do a bit of thinking around the shoulder and neck area to keep the lace pattern going, but it wasn't too hard to figure out, actually.

The top photo is actually one of my project365 photos as well as one of my photos for self portrait Tuesday, and 52 weeks of self portraits! I'm such a multi-tasker ;)

I really like this sweater. I think it looks very cute, and with the shirt underneath, it's really warm. Just right for this weather, lol!

Oh, and the top picture also shows my new glasses! I decided to get my eyes tested since my right eye was really getting quite blurry. Turns out I have an astigmatism in that eye, so it's a funny shape, and that's why my vision in that eye is blurry. The left eye is nearly perfect, it's practically plain glass in that side! But it's great being able to see without squinting and straining my left eye. I was getting headaches from the strain of it trying to compensate, and it's fantastic not to have had any headaches for the past week or so! I can play my DS again, yay!!!