Violette is Conquered!

I learned on this project, that if only a few people on Ravelry have done it, and you are one of the "first" to try it, that it can be challenging to not have others with which to compare notes. This project stretched me, perplexed me, challenged me, and blew me away! And after I was done with it, I felt kind of proud to have accomplished it! Better pics are posted on my Ravelry page of the finished Violette Le Duc. http://www.ravelry.com/projects/NeenerKnits/violetteleduc I seem to have lost the photo files on my archives. But this gives you a good idea of it worn right side up:

The sleeves aren't tiny like it looks in pic at this angle, but here it is done and blocking on the towel! We both tried it on and it fits! Will show rightside up and upside down shots later. Don't think it is going to work to wear it upside down as they showed in the pattern book. Doesn't jive with the sleeve positioning. Despite my finding of errors in pattern and my goof-ups and cover-ups...it came together. With each pattern you learn something new. I have conquered Violette!

This is one of those garments, however that was more of a fun challenge to complete, but that I don't see myself wearing as often as other sweaters.

Seams to Me

It seems to me there's a whole lot of seaming going on here. This looks kind of rough and not blocked here, but so far the little front pieces are seamed to the underarm and collar, the sleeves are seamed from the armpit to cuffs, and centered and sewn to the collars, the collars are seamed to the fronts and the back piece. Whew! The next step is picking up stitches on the back piece along the cast off edge and knitting the pattern rows.

Then picking up 199 st. (for my size pattern) along each collar piece for the pattern edging that will show in front and go the whole border of each collar and behind the neck. The markers just helped me divide the pick ups evenly. It takes a long time to pick up that many stitches. Like maybe two whole hour episodes of "Lost!"

Once this is complete for both sides, it will be time to sew the pattern edges together, sew in loose ends, then block and wear! Let's hope it fits! And it's supposed to fit my daughter too, which could be interesting. Nearing the finish line...

Piecing Violette Together

Yep, it's me looking a bit perplexed at how all the pieces of Violette will fit together. The little one is the left front with another one just like it for the right. Figured out that goes under the arm and next to the collar.

I'm sure this all goes together, but it sure looks a bit scary now...My collar pieces don't look exactly like the schematic and I fear there is an errata there somewhere in the pattern, or user error, or quite possibly both. My shaping just looks wrong. I will have to get creative in my seaming. My bind-offs are jagged (my fault). I could've used a smoother method on those. Which of course I learned today after finishing those. I am not going to rip it out though. Took the afternoon with my sister and Mom, who with years of sewing and knitting experience, studied and studied the written instructions to see what could be going on with the collar, the shaping and the assembly. Another schematic to show the final assembly of pieces, as well as more complete instructions on finishing would have been quite helpful, we all agreed. More pictures showing the shrug worn the rightside up also would've been fantastic. The pattern book shows it worn upside down. I found one showing it rightside up on the Berroco blog. And I think there is possibly an errata in the collar shaping as well as in the instructions for sewing on the collar. I will modify these and sew on the collar to the front and back using the bind off edge. I still love the yarn and am not giving up on this one! Too much is at stake now!
Shown here layed out with pieces approximately where they will go before seaming is complete and before doing finishing pattern rows. These will be picked up along the cast on edges of the collar and on the bottom cast on edge of the back.

It has the cat's seal of approval now...so there's no turning back! Update: 1/26/09 After inquiring, it is confirmed that errata will be posted on Berroco site and on the Ravelry thread. Changes in collar instructions: Bind off 3 st. on the next 14 WS rows only when shaping the collars. (not every row) Also, sew on collars with BO edge to the fronts and body, not using the CO edge to sew to the body. Pattern also doesn't indicate seaming the two collars at the back of the neck.

Collar of Violette-le-duc

One collar finished and on to the second. This so far was the hardest part for me. Trying to keep track of the rows, watching the length in order to place the pattern rows, the increases on one side while decreasing on the other and then binding off at appropriate length. Hopefully I did it right. Now I must reverse all the shaping doing it opposite for the right collar. As you can see, this is looking more like a sewing project waiting to happen. As soon as I finish the second collar I get to figure out how to put all these pieces together in some sort of fashion that will make a shrug! I have been assured to trust the wisdom of Norah and that it will all make sense. I have one schematic and one Ravelry users' pictures to look at, thankfully. I still notice only 8 people are doing this project...hmm...but alot have it in their queue. I did block the pieces, but then folded them in a bag, therefore, the creases. I do love this Inca Gold yarn!

Three Minute Chocolate Mug Cake

Sent to me by my friend, Joy, this is a dangerous cake recipe that can be made in three minutes!
In a mug, mix: 4 Tablespoons flour, 4 Tablespoons sugar (seemed like alot), 2 Tablespoons cocoa

Add 1 egg and stir it in well. Stir in 3 Tablespoons oil and 3 Tablespoons milk (don't forget the milk!) and a splash of vanilla.I added a square of Scharfen Berger chocolate at this point. You can add in 3 Tablespoons chocolate chips (optional)Microwave for 3 minutes on power level 8. Let cool a bit...

Since I was a doofus and forgot to add the milk, I had to get a knife to loosen it out of mug.
Served with ice cream and shared with hubby!

It came out really well even if I did forget to add the milk! It was drier than it would've been otherwise. Will do for fun with the office ladies tomorrow. THEN the diet begins!

Yarn From Down Under

A lovely surprise from a friend who went to the land "down under" -some wool from Hobart Tasmania, Australia in a lovely blend of reds, deep rust and browns. I am so glad she snuck some back in her suitcase. It meant alot to me! I will guard it lovingly in my stash until I know just the use for it. And here is the lovely scarf made for me as a Christmas gift by the same friend.! A true knitting kindred spirit. She finished the scarf while having a pedicure. Oh and she designed it herself. Imagine that!

New Year to Knit

Happy 2009! It's a brand new year and we have sun today!
Progress on Violette-le-duc. Clockwise: Left front, right front-and they look really tiny. And then the back. Left sleeve, right sleeve. I'm still knitting pieces. Now I am knitting the collar for one side. These pieces shown are blocking. I hope this all comes together all right! It is boggling my mind doing all the increases, decreases and shaping, then reversing it all for the other sides. It is definitely going to be fun once it is assembled. The collar instructions seem baffling as you are casting on 4 new st. every ws row for awhile, while working in K1 P1 ribbing, and then when 1 1/2" long, you work the gold pattern stitch a few rows, and then when 4 in. long you also work the pattern st. again a few rows while at the same time, you start binding off. Alot to track at once. I write everything down and check it off as I go, then have to reverse it for the opposite side piece. After the collars, there is some assembly required, (ha! That means seaming!) and picking up stitches for the pattern again along edges of some of the pieces. I noticed not alot of people on Ravelry have attempted this pattern yet. Only a few...hmm...that should tell me something!