The Last Knit

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M6ZjMWLqJvM

This was a great animated knitting humor "short" that I found on Ravelry on the Wallace and Gromit group. Very cute! Though not Wallace and Gromit, it is well done. I hope I haven't plunged this far into knitting obsession! Have you?

Off to find some sun in San Diego for a few days. While there I hope to check in on the local yarn shop near our stay, and a few in Encinitas, CA while enjoying some beach time. We have rain, rain so even a few degrees warmer will seem nice.

Shalom Cardigan

This pattern is such a popular one, for good reason. There is something so intriguing about the yoke and the texture, and I learned about "knitting through the back loop" on this project. This is my first Shalom. I plan to do another. Shown after blocking. Blocking makes all the difference once again! Prior to blocking:

Shalom Cardigan knit on size 10 circs. This is a free pattern I found on Ravelry, by Meghan McFarlane. It was knit from the top down with no seaming required. I knit while holding the yarn double or double-stranding with Cascade 220 Heathers wool (4 skeins, and tad more). Mods: Added increases on body under arms and at waist. Added three more buttonholes than pattern. It hasn't been blocked yet, so needs some smoothing out, but had to try on when the buttons got put on. I love the yoke on this sweater. Love the color. And love that it is called Shalom....Peace!

Coffee, Yarn and Thou

Hubby's idea was a great one for Valentine's Day....
Took the ferry over to Whidbey Island to the town of Langley today at 8:30 am.

Views of Cascades on the 20 min. trip over...

First stop in town was the bakery where they sell amazing cinnamon rolls and lattes!

Then after breakfast at Mike's in town, I went to the Knitty Purls yarn shop to explore while hub went to the local library to hang out. Knitty Purls is a small, but well-stocked and cheerful shop. This is my second time visiting here.I found some lovely Cascade Heathers 220 in reddish brown for my next sweater. A rich color and a change from the blues and greens I've been using lately. Enjoyed talking to the gal who works there-a spinner, and a sock knitter.

And we enjoyed the scenic views of the Cascade mountains from the island.

Lunch at Prima Bistro in town was fantastic. This is hub's french onion soup and BE was under it...To BE or not to BE, that is the question! BE mine!

A final stop at the Useless Bay Coffee Co. for yet another great latte before we head back onto the ferry. One cannot have too many lattes here!

A perfect day of Coffee, Yarn and Thou! Happy Valentine's Day!

And now a glimpse at progress on the Shalom Cardigan, which is knit from the top down. Yoke is finished -added 4 buttonholes. Yoke also serves as the caps of sleeves. Now on to knit the body, increasing 4 x under the arms at side markers, then after 7 rows of stockinette, increasing again every 4th row at side markers approaching waist.

Beginning Shalom Cardigan

I am now ready for an easy topdown "no seams" knit. Shalom Cardigan is just the ticket. Click on the name to go to the link. It is also a FREE pattern! Had the Cascade Heathers 220 in the stash for another sweater, but now it is becoming this one. I like the "no seams" aspect of topdowns. This will be my second topdown sweater. Refreshing after the last project that required seams and brains. This is the yoke, then will bind off underarms for small sleeve caps, then do the body. Cute and easy. I'm using size 10 circular needles. Double stranding the yarn to make it bulkier. (New skills required: Make 1, and k1tbl -Knit one through the back loop, p1tbl -Purl one through the back loop) Modifications: adding more buttonholes down the front than pattern.

Rightside Up, Upside Down

Violette-le-duc , by Norah Gaughan from her Vol.3 book. (Click to go to hyperlink) Here it is shown upside down, though the sleeve positioning doesn't lend itself to wearing in this manner. This was how it was shown in the pattern book, however, and was intriguing to us.

Violette shown rightside up as I will wear it... Click on this hyperlink: Berroco Blog as it shows the model wearing it rightside up, which was very helpful for me to see.

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...