I'm So Excited, and I Just Can't Hide It!

Two posts in one day. I'm a maniac. But! I finally finished Tubey! For real this time. There were two sleeve redos. One because the first time, they were ginormus and two, when I fixed them they were about four inches too short.

* I will edit with better pictures once they are taken*

Pattern: Tubey
Size: made up by doing a lot of measuring. XS maybe?
Yarn: Lion Brand Cashmere Blend in navy and Charcoals
Needles: Size 8 bamboo Circs and DPNs
Ravelry
Satisfaction: High
Modifications: waist shaping, sleeves

The only reason this took me so long is that I put it down to do other projects. The yarn is nice, but probably could use a good shave with one of those sweater thingies because I've manhandled it. The subtle raglan effect worked out nicely and I'm pleased with the new sleeves. Inspired by Kate at Zeitgeist, I did some deep ribbing. I think the neck line is flattering. We've had some 70 degree days so I don't know how much I'll get to wear this, but it's 57 right now, so hah Texas weather.

My only real complaint is that it pulls a little under the arms. I'm guessing it's a problem that's combination of construction, too tight seaming, and slightly small top section.

This was a great first sweater. I'm proud of my modifications, even if the waist shaping is a little wonky. I think only I will notice though. This is really the first time I've tried major mods and they have worked. I'm now a level 3 knitter!

Not So, FO

*This used to have two sleeves*

I finished the Tubey, yay! I frogged most of it, yay! This is my first sweater, and I made a lot of modifications to it. Some worked, others didn't. The body tube fists perfectly. I drastically reduced the number of stitches after reading a lot of complaints on Ravelry about how it stretched out and sagged.

Then I got lazy on the sleeves. I didn't have the pattern handy when I got around to them, so I kind of winged it. And I ended up with winged sleeves. The sleeves are supposed to be belled, but after I blocked it, they grew quite a bit in length and width.

Now, I would be more than happy to wear my sweater, even out in public, looking all the world like grandma hand-knit, but S is making me fix them. Well, ok, not MAKING me, but he has a way of pointing things out. So I frogged back and started decreasing again.

*Bunchy under-arms leave room for saggy triceps*
*Also, the waist isn't that roll-y, I just didn't bother to pull the body down*

So, good thing I've been home miserably sick with allergies with nothing to keep me company but a giant mountain of Kleenex.

Rest in peace sleeves.

Hold Me Closer, Tiny Sweater

*Artificial trees reduce the need for ornament hooks*

Inspired by Jared's post, I knit a tiny sweater. I really like the idea of doing a tiny sweater a year, but it is hard to restrain myself from knitting about a thousand, stringing them on a clothesline and wrapping the tree in them. It just took one evening and I used the yarn S made my ipod cover from last Christmas.

I'm still short an Entrelac hat for a Christmas gift, but I have 4 hours in the car today, plus like 3 lazy-is days before I have to give it, so hopefully some sort of Christmas Knitting Miracle will happen. I started it with yarn I didn't like and about 2x as large as it should be (why do I always do that?).

Well, anyway. Merry Christmas!

Tubey Progress

I have almost finished the body on this sucker. I bound off about an inch too soon so I'm picking it off and hopefully taking care of it today. I've also added a bit of waist shaping and short rows since everyone has commented on how much this pattern stretches with wear.
The downside of that is thst I for some reason, unknown even to myself at this point, decided to seam together the shrug part and the tube part before I was done with either. So this has made the waist shaped areas line up with one on my back and one on my front. so that needs to be picked off too. This is a really simple and quick pattern, I've just made it as complicated as possible, blah.

World's Biggest Gauge Swatch

*and I'm right on target*

The Lion Brand Cashmere Blend is turning out to be a perfect sub for Tubey. I've been wanting to make this sweater for a while, bought the yarn 30% off at a going out of business sale early this year, and am finally casting on.
And I'm thanking the knitting gods once again for Ravelry.

The sizing for this pattern is weird. Had I not looked through all of the Raveler's Tubeys, I might not have thought too much about it (which is why nothing I make ever fits the first time). If I had gone solely based on my crossed back measurement, I would be knitting a size large, even though my bust size would put me at an XL (which, I assure you, I'm more like an extra negative in the bust area). The pattern does warn you that this is a very stretchy sweater, but all of the measurements seem kinda wonky.

So, I'm keeping the basic idea and look but knitting everything separately so I can try on as I go and hopefully not have to frog too much.

Ravelry, you may no make me a faster or more technically gifted knitter, but at least you're making me a little smarter.