Evergreen sweater

Finally I have finished my self-designed Evergreen sweater!  It has been a rocky road with this project too, considering every time I've mentioned it here it has been with frustration.  But I was looking for a challenge and I got one.

One of the biggest things I struggled with was deciding how I wanted the neckline to look.  Now I wonder why I didn't ask my knitting friends for advice earlier, they all gave me the confidence to keep going with it.  Once I finished the neckline I realized the sleeves were too tiny, but I've been in good company with Audry, somehow it always makes it easier when you know a friend is going through the same mess.

It isn't the most perfect sweater I've ever made, but it is definitely special because I knit it without a pattern (I still cannot believe I get to type this).  This was a huge step for me personally, but I'm not sure if I'll do it again any time soon, I think I prefer following a pattern.  I also wish that I had more of the brown yarn because I would have liked to do more colorwork.

This sweater was knitted in Berroco Ultra Alpaca, one of my all time favorite yarns.  I had been coveting the green colorway for a while and I love it even more knit up.  I also find it hilarious that I finished this alpaca/wool blend knit just in time for spring!  But it snowed here in North Carolina yesterday, so perhaps I'm not too late after all.

Gleefully I get to cross off one of my goals for 2013: Finish Self-Designed Sweater!

Now on to another item on the list...

Sweater troubles

Remember when I decided to design and knit my own sweater?  Yeah, don't worry, I didn't really remember either this project has been tucked away for so long!

This is one of my Goals for 2013: Finish self-designed sweater.  It has been sort of weighing on me for a while because I'm having such a difficult time figuring out how to finish it.

The problem is that I cannot for the life of me figure out what to do about the neckline!  I've knit it and ripped it out again several times because it just looked wrong.

I know that you, my lovely readers are wonderful at providing advice, any suggestions?

I really hope to finish this sweater before it gets too much warmer, but I fear that I may already be too late as it was 60 degrees here today (believe me, I have the sunburns to prove it).  

I love the texture that I've managed to get with this pattern, yet another reason I enjoy working with Ultra Alpaca!

Knitting Progress Report

Some of you had the most amazing Trader Joe's suggestions, most of which I've never tried.  Needless to say, my shopping list is a bit longer than usual this week.

So, where to start with my huge pile of in-progress knitting projects...

Here is the latest progress on the draft blocker.  I'm almost to the length I need and I'll still have some scraps left over for another project.  Good thing Nancy keeps on posting amazing scrap project inspiration.

These socks really should have been finished by now, but I've had to rip back several times to fix some unfortunate mistakes.  I know that they won't be as long as the knee socks shown in the book example because I only have one skein of yarn, but I've decided to make them as long as possible.

This scarf is a little bit out of character for me.  I started it a few weeks ago when I was really stressed and needed a quick project with a comforting yarn.  This Cascade cotton/wool blend was gifted to me by some wonderful family friends and it fit the bill.  Now if only the colors went together in combination with the pattern.  I'm strongly considering ripping it out, but what do you think (honestly)?

I've also resumed slow progress on the BFF cowl I'm knitting along with Ashley (by the way, have you seen her beautiful desk space yet?  So creative!).  This project serves as yet another reminder that I'm just so lucky to have such wonderful knitters from all over the world that I get to connect with every day.

Also, a random question: why can kitties be so relaxed one minute and then completely spazz out and look like a wild panther beast the next?  It may not be obvious from the photo, but one of her little fangs is sticking out making her extra goofy-looking.

Now I'm going to return to my busy week as a student while contemplating Ness' tempting plan to build a comforting nest of yarn, I hope you all have a great rest of the week!

A sweater just for me.

In the past, I've had some projects not turn out the way I have envisioned simply because I haven't had the background knowledge or the guts needed to modify the pattern.

Part of this problem stems from a reluctance to put a large amount of time into swatching and actually calculating my gauge (both in stitches and rows).

Obviously this method of knitting has served me fairly well, as I have successfully finished more projects than failed.  However, I think that we all reach a point in our art where we aren't satisfied with our present skill level and want to learn even more.

I decided that the best way of reaching the next level would be to knit a simple sweater using my specific measurements, and basically doing everything technical that I shied away from in the past.

This is the start of a seamless, bottom-up sweater with colorwork details (please note that the second photo is a better image of the colors).

The green yarn is a personal, long-time favorite, Berroco Ultra Alpaca, so this sweater will be soft, warm, and long wearing.

I've learned so much about the process of knitwear construction and so far it appears to be going well!

The Start of Something New

I know I've been a little quiet lately on the blog and elsewhere.  A few days ago my boyfriend (who I loved dearly) of seven years broke it off.  I subsequently fell off the deep end, very much like that scene in Anchorman ("I'm in a glass case of emotion!"), but not quite as funny.

Fairly quickly I decided that instead of feeling sorry for myself and letting this ruin my hard earned graduation from college that I needed to take this as an opportunity for a new beginning.  In the Fall I will be moving to a new state, new university, new job, new everything.  What a chance I have here, I'm going to take full advantage of this!

I definitely needed a little boost to get me going, so I went to the place that heals all wounds, Webs!  As always, the second I walked into my favorite local yarn store I felt immediately better.

As though Webs knew I was going through a hard time, Ultra Alpaca was on super sale and so I helped myself to enough for a sweater.

Then I made a beeline straight to the Madelinetosh shelf.  I've always coveted this amazing yarn, but have never been able to justify the cost of more than one skein that one time (in a moment of weakness).  But, if this isn't an emergency, I don't know what is, and so I went for it and don't regret it one bit!

Things are difficult right now, but I'm going to stay positive and make the best of this situation.
On to bigger and better things!

Speaking of Yarn - Comparing Brands

Lately all of my knitting time has been spent working on a sweater for my mommy (I know, I spoil her, but she is pretty awesome).  Last year I made a pair of alpaca/wool gloves that she loves, and so I offered to knit her a similar sweater.  Because, honestly how often do you find people to knit for who honestly love what you make them?  I found a simple pattern that she really likes and started knitting!

Here is the progress I've made so far.  Yes, that is ribbing, and yes, the progress is slow.

Right from the start I really wanted to use my favorite Berroco Ultra Alpaca for the project.  Unfortunately, none of the local yarn stores carry it (the horror!), so I had to make do with a similar yarn.  I thought that buying Cascade Alpaca Lana D'Oro would be equally good (50% wool, 50% alpaca), was I ever wrong!  Immediately after I wound it up I realized, it is not even remotely the same.

So, I'm seriously disappointed in what I consider Cascade's knock-off of Berroco's Ultra Alpaca.  The biggest problem I have with it is that it does not have that alpaca softness, it feels more like regular wool .  I'll have to wait to get back to college to double check, but I would also say that the strands feel less puffy and substantial as well, giving the yarn a cheap feel.  

So, if you are ever in my position in the future, I would recommend that you not settle for the Cascade version, wait until you can buy the real deal (especially since there is generally only a dollars difference in price).  However, I still think that this sweater is going to look beautiful and be pretty warm too!

Fair Isle Hat - Perfect Success

I've been a little slow with the crafting lately, actually my entire life has been on hold for the last week and a half due to a truly nasty cold.  It's funny how you can have so much free time while you are sick, but you oftentimes cannot do anything beyond what is absolutely necessary.

However, I somehow managed to finish this fabulous Fair Isle hat!

Now, this is an accomplishment for me, because this is the first colorwork project I have attempted since the great "colorwork baby sweater of doom" debacle (we don't speak of it).  This project started because I suddenly had this strong urge to knit something with Berroco Ultra Alpaca after reading a post by one of my favorite fellow bloggers, Evelyn over at Project: Stash.  She has been working on the most beautiful cardigan in Berroco Ultra Alpaca Light.  

I happened to have some Berroco Ultra Alpaca (the worsted version) left over from another colorwork project and wanted to use some of it up.  I almost instantly decided on the pattern Opus Spicatum because it seemed doable and looks really adorable.  I half expected for this project to go horribly wrong as well, but behold my success!

It also knit up very quickly and was surprisingly satisfying to work on.  I can certainly see why people get hooked on these kinds of projects.  After the success of this one, I hope to have more patience and courage to try another in the future.