Sew Distracted

I'm still here and I'm still not sewing.

That doesn't mean I am not thinking about sewing.

I have started getting a "collection closet" together.  It is shared space which will house both yarn and fabric and I have gotten some of each on the shelves.  What you see here is mostly new purchases (yes it is true, when not sewing the temptation to buy fabric is somehow that much greater) but also some older fabrics that have been sitting around in my sewing room for some time.

The closet is not going to hold my entire stash, but I would like at least part of it to be a staging area for grouping together upcoming projects.  I am not sure how I am going to go about it yet.  At the moment I was just happy to get a few things put away.  

I have these basket units from The Container Store that used to be in my clothing closet where they held sweaters.  

So far, I like the baskets for the knits and I think I will continue to store them here.  I have lots of space as I haven't moved that much over here yet.  They look awfully pretty, and I can see what I have easily.

I am also going to use some of the baskets for coordinating fabric groupings  -- that is whenever I get back to sewing anything.  Perhaps dreaming of groupings is pushing it a little too far.

But I still have that taupe grouping that I didn't make this summer sitting right on my cutting table.  It is buried under a bunch of other things at the moment but it will eventually be unearthed.  And luckily it is a color that can easily take me in toward fall.

A storage place for the knitting queue

I am still working on Granite slowly but surely.  There is nothing really to show at this point, although I am almost finished with the back.

I have also spent some time cleaning out an old junk closet with the purpose of turning it into a yarn and fabric storage area.

I have been partially successful.  I have managed to move some things into the closet and have been happily spending bits of time here and there organizing them.  

One of the more successful endeavors has been getting a pile of yarn off my sewing room floor and organized so that now I have an actual queue with yarn and patterns organized and grouped together so that I can find them.  That should avoid those "I have a house full of yarn and nothing to knit" panic attacks that tend to hit me occasionally.

The closet has not been completely reclaimed yet.  There are still several shelves full of stuff to sell on Ebay or otherwise recycle, but I am making good progress.

Don't the colors just look so pretty?  Just looking at them makes me smile.

I'm knitting as fast as I can

And it still isn't fast enough.

I continue to be overwhelmed with the number of sweater patterns showing up this fall that I want to knit.  I honestly don't know if there are actually more patterns that I like than usual, or if I am just more receptive to wishful thinking and dreaming.    I can't even index things fast enough.  Of course part of that is a time problem as well.  Still I am constantly revising my lists of what I want to knit this fall.  What I really should do is stop dreaming about future projects and just knit.

The new online magazine Twist Collective debuted this month and was really lovely and interesting.  There were quite a few patterns I found intersting given my general weakness for patterns.  Just call me a pattern slut.  Anyway, these are the ones that have most caught my eye (at the moment anyway):

Only the last two are a definite yes for me at the moment.  Both of them use stash yarn (yeah!) and both of them have been added to the queue. Actually I was kind of wavering on that last, a-line sweater, until I turned around and noticed that I happened to have just enough Classic Elite Waterlily in the perfect deep maroon shade.....

Well, obviously it was meant to be.

Actually, I am torn between Jaali (the orange sweater) and Bonnie (the green one).  You get better pictures of the detail of Jaali in the magazine, Bonnie also intrigues and would just be perfect for tramping around the woods and farms.  At the moment I am leaning more toward the former than the latter, but no commitments have been made.

Actually in the interest of full disclosure, I should have just written about all the patterns I like in the Vogue Knitting because already I am changing my mind.  I am falling in love with tons of long cardigans this season and it looks like the long cardigans I posted in my previous post will not be high on the list for this fall.

Although the cabled hoodie in chunky yarn remains near the top of my list, I am also reconsidering the beautiful cabled square wrap cardigan by Angela Hahn.   Angela's blog is one of my favorites but I was a little behind on blog reading.  When I looked at the photos of this sweater on her blog I knew I had to knit it, the photo in the magazine really does not begin to show the beauty of this sweater.  Angela also answered some of my questions about fit/alterations by giving more information and some corrections to  the pattern as written in Vogue.

And so here are the other patterns in the fall Vogue that I am still intrigued by.  Obviously I am incapable of deciding which sweaters I am actually going to knit when I read the magazine, so I might as well just list them all.

Lilac Serenade Finally Finished!

I absolutely love this sweater!

It took me a little longer to get it put together than planned.  It seems there were a couple of errors in the pattern.

The first pattern error I caught right away, while knitting as it was rather obvious.  The instructions had you cast on for the front and then work about half the stitches in K1, P1 rib, the middle section in stockinette  and 5 or 6 stitches in garter stitch.  The diagram and the illustration show the ribbing only going up 7 inches from the bottom before the sweater becomes all stockinette.  But the instructions for the front just say "Work even until piece measures 11 (or more) inches", whereas it should say to discontinue the ribbing after 7 inches and continue in stockinette, except for the button band, until the pieces measures 11 (or whatever) inches.  That correction was on the Tahki/Stacy Charles website.

But there was another error.

On the body of the sweater you do the initial decreases at the armhole, then work even for 2 to 3 inches, depending on size, then begin the garter stitch section at the top of the sweater.

On the sleeves, you do the initial decreases at the bottom of the sleeve cap, then immediately start the garter stitch.  I obviously was not thinking because I blithely knit both sleeves exactly as the directions were written.  Now I did notice that the sleeve caps looked oddly short, but I did not really think about it.

***Mistake***

The short, squat sleeve caps were far too short to fit in the armhole openings of the sweater.  After they were missing 2 to 3 inches of stitches on either side.

In this photo you can see the sleeve cap as originally written on the right and the reknit sleeve cap on the left.  I probably could have altered the shaping a little more elegantly, and I could have done short row shaping at the top rather than binding off.  But for various reasons, I did not.

Big difference.

But it all worked out in the end and I think the sweater is just fabulous.  I even think it would knit it again in another yarn someday.   The ribbed shaping is elegant.  It is easy enough for a beginner, but interesting enough not to be totally boring.  the sections of ribbing or stockinette seem to end just as my attention is beginning to falter.  Although the original was knit using two yarns held together the pattern works out to a gauge of 4 1/2 stitches to the inch in stockinette yielding many possibilities.

Details:

Filatura Di Crosa Spring/Summer 2007

Pattern # 10 Crew Cardigan

Yarn used: Artful Yarns Serenade

Color: 6003 Sunrise, Sunset.

I used about  7 1/2 skeins, or more or less 820 yards for a size 38 bust.

I lengthened the sweater 2 inches to 25" in length dividing that between the ribbed section and the stockinette.  I also did not rib the lower sections of the sleeves as shown in the pattern, although I might do that if and when I make this sweater again.  It is quite possible that I will make it again.

 I think it worked out quite well.  The sweater is still a little snug through the bust, but I am losing weight.  It would not have fit a month ago, so I think the gamble at making a smaller size is going to work out.   For some odd reason the bust, which was the last place I put on weight, is also the last place it is falling off.  Even so, several of my sweaters from last year are a bit lose on me now, and if I weren't so frustrated at having newly knit sweaters no longer fit I wouldn't have taken the gamble at knitting a smaller size.

The bad news is that some of the UFO's are too big and therefore will not be finished.  I also do not think I will rip them out and reknit them, but I could change my mind.  It is also possible that some of the older UFO's now fit again.

Loopy Thing

I indulged in a little instant gratification knitting this past week.

A couple of weeks ago I fell in love with a single skein of a multi-yarn blendy yarn called Alp by Feza.  The colors really spoke to me and I just had to indulge.  

I was told by others who had knit this yarn that I would have to knit the scarf lengthwise if I wanted the nice stripes around my neck and that it would make a long but very skinny scarf -- not exactly my thing.  

So I knit a tube.  I decided how long I wanted the thing to be by draping a circular knitting needle around my neck and then guessed at the gauge and cast on.  I added a few extra stitches just in case.  I also decided to knit in K2, P2 rib for no reason other than I felt like it.  I think the end result is just perfect.

Yarn: Alp by Feza:

Color: ??? pretty maroons, rusts and grays

Using a size 12 needle, cast on 60.  Work in K2 P2 until nearly out of yarn.  Bind off.

This photo is closer to the final color.

I love the resulting whatever it is -- loopy thing is my closest idea.  With a coat it will cozy up closer to my neck and keep me warm, but it could be work like this with a sweater or jacket on cool fall days.

Oh now I can't wait for cool weather.

Fall Rowan and Vogue

Perhaps it is that I love clothes too much.  Or perhaps it is that I suffer from a lack of discrimination (better that than a lack of taste).  Either way, I know that I am finding tons of inspiration and interesting patterns in the new batch of pattern books and magazines.  I believe I see more than I want to knit than I have in any one year for quite some time.  I see so much that I am feeling somewhat overwhelmed by the sheer abundance.

Take the fall Rowan, book #44.  

This issue is filled with inspiration.  I could knit from this book alone for years.

Most of the patterns here are things that I can easily see myself making and/or wearing at some point or another.  Many can be adapted to work very well, many others are just perfect as inspiration sweaters even if I never make them.

This book is so chock-full of good things that I am having trouble making up my mind.  Even though there are a few things that stand out, I am not yet decided.  Perhaps it is because there is so much.  Perhaps it is because I tend to dress in outfits and I am trying to pay more mind to matching my knitting to other garments in wardrobe (and at this point I have no idea what my fall wardrobe will contain).  Luckily it is easier to sew something to go with a sweater than the other way around, although I have been known to do both.  I feel I should keep this book by my sewing table as it is so perfectly suited to rounding out several different outfits.  At any rate, I know that I can imagine myself making most of the sweaters in this book, or at least some variation on most of the sweaters.   This is a 30th anniversary issue that I could probably use for the next 30 years.

 Vogue knitting seems to blow hot and cold.  The big anniversary issue (last year) left me completely cold.  This issue however has quite a few things that have tickled my fancy.  Most of them aren't really practical for me -- and there are quite a few in which I like the idea  more than the I like the problem of altering extensive cabling or color work for length issues.

I am thrilled that there are many long sweaters and especially thrilled that there are some long cardigans.  Even though I will not get to all of these this winter, long cardigans remain my favorites and there are many seasons worth of new sweaters here.

These three cardigans in particular are nice, although I can't really decide which one, if any, I will make:

The first two, with the cables along the front bands, feature more prominently in my thoughts at the moment, but this could change.  Any decision will probably depend on the choices of yarn and yarn color as well as whether the fall and winter wardrobe presents itself with specific gaps that need to be filled.

Then there are the sweaters that really fill my imagination at the moment:

I love this cabled sweater.  The color work at the top which draws the eye upward, the lengthening cables, the A-line shape:  These are all pluses in my book.  This is a sweater that will make me look long and lean, or at least feel like I look long and lean.

No small part of the fascination is the A-line shape, which is good for me and which seems to be an obsession at the moment.  I am collecting a-line and fitted and flared sweater patterns at a truly amazing rate. 

The next sweater on my list also includes a little more color work.  This one is not long, but I love the way the color work bodice is done, working from center back to cuffs.   The shorter sleeves make the dolman look much less overwhelming and the broken rib lower body and wide front bands are an elegant touch.

Last but by no means least on my list is this long cabled pullover.  Admittedly I am mostly fascinated by the cables.  But the length is good for me and the style is one that I would wear frequently throughout the winter. 

This sweater is the highest on the list of "must makes" from this issue.  I am already thinking of yarns and colors, although nothing is quite decided as fall yarns are just starting to show up in the LYS.  The only rush is to be sure that I get just what I want.  There is no rush to begin knitting this.  It is, after all, still mostly hot and humid here, and the thought of sitting with mounds of heavily cabled bulky wool is not enticing.

Who says Angora sheds??

Some people never learn.

I knew that waiting around was in the cards for today.  I knew that I would be knitting while I waited.

So why did I wear black cotton pants when I knew I was knitting with a lilac angora blend?

The sleeves of Lilac Serenade are now completed -- but not yet on the blocking board.  I can probably still get that to happen tonight.  I had hoped to start putting the sweater together tomorrow, but the sleeves will probably not be dry. 

And it ends up I have another waiting-room spell to attend to tomorrow.  So I spent part of the evening swatching for the next project.  

No I am not finishing a UFO.  At least I am starting something that was on my queue.

Presenting Granite from Rowan 43 in color Amethyst Bamboo Tape.  I even did the math for the (few) alterations.  

At least this won't shed on my clothing.  And I should be able to wear the finished sweater well into Autumn.

Blocking Lilac Serenade

The Serenade cardigan is finally on the blocking board after sitting around for nearly two weeks.  

During the interim I have finished one sleeve and am about half way through the second.  The sleeves seem to be taking a long time, especially considering the body of the sweater went so quickly.  It is all due to attention span and interest though.  I love the sweater.  Now that it is a little cooler, I am even considering wearing it soon, that certainly is helping the progress as well.

I have NOT worked on any other UFOs or other projects although there are plenty lurking in various stages, some which still require a good bit of knitting.  

My concentration just hasn't been up to the other projects, and I might just start something new when this one is done.  Lots of inspiration is rolling in right now as fall magazines and pattern books begin to arrive.