Wednesday, January 28, 2009

I am the boss of my knitting

Thank you all so much for all of the advice and support and feedback as I worked my way through the Great Ripping Adventure of '09.

As much as I was curious to see the outcome of the knitting needle size experiment, I decided that I was more concerned about the effect of repeated ripping and reknitting on my yarn, and ended up just dropping those twenty stitches on the other side and knitting them up to match the first side. The job was neater the second time around, which makes sense, since I knew what I was doing and where to do it. I ended up doing a quick steam blocking yesterday, by putting a wet towel over the sweater and running over that with a hot iron; I then stretched and fiddled the damp and warm stitches into better order. There may be a bit more fiddling needed with a needle to redistribute extra yarn over neighboring stitches before I'm all done, but I'm fairly happy with the results.
I don't know how well you can see the shaping there; I'm reduced to using PhotoBooth until we get a new memory card for the camera, but the fact that it's not too visible, is, I think, a sign of success.

I bound the shoulders off together this morning (three-needle bind-off), and put it on. I think it's going to be all right; the shaping isn't too out of hand, the length is about right (it'll get a bit longer in the blocking, which is fine), and it's got the loose fit I wanted, since I'm planning to wear this over another layer.
Not too bad, no?
That leaves me with just the sleeves and the neckline to finish. The plan at this point is to pick up stitches for the sleeves, use short-rows to shape the sleeve caps, and knit down. That will mean grafting the twisted edging on, as I'll have to do with the v-neck; good thing I like kitchenering things. I'll cast on for the first sleeve after I hit "post", and with luck, I will have this finished by the weekend.

Today will be a quieter day than I'd originally planned. Older Daughter has been feeling crummy the last couple of days, but pushed through to finish her History Day Project (all by herself, no thanks to the "partner" she was assigned, grr...). This morning as I was driving her to school, she decided that her stomach was feeling far too queasy to make it through the day; it's entirely unlike her (she almost never misses school -- maybe one day a year, two at most), so we dropped off her project and I brought her home. She's on the couch now, drinking mint tea, and I'm guessing she'll be napping before long. I've cancelled the couple of things that were on my list, and will hang out with her today. Tomorrow is similarly quiet, hence my high hopes for finishing.

However, don't expect this knitting productivity to go on much longer. Next week, I'm back to work in earnest; this semester is devoted purely to research (no classes), so my schedule is much more flexible than usual, but there's a lot I need to get done in the next three months. I'm excited to have the time to really dig into writing; I haven't been able to do that since the year I wrote my dissertation (while, incidentally, also gestating Older Daughter), and there are times that I worry I've lost the ability to really focus. But I'm hoping that's not true -- it's just that opportunities to do so are as rare as hen's teeth. Meanwhile, though, I'm enjoying my last few days of freedom.

16 comments:

Jane said...

The blocking has worked wonders. I am sure you'll have a wonderful time over the next three months

EGunn said...

Looks great! It's amazing what blocking can do. I like the fit on you, and it doesn't look like those decreases are too drastic.

Good luck stepping back into the fray. Research is one of those things that comes back once you get started, I think. I've been struggling a bit with the focus thing even though I've never left, so I think you'll be fine. Enjoy that last bit of freedom, though!

Anonymous said...

The reknitting looks good! It sounds like a nice quiet week before the storm.

I hope Older Daughter feels better soon. Poor sick baby.

Anne said...

Looks great! That tummy thing is really making the rounds. Here, Younger Daughter has announced that she is better and would like some pizza. Me? Saltines, still -- but I had a slice of apple and some tea today and all seems well. Good luck with the focus! I am regarding your sabbatical as a model for mine next year, you know, but no pressure ... :)

Anonymous said...

Oh yes, that looks good. Have fun finishing!

Focus? Much easier to focus with children gestating than children going through those growth and development stages in front of your eyes. (couldn't think of neat turn of phrase for that - we'll have to make do with the clunk.)

Not to say you won't do it!

Lynne said...

Focus - that's what I need. Now almost at the end of Week 7 of an 8 week break, with The Wedding in two days, I need to prepare classes for my return to the Working World on 9 February! Don't feel I want to focus, to tell the truth!

Good luck with a semester of research.

Mary Lou said...

I was just wondering when you professor types ever work! Isn't blocking a beautiful thing?

knitspot anne said...

the sweater looks good; great job (and a big sigh of relief i hope!)

the boogeyman's wife said...

that does look better, and the fit looks great! comfy but not baggy. enjoy your quiet day!

Willow said...

I didn't get in on the advice, but it looks like you worked things out just fine. It looks good. And yes, if you like it, it's perfect cuz you're the boss. I love being the boss of my knitting, too.

I'm sure the writing will come back. Sometimes it takes a bit of effort to get it back but then it seems like the unplugging results in a flood.

Alisha said...

The sweater is looking great!

Anonymous said...

I'm sure you still have the ability to focus - it is just a question of having the circumstances in which to focus. At least that is what I tell myself...

Anonymous said...

The sweater is coming along great. Are you writing down the pattern as you knit it so you'll have an actual written pattern? I really wish I had written the pattern as I knit the Red Sweater.

Hope no one else gets the sickies.

Nana Sadie said...

Whew. I hoped the blocking would work!
Great Job!
(((Hugs)))

Alwen said...

The shaping looks very smooth.

They say on the Historic Knit list that the smoothness of stitches in older knit garments are due just as much to washing and wearing as from even original knitting.

Bea said...

I think it looks really good. I think your attempts worked out really well!