Saturday, October 16, 2010

Will she have to knit it twice?

Only time will tell...

I've been working away on Eve's Ribs, and this morning at Older Daughter's double-header soccer game I bound off the body. (I actually timed that pretty badly, as it ended up that I only had about twenty minutes of knitting to do, and that's all I'd brought with me for two games. Alas.) I've been fretting that this is going to be too small (a change from my usual fret that things will be too big, I suppose), so I decided to block out what I have and seam it up to see how it fits before I knit the sleeves. I might even knit the sleeves in the round, we'll see. In any case, here it is.
This isn't a particularly good blocking job (note that bottom edge). Normally I'd run wires through the straight sides, but right I really just want to get a sense of how much stretch it'll hold when it's dry, and how it fits. Then I'll go from there. This thing feels very much like origami to me, but if I understand the plan, I'll fold it right in the middle of the sleeves (those stumpy things sticking out the sides), seam the bottom edges of the sleeves, then seam the side edges of the back (the lower bit) to the side edges of the long collar (the top bit). Has anyone else knit this? Does that sound right?

The stitch pattern is really quite lovely. I truly hope this does turn out, as I still like it very much, and I'd just as soon not rip it out (again) and knit yet one more size larger. (I also think I'd be pushing WAY beyond the yarn I have if I did, although it's looking like I have plenty for this size after all, so maybe not.)(And yes, I did get gauge when I knitted my swatch, but we all know that swatches lie like dogs when they feel like it.)
It is gray and a bit dreary here today - my favorite kind of weather, but not so good for taking pictures which are true to color.

This means that not only does that raspberry pink not show up well, but also that good shots of my finished tam will have to wait. Meanwhile, here's a not-so-good shot.
That's Anne's pattern Hellebores, knitted in my handspun (angora/polworth). This was a tremendously fun and easy knit - knitting candy. Short and sweet. This one is for my mom. It's a bit big for my teeny-tiny head, mostly because I was knitting with handspun which was a bit heavier than that called for in the pattern. I'm going to spin up more of this fiber, so I need to see if I can get it finer, because I really would love to end up with one of these for myself!

I also just wound up my three skeins of Malabrigo Sock (colorway Persia) for a new sweater project (yes, I do realize that I haven't finished the old sweater project yet, but that one's wet! And the sleeves will, if it fits, go quickly in any case)(we shall not speak yet of the potential for it not to fit...). This yarn is for Anne's latest, Bel Air. I've been looking forward to knitting this since it was a gleam in Anne's eye, and I know it's going to be something I'll wear a lot. It's also exactly what I need for the series of stressful meetings that I have coming up - plenty of stockinette in the back and sleeves, with the treat of the front to look forward to at the end. So I'm off to swatch for that momentarily.

One last thing: I got a new fiber storage unit, thanks to my in-laws, who were going to get rid of this cabinet, but who sent it to us instead when I said that I could really use something neat and pretty to keep my (burgeoning and almost out of control)(but I didn't actually say that) fiber collection in. Isn't this neater than a stack of bags of fiber?
Definitely yes.

12 comments:

Willow said...

What a great way to ummm, hide, I mean store your stash. That stitch pattern is truly lovely and it looks like it wouldn't be too hard to knit. I don't know anything about the pattern so I can't help you with the finishing thoughts. I've made up EZ's Baby Surprise Jacket several times and I still can't 'visualize' it.

Wanderingcatstudio said...

I love that pattern and can't wait to see yours finished. The tam is lovely - I'm busy making myself a plain tam with some handspun I bought off another blogger - I love it!

scienceprincess said...

I love the color of your sweater that's blocking. it might not be quite true to color, but it sure looks good on my monitor.

And I like the hat too. I need to get cracking on some hats. It's going to be cold here soon.

Hmmm . . .

Sarah/scienceprincess

Nana Sadie said...

Love the cabinet!! And yes, I now understand your comment about disliking too much stuff (you don't have any at all there..."minimalist" is the word!) and as I said, you aren't welcome at my house, you'd simply go nuts!!! *WINK*
LOVE the Malabrigo!
(very odd, my hash word? scoutbus - what???)
(((((hugs)))))

Jane said...

I do hope you won't have to reknit it, it's a lovely pattern and a lovely cheerful colour to brighten up the grey days.

Mary Lou said...

Nice storage. Are there THREE spinning wheels in that photo? Swatches do lie, don't they? The tam reminds me that I have some hat making to do for Christmas. Maybe even buy more yarn..

Anonymous said...

hey! i'm nearly finished with the sleeve/body, ready to bind off and finish the lower part. i can't WAIT to hear about your experience assembling it, it is like origami, isn't it. but the stitch pattern is so wonderful, i keep running my fingers over mine. and i was thinking of knitting my sleeves in the round, too. are you doing long sleeves?

Helen said...

I was a bit worried that Eve's Ribs didn't seem to have a hole for you to put your head through but I get it now. I do hope it fits: it's a beautiful pattern and I've decided it's beyond my patience level so I'll be glad to do it vicariously through you.

Cathy said...

What a great cabinet!!! Would love to have something like that for all my yarn. And I thought I had too many (3) spinning wheels.

EGunn said...

The cabinet is beautiful! As is the origami piece. The color is great. I hope you don't have to knit again! I've been finding that my knitting keeps stretching through the first few times I wear it. When my sweaters are freshly blocked, they feel a wee bit tight, and then a few wears later they're perfect. Sounds like you have lots of fun knits coming up...I wish I had something waiting in line at the moment!

Alwen said...

I haven't knitted it, but I've been looking at them on Ravelry - clever!

Lynne said...

Pretty pattern on your sweater. Lovely storage unit.