The PIS leaf cardigan is done! Go see pics! I'm really happy about how it came out, but still a bit too nervous to wear it!
I started on a pair of baby socks for a shower that we are going to this weekend. I LOVE doing baby socks. They are the cutest things ever! Definitely a pic of the pair for next weeks update and if we are lucky a picture with the expectant mother too!
The Cork sweater is coming along nicely. I do enjoy working with this yarn.
Unrelated to knitting... I spent the weekend working on my cousins' farm in Easton, CT. It's only 50 miles from NYC. If you are in the area it's so worth going. (Not that i'm biased!) Go check it out. Silverman's Farm
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Sept 24, 2003 Bonus Update
Last night was so productive that I felt I had to post about it! The PIS leaf cardigan is my first large project like this, first stranding, first steeking, big deal for me.
On Sunday I had machine sewed the sleeve openings and the cutting stitches but still had to figure out the neckline (square neck cut into the sewing) and do it on my own, very old, sewing machine, which I am not very adept at using. This said last night I:
1. Marked and machine sewed the neckines (front and back)
2. Joined the shoulders with a three needle bind off.
3. Sewed on the first sleeve.
4. Cut the armhole for the second sleeve and sewed that in too.
5. Sewed up the bottom facing to show beautiful picot edge.
6. ...and I cut the neck too!
All that is left to do is sew the sleeve facings and add the velvet ribbon on the edges. I can't believe how well this has gone togther! The best thing about it... it fits so well! I can't wait to wear it.
I hope to get pictures up some time on Monday, be sure to check back!
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Sept 22, 2003
I started on the cork sweater this weekend and this is some of the most wonderful yarn I've worked with. It's so soft, it knits up into a wonderful, soft, light fabric on US 11s, but doesn't look like a bulky knit! It knits up so nicely too, I'm almost done with the back. I'm cruising right towards the Oct 15th deadline.
I went over to a friend's house yesterday to machine sew my steeks on the PIS sweater. It's sewn, the center cutting stitches are cut, one of the sleeve seams is cut and it's all ready for the first sleeve to go in! It was so much lower stress than I'd expected. Great when you can trust that you are doing things correctly and cut without worry! I'm hoping to work on that this week, but the cork sweater is really first priority. Hopefully PIS pics next week.
The SIP is going on steadily, looking good, and Alice's sweater is waiting for the front, but again, no big rush on that (it's a Christmas present) so don't expect to see movement on it for a few weeks!
I also took a trip over to Wild and Wooly in Lexington, MA yesterday. What a wonderful store with nice and helpful employees! I finally got a new pair of dpns (US 2s) for the Opal socks but might still look for a pair of US 1s for them instead (as suggested by the Wild and Wooly staff). Any thoughts? Email me!
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Sept 15, 2003
Two sleeves done this week, one for each sweater in progress. I'm going out tomorrow to find that velvet ribbon and then sew, cut, seam, and wear the leaf cardigan!
I got some new sock yarn yesterday, beautiful Opal yarn in a pink colorway. Beautiful. (Thanks Alison.) It's so much fun to see what you get with the self patterning yarns. Unfortunately I started them the same as I did my Lion Brand Magic Stripes socks and need to go to a smaller needle or less stitches. I think I'll get smaller needles and try again. I did get far enough to see that I'm going to love this pattern!
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Sept 10 2003::
My leaf cardigan is almost all done! I have one more leaf to go on the second sleeve and one and a bit leafs to go on the body. Time to find that velvet ribbon and prepare mentally for taking a scissors to my knitting. :-)
Alice's sweater is coming along nicely as well. The back and one sleeve are both done, the second is zooming along and it will be all done in no time. I hope that she loves it as much as I do!