FO: Mistake Rib Mobius Cowl

At Thanksgiving, my sister was flipping through Mom's knitting magazines, and she said she thought this cowl was cute.  I took that as an invitation to get out the fat needles!

I most often knit on US 5s, whether I'm knitting with worsted weight or fingering weight for a shawl.  So going up to US 10.5s was crazycakes!  I couldn't believe how quickly this chunky stuff knit up!  I did the first two inches on 11s as the pattern calls for, but I thought the pattern looked too sloppy.  I always have to go down at least one needle size.

This pattern is a complete piece of cake, but the grafting is serious business.  In fact, dear C starting talking to me halfway through the grafting, and I completely lost my place and had to rip back and figure out where I was.  It is not perfect--there are places where I definitely went awry and twisted stitches.  But it's not so terrible that a non-knitter will be able to pick out the mistakes.  I give myself a B- on the grafting. 

This cowl is not something I would have ever knit for myself.  Now that it's done, though, I think it's adorable.  Maybe I'll have to make one for myself?

Pattern: Mistake Stitch Mobius
Yarn: Katia Peru
Ravelry page

In Christmas gift knitting news, I am still on schedule.  But unless I find a way to knit 8000 stitches today, I will be behind.  I am coming up with Plan B.   

UGH! Total craft FAIL.

So last night, I finished off the waistband on Vogue 8749, and I did a bang up job of it.  It looked great.  And then I tried it on, and it was so huge, I could almost pull it off with the zipper closed.  I made the size based on my measurements, and I even did a tissue fit, but I guess, since it's cut on the bias, the fabric is stretchy and made for a bigger waistline than I anticipated.  Even though the waist measurement printed on the tissue matched my waist measurement.  Oh well.  It doesn't matter if I was right or not because it clearly is too big. 

I'm going to make it a lemonade kind of situation.  I think this fabric really needs to be lined, so I've decided to rip off all the facing and line it instead. 

Meanwhile, I have gift knitting to do.  So I sit down with my current WIP.  I'm halfway through row 5 when I discover a terrible mistake.  I consider myself an expert when it comes to fudging things.  It can always be eased in.  But not this.  Halfway through the row, I realized that two rows back, I only did half of the pattern repeat.  So half the row is drastically off. 

I've never had to rip out knitting like that before.  But there really wasn't any other option.  So I threaded a needle, made myself a lifeline, and ripped away. 

Now it's 10:48 pm, and I've lost ground on not one, but two WIPs.  And the days are ticking by. 

Back to row 1. 

FO: February Lady Sweater!

I thought it would be February before I finished it, but I wrapped it up in the middle of November.  It was just the thing to wear for Thanksgiving.

I made the 37.5 size.  My bust is 38", but I did not want this sweater to be big and baggy and dowdy.  Plus, I know the garter stitch and the lace block out like crazy, so I figured that I would probably get it to fit with zero ease.  I was right!  It's just a teeny bit tight at the upper arms, but once I pull it on, it's just fine.

Yes, I did make my daughter and me matching sweaters.  This was a little unintentional.  I chose yarn for both projects several months apart, and I didn't realize how close in color they were.  Oh well.  It's not like they're frilly, floral Laura Ashley dresses. 

My favorite part is the buttons.  I wanted something that would stand out and compliment, and I got the idea to use a vintagey floral fabric and cover my own buttons.  My mom helped me find the right fabric when we visited them in Ashland, OR in October.  I think they came out great!  I don't think yellow is a color I can really wear, but a small splash of yellow works.

So I'm happy with it!  It does feel, though, like it doesn't really count as a sweater.  It definitely is a sweater, and I knit a sweater's worth of yarn, but I didn't learn anything new in this project.  I've made the FBS twice, so I can do this lace pattern in my sleep.  And the fit isn't hugely challenging because most of the cardi is open and there's a lot of ease to play with.  For my next trick, I will pick something a little more advanced.  But that will have to wait 'till January.  I have gift knitting to do!

Pattern: February Lady Sweater
Yarn: Cascade 220 Heathers, 100% wool
Needles: US 6
Ravelry page