No Knitting Day

I've been on spring break this week and I've been obsessionally knitting; hoping I'd get my sweater done by the time break is over.  I really wanted to wear it to work next week.  But all this knitting is straining my eyes, my arms hurt, and I'm getting so tired I'm making stupid mistakes.  Last night I had to frog about 7 inches on the hood because I was decreasing, making it slant inwards rather than increasing and make it slant out.  So today I'm declaring a no knitting day.  I need the break and I also need to get some other things done that I've been ignoring all week.

Drum roll please

IT FITS!  All my modifications worked.  I still have to do the hood and sleeves yet.  I'm going today to pick out buttons.  I'm thinking either something with a celtic knot or maybe some oblong wood buttons.  The cabling is gorgeous, despite the mistakes, and I think unless you really look close nobody will notice.  I can't wait to finish and show it off.

It never fails...

If there's one thing I've learned in my years of knitting, it's that no project will be completed without some problem; and usually it's something really stupid on my part.  I guess I should've realized I was about due on this project.  I almost had the body of the sweater done and ready to attach the shoulders, when I realized my mistake.  I made one armhole wider than the other, throwing off the front widths.  On one side I had a normal armhole opening and on the other I had an opening big enough to put an elephant leg though.  It actually extended a quarter of the way across my chest, leaving a very narrow band of fabric in the front.

How did this happen?  How could I not see it until now?  Well, on the one side I accidentally bound off twice as many stitches for the underarm than I was suppose to, and I guess I just wasn't paying attention to the difference as I knit.  Looking at the photo I can totally see it now.

So what kind of stupid mistakes have you done in your knitting that took you awhile to realize?

I'm getting excited

I tried it on the best I could and looks like it's going to fit!  I was worried it was going to be to big, but when I measured it last night it's only about a half inch wider than the original pattern.  Looking at it on the table, it still looks huge, but I think I need to come to terms with what size I really am.  I'm up to the armhole shaping and will try it on again when I attach the shoulders together.  I'll post a picture of myself wearing it when I know for sure it will fit.  I'm hoping to have it done in the next month or so, so I can wear it at least once this winter yet.

Sweater update

I've been working on my sweater since Feb 4th.  I'm 10 inches in and now I'm nervous.  I took it off the needles last night to try it on and it looked humungous.  I tried it on the best I could and it seems ok, but when I compared it to another sweater I own, it's about 8 inches to wide and about 2 inches wider than the original pattern.  I know I redesigned to be a little wider than the original pattern, so I'm forging ahead with it and hoping it will all be ok in the end.  I'll know if it fits better once I get up to the armhole shapeing and chest.  If it ends up to big I'll have no choice but to rip it out, start over and follow the pattern.  Already I seeing things I should've done differently.  Like the button bands.  I thought to save time, I'd knit the button bands with the sweater (I really hate picking up stitches) but I don't think that's going to work so well.

On another note, I learned last night that drinking and knitting don't mix to well.  I accidentally dumped my drink in my knitting basket. Luckily nothing was damaged to bad and I didn't get any on the yarn. This is the second time I've done it.  Guess I'll have to be the designated knitter from now on.  Only water for me.

Waiting not so patiently

I ordered the yarn for my sweater last Friday.  I've been sitting on my hands all week to keep them from starting a new project before I can start my sweater.  I've been obsessing all week about the design, playing with the length, size, and gauge in my knitting software.  I've made so many changes that it won't turn out to be the same sweater as the original pattern.  I'm itching to get started, so how can I possibly go to work today when my yarn will be delivered sometime today?  Maybe I should call in with the knitty flu.  Somehow I don't think they'll believe me.

Knitting something just for me

So I'm looking though my closet and I think to myself,  "I really need to go shopping."  I have 1 sweater, 2 fleece sweatshirts, and bunch of Hubby's old flannel shirts that I wear over t-shirts.  My job doesn't require me to dress up, but they also don't share my appreciation of Hubby's hand-me down flannels.  So rather than go shopping, I decided to put my knitting skills to work and actually make something for myself.  Which is almost unheard of; other than small projects.

I've been avoiding knitting for myself for a couple reasons.  Number one, well lets face it, I'm a big gal and finding patterns that fit and I actually like can be a little difficult.  I know there's all kind of pattern books dedicated to the plus sized knitter, but that leads me to the second part of the of the problem; I have a very hard time envisioning myself in the finished sweater.  What if I spend all that time working on it and I hate it when it's done?  Or worse, I love it, but it doesn't fit?

I've been eyeing up this sweater for a couple years, but didn't have the nerve to cast on, because the cables were over my head at the time.  Having recently gained more confidence in my cabling skills, I felt now was the time to tackle it.

Late last week the pre-project planning started.  I had Hubby take my measurements, I picked out the yarn, and since I won't follow a pattern to the letter, started to make modifications.  I want to change the cabling to a slightly different Celtic cable, I want buttons instead of a zipper, and I want it a little longer.  But I got ahead of myself and ordered the yarn before I was done with my modification, and now I'm scared.  I'm scared I didn't order enough yarn, I'm scared Hubby didn't make the right measurements.  And I'm scared the whole thing will turn into a giant mess.  Will this be a success or another disappointment?  The only way to find out, will be to knit the sweater.