TTTKAL & Mommy Brain

You know what they say about the best intentions....

Well, I intended to participate in Shannon's TTTKAL and make a cute summer top for myself, but I mobilized too late and by the time my yarn arrived, it was one day away from the finishing deadline.I blame mommy-brain. Indecision and procrastination have nothing to do with it!

Though this deadline was extended to yesterday, the 2nd June, I am nowhere near finishing.  But, it has given me the opportunity to follow along in the thread, chat with some other knitters, and that is always a blast. To anyone that is considering joining a KAL, Shannon's are always a lot of fun. It's a great group of ladies! I can only recommend it!

Nevertheless, let me introduce you to my project. I chose the Driftwood Tee by Mercedes Tarasovich-Clark. It is very "me". Clean lines, with a little interesting detail. I debated for too long which yarn to choose. I did not have anything in my stash, and did not want to invest a lot, so I though I'd give Holst yarn a try. I have heard good things about it. The specification on their website are very similar to the yarn this pattern calls for, only a couple of stitches off from the pattern gauge. So far it is a lovely yarn, though it is a lot thinner then I expected. I personally would call it a lace-weight, but hey, I am no expert. The knitted fabric is very airy, which is nice for a summer top. 

We'll see what the finished project turns out to be....hopefully I will stick to it, and get to wear it this summer, as I do not have the encouragement of my fellow knitters to keep me going.

Updates to follow!

TTT KAL Finish- Lessons learned

My title my sound positive, but the reality of it is that I have decided to frog this project. I am about 3/4 through and I have known for a while that this is not going to end well. It's simply not turning out the way I envisioned it.

What went wrong? 

Here's what I think. 

Lack of proper measuring on my part mostly. In determining which size to knit, I simply based me choice on the bust measurement, and nothing else. I started knitting and blindly followed the pattern without any additional measuring. This approach usually works for me, and I have obviously been very fortunate with fit thus far. This is a very simple top, and fit is that much more important when you are making such a sleek item. I should have made it longer, narrower, shortened the lattice portion and decreased the neck-opening. Lots of fellow knitters made the Cap Sleeve Top during the KAL, and almost everyone made some modifications, so the next time I attempt this, I will certainly read more notes, measure and try it on constantly.

Here's to learning from your mistakes!

Tanks, Tops & Tees KAL

I have not had a chance to post about my latest project. Though short on time I decided to join Shannon from luvinthemommyhood and her lovely group of knitterly friends in yet another KAL. All of the knit alongs organized by her are incredibly fun, mainly because of the great chatter taking place on the ravelry discussion board. It is a great place to get advice, find support and encouragement as well as get a few laughs.

My project was not off to a great start. I chose to knit the Cap Sleeve Lattice top, a free pattern by the Purl Bee. At first I could not decide on what yarn to use, but in the end settled for linen. I ordered my yarn, it took forever to arrive and I got slapped with a rather steep duty charge. Then I had a hell of a time achieving gauge. A little discouraging you have to agree.

But I kept on going, even though the changes of me finished on time are slim, and I am halfway through. And it seems we are getting an extension, which may just mean that I get to finish. I hope.

Though I still second-guess my yarn choice, as it is turning out rather see-through, I will continue and see how it turns out. I will trust in my new friends to give me advice on whether it's a keeper or not.

Imogen Cowl- a finished project

Only a few days ago I blogged about a wonderful Knit-along organized and hosted by the lovely Shannon of the luvinthemommyhood blog. This is the 5th of her KAL's that I have signed up for. Why so many? I simply can't get enough of the fun conversations all the participants have, of the inspirational stories some of these ladies share, of the helpful advice and the encouraging words. The more I get involved, the more I realize what a wonderful, warm and kind community the knitting community is. And yes, I am also aware that I have said this many times before.

But enough with the mushy stuff. Let me introduce you to my finished project. As I mentioned last time, it is called the Imogen Cowl and to me it was the perfect Downton Abbey inspired knit. I did not expect to finish it on time, and the only reason I did, is because I decided to shorten it, to forgo the loop. I don't think it takes away from the beauty of the lacework though, and I am happy with the result.

After days of being stuck in the deep-freeze and suffering through gray skies, we had a beautiful sunny weekend that allowed my to properly photograph it. Once again, I have to thank my husband who patiently followed instructions and took tons of photos until I declared, "Ok, I think we're done". 

I also have to mention the yarn. It is the first time I used Quince & Co and I simply adored knitting with it. It is wonderful to work with, it's wonderfully soft, and once blocked it really makes the pattern pop. I cannot wait to choose more patterns to try this yarn with.

Downton Abbey KAL

I think this project deserves its own, separate post. 

I, like many others have been utterly addicted to the show  "Downton Abbey" It has been a long time since I have been so absorbed by a show, and I have so  feverishly looked forward to each new episode. I can give you a million reasons why you should watch, the writing, the acting, the setting, the characters, the fashions, really, the list is endless, but honestly you simply have to try for yourself to understand. 

In honor of this show, and perhaps to provide us, Downton- obsessed knitters, a creative opportunity, Shannon of Luvinthemommyhood started the Downton Abbey KAL. All participants have picked a Downton- inspired pattern, and are working tirelessly to finish it prior to the deadline of February 6th. 

I took forever to choose a project, and finally settled on the Imogen Cowl, knitted in Quince & Co Tern yarn. The color is such a beautiful green, it reminded me of the vibrant green gardens that surround Downton. And the intricacy of the lace pattern (my first attempt at lace....ahem!) makes for a very sophisticated and classy cowl. These are the pictures that inspired me to make this choice. 

My yarn arrived late, so I am way behind on knitting the cowl, I will certainly not make the deadline, but that does not matter, the main thing is that I was a part of the discussions happening on the Ravelry thread, that I get to exchange ideas and connect with such talented knitters. Their projects, and oftentimes stories, are inspiring!I cannot emphesize it enough, how happy I am to be a part of such a wonderful community.

So here is how far I got for now. I am hoping that the conversation about the show will continue even after the KAL is closed. My dream is to be able to photograph this FO in its proper setting. A visit to Highclere Castle.

Summer Sweater knit along

Can you believe that I have never tackled an adult sized knitting project? I mean, ok , I’ve “only” been knitting for 3 years, but I’ve always focused on small, fast projects, mainly baby clothes and accessories. But now that I have gathered some experience, I figured I am ready for a new challenge.

Then I saw this post on Luvinthemommyhood, and it was the push I needed to make a commitment. I’ve wanted to knit Hannah Fettig’s Featherweight Cardigan for a while now, and I had even purchased the yarn. The color is this intense red-orange-y-pink/fuchsia. Not my usual color, but something about it just made me think it’d be perfect.

I have never joined a KAL, I simply have no time, but since this is on-line, it’s the perfect alternative. So get ready to hear about this project and its progress, I am myself curious to see how it will turn out.