Tuesday, 25. October 2005
Raspy is done done done. And here she is, left view, front view and side view (I had to hold a mug cuz I didn’t know what to do with my hands). Note to self: Wear a black bra next time if I’m going to be using the flash on my camera.
Pattern: Raspy, Rowan Denim People (sz Small)
Materials: Den-m-Nit Dark Indigo (13 balls – Diana was right, I did have enough to seam). Sz 4/5 needles for body, 5 for sleeves
Notes: No pattern changes except to lengthen sleeves so they’re 21″ before raglan shaping (25.2″ before shrinkage). I had to throw this in my dryer 3 freakin’ times to get it to shrink to the desired size. That was a bitch in itself. This is where I explain why I call it the “cheater’s version“. You see, after the waist decreases, the pattern asks you to start increasing for the bust – which I apparently don’t have. After seaming the sucker, I ended up with a very roomy bust. What’a a girl to do? I don’t have the heart to rip and knit again (esp. since I already shrunk it), so here’s where I cheated. I BACKSTITCHED. That’s right, y’all. I have no shame – and no craftsmanship for that matter. And here’s proof. 
It’s impossible to photograph dark indigo, therefore you get the overexposed shots above. But I did manage to get one where I processed like mad in photoshop to show you the details up front. It’s a little dark, but you get the drift.
I’d like to thank Diana, Jade and Michelle for offering their leftover denim yarn when I panicked previously that I was going to have no yarn to seam. Even though I did not need that extra few yards in the end, their assurance to send me that extra ball helped me finish this sweater. It’s no where near perfect – in fact, truly flawed, but I will wear it with grace. Fact is, if I hadn’t mentioned it, no one would ever know right? Say yes.
Posted in FOs, Pullovers by winnie -
Tuesday, 18. October 2005
For starters, if you don’t know this already, Diana finished her Raspy. I have one word for it – perfection. That gave me the motivation to pick it up and start knitting again. 
When I ordered yarn for this sweater initially, I just looked at the yarn requirements for a size small sweater and it said 12 balls. So I bought 13 – you know, just in case. The yarn arrived and I took a closer look at the finished schematic size and noticed that the finished sleeve length before the raglan decreases was 17.5″. 17.5″? Oh SHIT — that’s like, 3/4 length for my long ass arms!!! So I hurried through the back piece to check how many balls it would require, and plowed through the first sleeve (lengthened, of course) like a mad woman. I recalculated and figured out that 13 balls of yarn would cover the knitting – SANS seaming. What??? Then I checked Elann, and for 1 ball of Den-m-Nit in Dark Indigo, plus shipping, totals approx 10 bucks. 10 bucks for a freaking ball of yarn to seam – when all I need is a few yards? I think my heart just sank.
So here’s the plea – does anyone have left-over Den-m-nit in Dark Indigo from their previous projects that they would be able to part with? I just need a few yards. Just a few measly yards. Please?
I’m going to be MIA for a while. Conference coming up in two weeks and I am running around like a headless chicken. Stress and I are like best chums right about now. And that last few yards to seam Raspy makes me want to punch myself in the face. Coulda, woulda, shoulda.
With that, I leave you with a plea and a partially finished pair of socks. Try not to look so hard at my tan line.
Edit: And thank you all so so much for the comments on Lace Leaf Pullover. Trust me, the kitchenering is not perfect. My camera just decided to compliment me once for a change. I would write individual emails to thank you all personally, but Blogger is being a bitch and displays 90% of commenters’ emails as “anonymous“. I will not be pegged a thankless bitch for Blogger’s f**k-ups… just so you know.
Posted in WIPs by winnie -
Wednesday, 27. July 2005
First of all, stripe knitting SUCKS ASS. *inhale… exhale*… May I present to you, TWO giant dish cloths. Yea, this is how far along I am on the Phildar sweater. And it has no shaping whatsoever. Do not be fooled by the slender edges of the pieces, it’s just the yarn curling. And short rows on top with stripe sequence? Har har har… bazillion loose end hell. What have I gotten myself into? That’s right, winnie, how very smart of you to do short rows AND switch yarns at the same time? *snicker snicker* I wanted to begin the sleeve knitting with tubular cast on, but at this point, screw it. Knitting 160 sts per row on sz 1 is just too, um, lovely, for words.
So, I’ve picked out my yarn for the Stitch Ya Neck Out scarf swap. And don’t worry, yet-to-be-determined-SYNO-pal, it ain’t black yarn. It’s a most lovely maroon-brown 100% superfine merino yarn. Wanna know what they’re destined to be? Click Here. Yup. I’ve wanted it since the first time I laid eyes on it, but the endless ribbing has kept me far far away. Oh don’t get me wrong, I have no qualms about ribbing, but 100% ribbing? *ponders* hm, I’d take lace knitting any day over ribbing. I am looking forward to knitting some Backyard Leaves, or Ruffles, or even Branching Out from Knitty. I understand that the first two are very popular picks.. so fear not, cuz here’s one happy volunteer who’s dying to knit them for ya.
Posted in WIPs, Yarn by winnie -
Friday, 1. July 2005
Thanks to my fellow knit-bloggers who check me out from time to time, they’ve helped me figure out Phildar’s French-glish instructions. Special shout-out to Mari, who, out of the kindess of her heart, sent me an email with row-by-row instructions of the brain-fart-inducing shoulder/neck shaping described previously. The more I looked at the length of the sweater, the more it looks like pajama to me. I’ve decided to crop it down a little bit (only 2″), so we’ll see how this little stripey devil will turn out. Inspired by Tara’s short-row shoulder shaping for her short-sleeved Vogue top , I’ve insanely decided to be a short-row follower. With help from Nona’s “ask Nona” archives describing short-row shaping in detail, this Phildar stripey back currently has all its live stitches intact. Frankly, I have no idea what I am doing, but we’ll soon find out when the grafting happens. If it comes out well, I’m keeping the top. But if my spontaneous idea of cropping the top by 2″ turns out to be a disaster, I need to find me a shorter-torso buddy in a sz 4 to wear this baby.
Posted in WIPs by winnie -
Tuesday, 21. June 2005
This is OSW#2. And as luck would have it, I ran out of freakin’ yarn again. I only had the 1″ edging to knit, so I used some velour type yarn (cheapo) and it looks nasty — as in no stitch definition. Will frog that and use a proper cotton yarn. The purplish main body is knitted up with Brown Sheep Cotton Fleece, and it deserves better than the cheapo acrylic blah yarn.
Next up is my progress shot of the Phildar Stripey Top. Phildar calls it “Pull Manches Courtes”..um yea, whatever that is. It is being knit up on Sz 1 and 4 needles, and since my mom is here, knitting progress is s~l~o~w~~… this sweater will be growing very very minimally over the next few weeks. But I have one more picture to show you all, and…..
TADA!!!…. The no-sew knitted hem. Hee hee…that’s my biggest accomplishment with this sweater yet. So, I have a question for y’all. Is it just me or does Summer knitting progress slower than winter knitting? Maybe it’s just me.
Posted in FOs, WIPs by winnie -
Pattern: Raspy, Rowan Denim People (sz Small)
It’s impossible to photograph dark indigo, therefore you get the overexposed shots above. But I did manage to get one where I processed like mad in photoshop to show you the details up front. It’s a little dark, but you get the drift.
I’d like to thank Diana, Jade and Michelle for offering their leftover denim yarn when I panicked previously that I was going to have no yarn to seam. Even though I did not need that extra few yards in the end, their assurance to send me that extra ball helped me finish this sweater. It’s no where near perfect – in fact, truly flawed, but I will wear it with grace. Fact is, if I hadn’t mentioned it, no one would ever know right? Say yes. 
