Why block a piece?

Jill asked why I would block the sleeve before attaching it to the body. I've started to look at a single sleeve as a good gauge swatch when experimenting with a pattern, so my new preferred order for knitting up sweaters is sleeve/body/sleeve. I think this also helps with the dreaded Second Sleeve Syndrome (also known as Second Sock Syndrome), since the first sleeve becomes all about figuring out this new sweater, and then the second sleeve is the home stretch after spending all that time with the body.

So, blocking. I wanted to make sure that the lace section wouldn't grow enormously when blocked, since lace has a tendency to open up, and I hadn't worked with this lace stitch before. And people are always telling you to wash your swatches before knitting the piece in question, since the yarn can bloom (see Clara's reviews of yarns at Knitter's Review), which will affect gauge.

Now I have a better idea of how my sweater will knit up.

I cast on for the body and did one lace repeat last night. The pattern has you cast on 87 stitches each for front and back at my size, so I am doing the first three and last four as stockinette, and the remaining 80 per side in Fish Tail II. Not sure how many repeats I want at the bottom and how often to extend fishtails up into the higher parts of the body. That should sort itself out this weekend.

The best thing about knitted lace (as opposed to lace knitting, which has pattern stitches in every round and is not for me at this stage of my life) in the round is that the even rounds are just knit. No purling! Not that I really have anything against purling, being Purly, but the knit rounds are a little faster for me.

One skein oh-need-er*

Sleeve One is complete up to the joining, and just in time. That's the end of the first skein there on the right. After transferring to stitch holders last night, I washed and blocked. Well, tugged a little, but no pins. If I pin the lace out now, I'll have to repeat every time the sweater needs a bath. I hope to be happy with a basic wash and stretch on a towel. We'll see in a bit, as we all know blocked sweaters never dry! I have to wind up the next skein to start the body, which means I have to figure out what I'm doing there.

Hey, it's dry (enough)! What do you think?

Only a teensy bit of bleeding into the wash water. This yarn is just great.

*Name that movie!

Cute bag pattern

Found this on moonlightstitches's blog. Isn't it cute? I have spent time perusing Berocco's free patterns before, but I'm not sure this would have registered, even if I saw it before. Funny how you have to be in the right place and time (literally and figuratively) to appreciate something. I could do this with the yarn left over from my Alpaca Cardi (I have three skeins left). Not sure what I'd do for a handle, but that will sort itself out later.

What have I done?

I just joined the Blue Moon Fiber Arts Rockin' Sock Club. Thank goodness I just picked up some freelance work. But, really, how could I not accept the invitation after all those folks went through with their dunderheaded bank? And they're in Illinois, land of Lincoln and birthplace of Kathleen. Socks are in my future, I guess. And it's a good thing that Sheep #3 won't be in my LYS for a month or so.

Can't. Stop.

Just found a new (to me, anyway) sweater pattern at WEBS. The Calvin Turtleneck (scroll down to #153) in their Stockbridge yarn. Think it's named for Calvin Klein? The ribbing on the sides looks super-flattering.

I checked in with the lovely Customer Service people there on yardage for the pattern, and it sounds like the second size (38"), which would work for me, calls for 11 hanks of the yarn. Which is $3.99 per. Must control myself.

Think it would look good in the deep red? I wish they had a nice, chocolate-y brown. The camel is nice, too.

In Hourglass news, I've done the increases on the sleeve and am just doing some straight knitting until it's the proper length. Though I'm doing the second size, same as last time, I'm increasing the arm length, same as last time, since my limbs go on for days, same as last time. I should be able to put the whole shebang on a holder/some waste yarn tonight and wash to see how the lace blocks out. Then it will be time to figure out the body, how much lace, perhaps a few stacked up repeats in some interesting place a la Teva Durham's Lace Leaf Pullover (check out the first sweater after the book cover image). I'm saving the second sleeve for after I get the body up to the join.

Alpaca Sweater Picture (finally!)

Hey, that's me! What do you think of the mostly finished product? I still would like to find a more permanent closure than the funky rhinestone pin from my great aunt, as it tends to pull the knitting. But I'm quite happy with this.

I'm getting the hang of the picture stuff.

Shhhh (Sheep 3)

I have a skein of Sheep 3 from Sheep Shop Yarn Company at home. I tried smuggling it out of Yarns in the Farms a couple of weeks back when they got the sample in, especially since it was in this new, gorgeous, turquoise colorway. I think it's a new color or else they've really changed their light blue.

I'm going to knit up a sample something or other for the shop. Just have to figure out what the right thing is for one skein of this stuff. 70% merino wool and 30% silk. 325 yds. Scrummy. No idea on price. Ultimately, I want to do the Slouchy Cardi from Greetings from Knit Cafe in this yarn, but that will have to wait for a few more skeins. Some time in March is the word on the street.

I'll post a picture soon.