Pattern: Hourglass Sweater from LMKG
Yarn: Malabrigo Worsted Merino in Rosa Vivacity (a little over 6 hanks)
Needles: 4.5mm 32" and 47" Addi Turbos
Gauge: 5 spi
Date Started: 11.09.05
Date Restarted: 1.18.06
Date Finished: 2.03.06

I present to you the world's most comfortable sweater. It's sheer luxury putting this on. The Malabrigo is perfect when knit with 4.5mm's, it's squishy (that's a technical term), soft, and cozy. Knitting it at 5 spi alleviated any pilling worries, as did the sweater shaver I bought (from Target) as extra insurance.

I originally picked up this yarn at Stitches East to knit up a 'hot lava' shrug, but thankfully my gauge never worked up for it. If it had, then I would have never decided to return a cone of yarn I got at the same time from Webs and exchanged it for more Malabrigo. I can't imagine not living with this sweater (am I overdramatic or what!?). My favorite part, aside from the softness, the halo, the neckline, and the fit? The little Missoni-esque stripes the yarn formed.

The pattern is zen-like in it's stockinette stitch, some may call it boring, till you get to the neckline hem that is. I HATED sewing it down. No matter how careful and methodical I was, the neckline wanted to turn out. Thankfully a little steam blocking helped things stay flat, which is the only blocking I've done so far.

Posted by bitter purl at 07:55 PM | Permalink | Comments (62)

As my indecision grew and more suggestions came in about my cardigan, I knew there was one obvious choice at hand: ignore the whole thing and work on another project. I call this the procrastinator's way and it fits me just fine, thank you.

With Jack Bauer's help (and half of a movie) I was able to get through the soul sucking stst that is the Hourglass' body. I'm finally at the yoke and can attach the one sleeve I have done. It's a little depressing to think that I still have one more sleeve to go, but we carry on! I should have worked on this sweater when I actually started it months ago, I guess I didn't expect my progress to be so fast or maybe I just needed a good show to watch. I'm pretty happy with the way it's knitting up, the malabrigo is incredibly soft and it doesn't look like it will pill as much, or as fast, as I'd imagined. Knitting it at a tighter gauge helps (5 spi on 4.5mm). The colors are captivating, I swear I would have more done if I didn't stop and stare at my stitches and pet the fabric.

It's a good thing that it's a quick knit since I really haven't had much time to work on my projects in the last two weeks. I've been the good girlfriend and entertaining guests from China (for the boy's work) all that time. I've been out to dinner so many times that I'm pretty sick of restaurants, I've done touristy things that I usually wouldn't care to do, and I've been stuck in uncomfortable situations where I swear people are talking about me in Chinese. Somehow I found myself in Atlantic City on Saturday explaining the rules of Blackjack and slot machines to a group of people that gave me blank looks; I'm sure much got lost in translation. Eventually we split up and and I stuck with the slot machines. I managed to lose most of my money and then win 400 quarters to end up in the black (doesn't 400 quarters sound like a ton?).This may sound idiotic, I think I'm going to take a break from ms. stst and go back and finish the bulky cabled cardigan. I want it to be my first FO for '06 and I only have a week to meet that deadline. Hopefully some progress and thoughts tomorrow.

Posted by bitter purl at 11:32 AM | Permalink | Comments (27)

I've always been indecisive, I never know what I want to eat or even if I want to eat. Ask me what I want to do if we go out and all you'll get is a blank stare. Some may confuse this with apathy and sure, maybe it has a tinge of it, but really I'm just terrible when it comes to deciding things. It's so bad that I coulnd't even decide what to title this post, see the witty winner I chose. Anyway, when it comes to knitting, where every step of the way is full of decisions, I usually half ass my way through it and see what happens. My latest question: how many unflattering pics can I take of myself?

That was easy, four. But that's not what I really want to know. I finished the sleeves and basically like where they are (I know they will grow when I wash it), but now that I can actually wear the cardigan I notice that the length is all wrong. It's not the fault of the pattern, nope I was just an idiot and measured while I pulled on it... when it was still on the needles. Yep, smart move. I know I need to add at least two inches on this sucker (that's how much extra I thought I had), but the question is where? Do I rip all the ribbing and continue with the body for two inches and then add the waist band? Or do I just tink back three rows to the end of the ribbing and make the waistband extra deep? I think I know what the answer is, but, uhh, I rather hear it from someone else.

I'm so close to finishing, I can taste it. After the length situation, all I have left are the button bands. I just needed to let this sit while I figured out (ie. beg you for advice) what to do next. Well actually there was another reason, a very annoying reason. I couldn't even tell how short it really was till I took these pics. Want to why? No mirrors*! There are no full-length mirrors in my house. I assure you this wasn't my design. In the meantime I picked up my hourglass again and finally casted on for the body.

I was craving some boring stst in the round, especially now that my man Jack is back. I can't afford to look away or not pay attention for a second, so this will be my '24' project. I still havent' finished watching this week's episodes (we decided to split the four hours and just watch one a night, so no spoilers!) so this sweater still has two more hours of growth ahead of it.

To save me some time and aggravation, I decided to cast on using two needles. I'm using the cable of the longer one as a foundation, when I finish the length of the hem I can just fold it and knit the stitches together. No sewing and no provisonal cast on. Genius.

*apparently the boy was traumatized with too many horror movies at a young age, so no mirrors for us except for the bathroom mirror. apparently he thinks one day he'll look and see another face staring back at him. I don't think he understands the whole 'growing old' concept if you ask me.

Posted by bitter purl at 04:37 PM | Permalink | Comments (31)

I've been a procrastinator my whole life. I get everything done, at the last minute. The last time I got things done quickly was the day I was born, my mom almost had me in the car and the whole deal took less than half an hour (of course, maybe my parents were the procrastinators then). Now, there are different types of procrastinors. There are the lazy, half-assed ones; they were late with everything and still failed or just didn't care. The middle of the road procrastinators; they would procrastinate, would get scared and do everything before it was too late. Then there are the master procrastinators, this is where I am. We live on the edge, laugh at deadlines, yet somehow find the most efficient way of doing things and got A's for our little effort. Did I tell you that I turned in my Senior Paper a week after it was due (and a week before graduation)? Why work on my paper all semester and stress out when I can write it in one night and have the Proff love it? I heart efficiency.

I'll admit though, sometimes I was really under pressure and the stress would get to me. In graduate school I swore to change my ways and turned in my thesis paper a month or two before the semester was done. Last month I had this genius plan to start my holiday knitting, but somehow that didn't happen. Deciding what to knit took a while (and a couple of consultations with my mom) and the yarn took forever to get here. That old stress from college is sneaking up on me.

This mess is some of the yarn that will magically turn into gifts. Right about now I wish I knew that old water into wine trick. A knitting machine would be nice. Or I would love a knitting staff of my own to boss around. Actually looking at it laid out like this, it isn't going to be that bad. I'm sure I'll be done in time, though there may be a sacrifice or two (the boy's sweater). Want to see the world's most boring progress shot?

This is the first gift I got started on this week. It's a crap-o-tee for Ms. I-really-want-grandkids. This is at the boring end of the second section, so apparently I'm at the fun part where I get to drop stitches. I can't believe I got suckered to knit this (aren't I a year late to ride this wave?). The bf picked out the color (oceanos from handpaintedyarns) and I really hope the color breaks up a little more after there are some ladders in there.

You know what? I was wrong, this is the world's most boring progess shot. In a totally selfish move I cast on some thigh-highs for me. Actually, that's the start of a sleeve for the old Hourglass (yet another bandwagon I'm jumping on). What can I say, it's getting cold and I need a sweater. I figure I could knit the sleeves while watching TV and work on Clapotis all the other time. Also, since I'm messing with the gauge all I have to rip is one sleeve if I totally hate it.

Posted by bitter purl at 06:28 PM | Permalink | Comments (14)

What does every knitter do just before completing a project? Join two kals and start swatching for new projects of course! Sure, I could've worked on the cardie and had an FO report today, but nooo I rather laze around and start playing with new yarn. I think the breaking point came when, while knitting up the button band, I thought I had a lot of dandruff on my shirt. Weird, I don't have dandruff really! Umm, yeah it was the yarn!!! WTH. Then I thought I cut myself with it which led to it's banishment. I swear that the Silky Wool is cursed. Today though, nothing but lovely yarn.

I first swatched Glampyre's Bulky Mini Cardy. I've been wanting to knit this one up for weeks, but I was waiting on the main color yarn. It finally arrived on Friday and I couldn't stand it any longer. I got the pattern gauge on US 13's, but the fabric was too loose. I decided to go with US 11's at about 3.5 spi. A little less bulky, but it should still be a quick knit. The cc will be some brown chunky wool I happen to have in my stash; I hope the colors mix well together.


The next project on my list is the ever popular Hot Lava, which I'll be knitting in Malabrigo worsted merino in Rosa Vivacity. I still have to tink with the gauge on this one (may even have to whip out "the maths" as I like to call it). The pattern gauge is 3 spi and 5rpi with US 11's. The swatch above is on US 11's but with a gauge of 3.5 spi and 5 rpi, close but the fabric is too loose once again. My first swatch was on 10.5's with a gauge of 4-4.5 spi. I'll keep playing around untill I get a fabric that looks right, but it's a little frustrating since I usually get gauge the first time around. Did anyone get gauge for this pattern or did you just try it on as you went?

Posted by bitter purl at 05:06 PM | Permalink | Comments (10)