I finished my "spring" Baa-ble hat for the Meridian Jacobs KAL (knit along). For some insane reason I added back in the two rows I'd taken out for the first one and on top of that must have knit at a slightly looser gauge, so it turned out...too big.
I could have ripped it all the way back down to the sheep and started over, but I really need a couple days off from knitting so I decided to try to shrink it in a hot, soapy, agitating (the ingredients for shrinking wool) bath.
It didn't shrink. I tried three times. I finally tossed it in the dryer and ran it about an hour total on high heat and it finally shrank a tiny bit. Luckily I knit the ribbing tight enough that it mostly stays out of my eyes. It fits 20 perfectly :-D.
I decided to knit a dandelion on the top instead of a big sun pom pom and guess what!
I saw the first dandelion of the year as I carried it in from the Wool House yesterday.
So what are 20 and the Sock Monkey studying on so hard? The Iknitarod starts this Saturday (!). Yes, in just over two days (!). And I don't have a pattern picked out yet (!). I've had a couple good choices set aside for several months now. The front runner was a simple sweater with a pretty horizontal cable pattern across the yoke.
For some reason I've decided that Baaxter really wants to be a zippered turtleneck with straight lines. Something sort of like this.
Unfortunately I can't find an existing pattern that looks like that (!).
Now it's really a pretty simple sweater design. I have very little concern that I couldn't figure out how to make it happen...eventually. The only part that should give me any trouble is the top third of the sweater and if I get it wrong, I can just rip it back and try again. The problem?
The Iknitarod.
That I didn't "win" last year. Remember that? I hooked Maisie to my sled (my first mistake ;-) and nearly killed myself to get it done almost what, two weeks late? Marcel sweater, win. Keebler shawl, win. Maisie sweater? Sigh...
Do I dare try to design and knit a custom sweater with no pattern? In approximately two weeks time? 20's been pouring over the stash of knitting books and thinks it can be done. Baaxter is a sheep of great confidence. He's tough and level headed (unless there are cookies involved) and that would also be a good way to describe his yarn.
What do you think? Are we up to the challenge? Should we stay with the Tucker Sweater?
Back to the Yarn Along - my book this week is The Book Thief by Markus Zusak. Very good!
Joining in with Ginny...
24 comments:
Oh, the hat matches 20's eyes – it's PERFECT for him! And your sweater concept is PERFECT for both Baaxter and this sporting event, so GO!GO!GO! :-D
I love the hat, Sara. I wish I could do colorwork, but that's next on my list of Craftsy classes.
Ooh, I read the Book Thief. Very good, very poignant.
Ooh, I read the Book Thief. Very good, very poignant.
Hat looks great! 20 needed a hat :-)
I like your design! Looks comfy and you've got a couple days to decide ~ And your Iknitarod button is Perfect!
That hat is perfect! Now you can state with certainty how that yarn will react to washing and drying! Colors are great. I love the sweater with cables but wonder if the pattern would show up as well with B's yarn as it does in gray? The cable might get lost in the darkness. Maybe your design would be better for Baaxter.
Very good point!
20 is lookin' great! And your yellow circle is exactly what I had in mind for the top of my hat, but now I just want to finish it so will see how I'm feeling when I get to that point in a couple of hours.
I'd go with the Tucker sweater, but that's because making up a pattern AND doing a zipper would be overwhelmingly stressful for me. But you could do it! And I could cheer you on!
Maybe the pattern you are looking for it this one?
http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/plantago
Here's my non-knitting self's humble opinion. Your design will become a sweater you'll wear all the time when it's cold. The other pattern looks too fussy for farm work. Just sayin' :)
I like that, but best of all it clued me into looking at bulky yarn patterns, not just worsted and Aran. What do you think about http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/22-zippered-jacket
No dandelion's here yet! I'm ready for them as soon as they appear!
Linda
Yes! You can do it! I L.O.V.E. that hat - the colors are wonderful and the dandelion is pure genius!
I have say are Dandelions not the prettiest yellow!
I agree with Benita for Plantago sweater. why reinvent the wheel??? de-stress yo bad self!
Love the hat.
That is such a beautiful hat. As it is still cold today 20 will be glad for his new headwarmer. No dandelions yet but I did find three tiny, yellow crocuses.
Unfortunately I can't get anywhere near that gauge, so I'm still out in the wilderness :-/.
You are *incredibly* brave to decide to knit a sweater (where are my italics?) during the short period of the Ikniterod! I guess you won't be sleeping for the next two weeks?
I'm toying with knitting a shawl, with beads, in Wollmeise, which is almost as foolhardy.
Just adorable!
Beautiful work, such happy colors! What a handsome model- cracked me up by the desk!
Here are the sweaters with zippers in my faves using bigger yarns.
http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/search#pattern-tag=zipper&view=thumblist&sort=best&faver=debky&weight=worsted|aran|bulky
Debbie B.
I really like the Tucker sweater. It has a cable. Cables are strong. Like Baaxter. But- on the other hand, the zipper sweater looks like it would be perfect on a nice strong man. Like, say, St. Tim?
First of all, I love your hat and the dandelion and the photos with the sheep. Second, I know of a pattern like your sketch, the finished chest measurements start with 35" and it is intended for men, so you may have to knit the smallest size and fiddle with gauge or stitch count or something to make it work.
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