Tag Archives: sweater

On the edge

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I finished the knitting part of my Lace Hem Topping and the two pieces were blocked yesterday.  What’s left is the seaming (ugh) and the crochet edges.  I have several crochet hooks and can do a chain stitch.  The finishing edges on this shell involve a row of single crochet once around the armhole and neck edges followed by a row of reverse crochet.  Does crochet even have rows?  

I did a search for these two techniques and think I have it but am open to more advice.  Can you direct me to any good videos that show these two techniques so I have the confidence to put this shell on my FO list?  Or better yet, come on over and show me!  

Of course I’m itching to get started on another project while waiting for the above shell to dry before seaming and adding the crochet edge.  While in my least favorite store the other day, I came across these fabulous colors of Caron Simple Soft yarn (worsted weight or #4).   

Caron Simply Soft

 

Colors from left to right: Pistachio, Blueberry, Strawberry, Persimmon (soft coral), and Sunshine.  They look a bit bright but they are very soft colors.  

I have three baby sweaters to knit for friends babies and grandchildren by September.  I need help with the color combinations.  Not sure what pattern I’m using but fell in love with this pattern.  It’s for adults but it couldn’t be that hard to take some elements and make it suitable for a  baby or child, could it?  

I think what I like is the texture of the garter stitch against the stockenette.  Do you think I could adapt my eyelet pattern for this?  Or perhaps the 5-hour baby sweater pattern, only make the garter stitch bottom edge extend more into the body by 3 inches and overlap the front edges by 3 inches?  I’m not sure how I would do the neck…and since the pattern is a neck-down pattern, I’d have to figure that out ASAP!  

Color combos?  I would use 2-3 colors for this.  Body (stockenette) in one color, bottom and front panel (garter) in color two, and an optional 2-3 rows in stockenette between the body and garter on color three.  I don’t have a scanner or I would show you my sketches.All sweaters are for girls…as if that should make a difference.  Two for size 6-months and one for 18 months.

Chinese Auction and Lace Hem Top

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We went to covered dish get-together this weekend and were to take a White Elephant gift.  As it turned out the White Elephant gift was really a Chinese Auction.  There are various versions of a Chinese Auction.  For this version those who participated drew a number from a hat.  When that number was called, the person chose and unwrapped a gift.  If they didn’t like it, they could swap with someone else.  Obviously the first few people didn’t have much of a chance of swapping for a “better” gift.  

The gift we took was destined for our yard sale.  

Mr. Aitch was third to select a gift.  It was a crystal candy dish with a lid and resembled a Hershey Kiss.  I suggested he swap that for a canvas bag filled with gardening tools.  Pretty and useful.  Too pretty and too useful as it turned out.  That gift was THE gift and exchanged hands many, many more times.  After the last gift was unwrapped and swapped,  the first person got an opportunity to swap since she didn’t have a choice at the beginning.  BTW she was the one that opened the canvas bag with the gardening tools in the first place.  And that’s what she ended up with after all.   

What did Mr. Aitch get?   

The gift we took.  It’s going back to the yard sale box.  

On the knitting side of the weekend I got about half way done on the back of the Lace Hem Top.  I’m hoping I can make great progress on this today and perhaps even finish the back!  Mr. Aitch doesn’t understand the concept of a “sweater” for the summer.  I tried to explain that it isn’t a sweater, it’s a knitted garment.  Not all knits are sweaters.  Whatever.  

Lace Hem Topping 7/11/2010

Cascade Ultra Pima in Heathered Pansy.  

This has a lace border and I’ve not really done much with lace.  In fact the only “lace” I’ve done is/are the eyelet sweaters.  I wet the sweaters when I was finished with them and blocked.  I used acrylic yarn.   

How do I block this cotton?  Steam block?  Wet block?  

Sell or donate? Pattern decision

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I really need to and want to declutter.  I kind of got of track the past week or so but am determined to start back up again by going through one drawer or cabinet a day.

I want to reap some monetary benefit from all this stuff and have a yard/garage sale with but that takes a lot of time (and help).  Do you find it better to donate or hold a sale?

My goal is to finish part of the basement for a proper craft room where I can organize all the many materials I use and to also have a place for my kids and grandkids to be crafty.

I decided to knit different sweater/shell/tank out of the Cascade Ultra Pima. 

Lace hem Topping from Creative Knitting July 2008 issue

It’s from Creative Knitting magazine July 2008 issue and it’s featured on the cover.  The yarn is supposed to be a worsted weight (same problem I have with the Eileen shell from No Sheep for You) but since this isn’t supposed to be knitted as tight as the Eileen, I decided I can use a knitting gauge/stitch converter and still make it fit.  What a FABULOUS tool this converter is!  As it turns out this converted to the exact stitch count for a larger size so I can knit this without having to blindly convert the shaping !

Yarn, patterns, decisions

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After much thinking about the yarn I bought for the Eileen shell, I decided to find another pattern designed for this particular weight.  I spent a lot of time last night perusing the internets for a pattern I could use that was: 

  1. Free
  2. Something I already had in my vast collection of magazines
  3. An adaptation of 2-3 patterns
  4. Inspiration

Cascade Ultra Pima Heathered Pansy

I have a few patterns that might work with the four skeins of the Cascade Ultra Pima  purchased so I brought the pattern books/magazines with me today so I can maybe, just maybe decide over lunch which will be the perfect one for this yummy yarn.  The Eileen shell will have to wait for my Knit Picks order to arrive.  If I am super industrious, I could have this one finished before the order arrives! 

Of course I still have to do some decluttering in between knitting. 

Oh, and I almost forgot that today is my sister’s birthday.  Happy Birthday, Jude!