Another pattern done! Another on its way.

Now don’t faint– I know I just blogged last week and this has never happened before–two blogs in two weeks. But when the mood strikes I gotta go with it!

I am so happy with how my newest design turned out. This is the Classic Gansey Cardigan worked in heavy worsted/ Aran weight yarn. This particular garment was knitted in Blackwater Abbey yarn by Debbie Stephens-Sutton of Denver and my neighbor Adrienne modeled it for me. And of course my dear friend Karen Frisa tech edited it, as she does most of my patterns. (Many thanks to all of you!) The pattern is already up on Patternfish as a PDF and is available in hard copy from Blackwater Abbey Yarns. Shortly it will also be available from Knitters Treat too. Ruth carries all of my patterns too, if you prefer having the hard copy booklet.

Here’s Adrienne next to this awesome stone wall in her yard….

And here is a detail shot

In addition to finishing that, I am still tweaking the Aran Winter Set that I posted about oh, so long ago. I am still not sure if I will include the hat, but I am trying to make it work. This is one of those long-term projects–ripping more than knitting. Finally I got tired of ripping, got the cable I wanted partway through the brim, and decided to cut instead of starting over. I picked up half a stitch all along the row with my stitch holder to stabilize the knitting.

Here is where I started to cut. I only clipped one piece of yarn and gently pulled that row out, stitch by stitch, putting the stitches on my double pointed needle. Note that the cable above is tighter and more compact, being cabled every 10 rows. The cable below, which I had started with, was cabled every 14 rows–too lazy and long for me! The Stockinette stitch area will be a facing that gives weight to the cabled brim. And maybe you can see where I slipped a stitch near the upper cable for awhile, hoping that would help in turning the facing. I decided it didn’t help, actually looking sloppy, and later dropped the stitch down and picked it back up utilizing every row of yarn, instead of the “every other row” that a slipped stitch gets. Mmm…better.

Taa-daa! Now I have live stitches to work the Three Needle Bind-off with the other end, making the circular brim. The rest of the hat will be picked up around the edge of the brim, hopefully sooner rather than later…

Designing for me is hard work. I try a bunch of different things, most of which don’t work. I do A LOT of swatching. I envy the designers that can whip out 5 or 6 designs per month. I spend a minimum of 2 months, and usually way more than that, on one project. I am very slow–but it’s not a race. I have learned that no piece of knitting is a total disaster–it can always be salvaged in some way. Knowing how to cut my knitting freed me up in many ways. And, having some experience in sewing as a teenager has given me some idea as to how garments are put together. Later!

A Frank Discussion on Gap-osis

Well, there it is. I love cardigans and button-down tops. I am hereby admitting that I have struggled with Gap-osis for all of my adult life; well actually since puberty. In fact this has been such a problem that for many years I would not buy or make buttoned tops. I know many of you more “fully-fashioned” women out there know what I’m talking about. Now I love my girls, but … everyone can tell when you put a safety pin on the wrong side to hold the fronts together. It makes that little pucker that is as annoying as gap-osis itself.

I have saved my buttoned tops for wearing during times when I know I will teach at Stitches or another venue where they give me a REALLY BIG NAME TAG. My awful secret is then hidden from view–or at least *I* think it is.

So, I was in denial when I came across this cute little cotton top [with buttons] and determined I would make it. (For fun. Not my own design.) After three years of not working on it, I finally finished it and I was so happy…except for the front opening. I knew what would happen. So, I devised A Plan. I picked up and knitted a buttonband and a buttonhole band. I bought cute buttons. I sewed the buttons on– and sewed the buttonband to the edge where I had picked up for the buttonhole band. Voila! A pullover top that looks like a buttoned top. And I can always take out that seam and convert the sweater to a cardi. But not very likely.

Here is the top in question:

As a cardigan:

But really a pullover:

Now I can at least wear this cute top around the house without blushing. The only other problem is that it is sleeveless and that is an issue in and of itself… I am not sure what I was thinking when I chose to make this, but it is cute and I enjoyed it!