Double Cable Scarf

I finished this scarf over the weekend:




It is a Double Cable Scarf from One Skein: 30 Quick Projects To Knit and Crochet by Leigh Radford.

I did a review of the book and the yarn I used, Blue Sky Organic cotton on episode 9 of the Knitting News Cast.

This was my first attempt at cables. It was much easier then I thought. For this particular pattern you only twist the stitch on every 6th row. I did find it a little difficult to pick up and knit the stitches from the cable needle. I think this is because cotton yarn can be kinda stiff.

I'd like to try this pattern again with a worsted weight merino wool, maybe with silk in it. That would make it really soft and warm, perfect for winter. And I would use a solid color. I used a tweedy looking yarn and although you can see the cables in real life (unlike the picture), I think a solid yarn would let them show up better.

Project Update and Future Projects

I've been working on my Same But Different sleeveless top this morning. I had to rip back the front because I knitted it just like the back and the front has a neckline. But, of course, I ripped back to far and have to knit a few more inches before I can start the neckline.

Even with all the ripping and re-knitting on this top, I'm really enjoying the process. I've been checking my length every few minutes or so. I pin the top to the bed so that I can be sure to get an accurate measurement. Measuring on my leg just doesn't work!

Once the top part of the top is complete or at least the shoulder seams sewn I'm going to rip out the bottom 4 or 5 inches so I can lengthen the top and redo the bottom border. I was hoping to get the top done this weekend but I'm not sure if I will. I'd rather get it just so and fitting right then to wiz right through it to get it done.

I also started a cotton dish cloth for my mom for Mother's Day. I'm wanting to make a set of 4 in a couple of different colors. Mom is coming to Austin from Seattle for Mother's Day so I'll be able to give them to her in person. I'm also making a set for my SIL who's birthday is next month.

Also this week I greated a list of knitting projects to complete this year. It sounds kinda of anal but I really need to know what I need to knit for gifts for birthdays and Xmas so that I'm not scrambling at the end of the year trying to get everything knitted. I came up with some timelines of when to start and complete each project but those are mostly guidelines so that I can keep on top of everything.

And of course, there are several projects for me too! I think my next garment will me a tank top. But I need to get the sleeveless top I'm working on done first!

Not Ripping! Yeah!

Or at least not all the way!

I went to my local Stitch and Bitch group that meets at Book People on North Lamar on the 1st and 3rd Tuesday in Austin, Texas last night. I took some yarn samples that a few yarn companies sent me and my sleeveless top.

I knitted up swatches of the sample yarns to see how they knit up so I can review them on my next podcast on Sunday. I got some feedback on the yarns from the other knitters in the group that will be invaluable to my reviews.

But anyway... I also took the sleeveless top and right before I was leaving I pulled it out to get opinions on whether I should rip it out or not. Of course, they were as distress as I was about ripping out all the stocknette I had already done!

Becky and Claire both had suggestions. Becky suggested that I pick up stitches on the bottom to make the border longer to see if that helped with the rolling. And she also suggested turning the border under itself halfway. Those were good suggestions but I'm not sure I could do either skillfully.

Then Claire suggested that I put in a lifeline in a row of stitches, cut of the bottom, knit some more stockenette top-down and redo the border for a few more rows. I love this idea especially since I feel like I started the arm hole before I should have and the top would be too short. Now I can add more length, fix the rolling and not have to rip out the whole thing!!! Yeah!

Oh and if anyone has the January issue of Creative Knitting, Becky is looking for a copy because she want to do the Cross-hatch Hat pattern that is the match for a free online cross-hatch scarf she did.

To Frog or Not To Frog

I've got a WIP that I think I just might frog all the way out. It is the "The Same...But Different" sleeveless top from the Yarn Girls' Beyond the Basics book.

It is a really cute pattern with an eyelet bottom border. However, my eyelets are rolling. I used a needle size one size to big, the size used in the rest of the pattern. And I split it up the side for a few inches.

So the roll is pretty significant. I kept telling myself that it would block out, but I'm just not sure.

And now I realize that I've started the arm hole too early. Why is it that you can measure and measure and measure and think you've got the right length, in my case 16 inches. And then after you've worked a few more inches and you check to see if you are close to the top, you realize that your original measurement was wrong? And that the top will be shorter then expected?

It is very frustrating. But if I keep knitting in hopes that all this will correct itself then I'll just end up with a garment I just won't wear. But having to frog the whole this is a bit disconcerting too.

And I'm not sure I like how the fabric is knitting up either. I can see a difference between where I was knitting in the round and where I started knitting back and forth for the arm hole.

Plus, I can't explain exactly what is happening but the stitches seem bigger in some areas and not in others. Like they poof out more.

I'm using Berroco's Soft Twist which is a wool and rayon blend. I love the drape and feel of the fabric, put I'm just not sure I like the how the stitches look.

So overall, I'm dissatisfied with the garment.

Drat! That means I should probably just frog the whole thing and start again. Maybe I just need to take a break from it and start on a different project.

One Skein Knit-Along

I joined the One Skein Knit-Along. It was started to let knitters knit together the patterns in Leigh Radford's book, One Skein, which will be published in April.

I've gotten a preview copy for the publisher, Interweave to review on my podcast, Knitting News Cast. Apparently, there has been some early release of the book even though it isn't available on Amazon yet. So there are already several people who are working on projects.

I will be doing the review on my March 26th episode.

I have a bunch of yarn that I only have one skein of. My goal is to use only yarn that is in my stash for the projects.