Sock 2.0
I’ve started on socks again, trying to supplement the knitting with video-watching so that I don’t get too bored. I have to say that sock knitting is nice for something to do while you’re doing something else; other than that, I’m not too fond of it yet.
I’m using the Pocket Reference Sock Pattern, and it’s been easy enough to understand. I think I need to go back to the full version, though, because I’m really not understanding what to do at the end of the heel and the next part of the sock. So … yay, socks?
I needed a break …
I’ve been therapy-knitting on this the past night or so.
I’m a little frustrated with Samantha. I’m going to pull back and redo the neck shaping (thanks to Tisra’s help) but I just don’t feel like messing with it … again.
I decided to take a break and swatch for the Audrey sweater from Rowan. My yarn (Classic Elite Premiere Cotton) is going to be beautiful, but I’m going to have to adjust my needle size again. I hate that. I don’t know why, since I know that it’s common enough, but I do. I used size 8s and ended up fine with width but too tall in height. That just means I should go down a size, right? I can’t remember. If the Patternworks site would ever work for me, I’d go order a set of Rosewood size 7 circs that I’ve been wanting to try. It won’t, I can’t, and I don’t have another set of 7s here. I just bought some, but I think they fell out of my bag in the car.
So I turned back to another pattern that also happens to be a Kate Gilbert … good old Clapotis!
I’m knitting this one from a pretty handpainted yarn that I got from eBay. I decided to try this yarn because the colors were vibrant and it’s 100% new wool. I forget where or what I read, but it’s supposed to be softer and easier on the skin than regular wool. (Or something like that.) It is, and I’m enjoying working with this, but I’ve got itches all over. It’s not as bad as with some yarns, though, so I’m happy about that. Now I just need a few more West Wing discs to watch, some Tylenol, and some Benadryl, and I should have this done in no time!
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Piecing it together
I have to say — again — that I’m surprised at how quickly this actually comes together. In the last week I’ve completed the front right side, seamed the shoulders together with the three-needle bind-off, and almost have finished with the collar. There’s just one more row until I take the collar off, fold it over, and tack it down.
But. This week’s work was also challenging, particularly this weekend when I was doing the neck shaping on the front right piece. I think the instructions for the right side are actually for the left side. My copy of the pattern says to work the first nine stitches in pattern, then knit across, but the pattern is actually in the last nine stitches, not the first. That was a bit of a struggle, and I’m hoping that I’ve done it right. I know that I haven’t done it exactly right, though, because when I went to do the shoulder seaming I had mismatched stitch counts on both sides. That was quickly fixed by faking stitches, but I’m now worried about how the neck and shoulders are going to turn out. You can see in that second picture that I have some ugly gaps at the neck where the front pieces transition to the back … not sure how that will turn out.
So, on to the collar and then the sleeves. I’m thinking about just picking up the stitches on double pointed needles and then knitting the sleeves in the round, but I’m not sure. If I do that it might be better to seam the sides first, and I’m not sure I want to be a risk taker. :) Any thoughts?
halfway there!
Now that I have time to work on Samantha again (my Spring term classes are FINISHED), I’m loving how quickly it knits up. The back skirt and bodice seemed to take a long time, but this newly finished front right piece is zipping right along. I think I spent about four days of off-and-on knitting getting this one done.
I’m still a little iffy on the shaping, and I had to frog every single buttonhole row, but I still love the pattern. It’s very sweet and cute without being too cloying.
Last night I cast on and began the front left piece. Once it’s done, I just have the piecing and sleeves to do!
The “Samantha” trouble
Okay, here’s the specific instructions that I’m having trouble with. All directions (c) Kate Gilbert and all that.
Back neck shaping
Row 49: K 25, k center 19 sts onto circular needle, then using straight needle, k to end.
Turn and work 1 row even up to neckline.
Row 51: Using circular needle, sl1, k3, using straight needle, k across.
Turn and work 1 row even up to neckline.
Row 53: Using circular needle, sl1, k2, using straight needle, k across.
Row 54: (WS): Purl across.Place the rem sts on a dpn. Rejoin yarn and rep neck shaping for other side, reversing shaping. You will use the sts on the circular needle when you make the collar. You will use the sts on the dpn to BO the shoulders together. If you need the circular needle to work the neck on the fronts, transfer these sts to a holder or a piece of scrap yarn.
Any clues?
Samantha for Kailyn
It’s been forever since I was able to sit down and knit. School has been kicking my butt, and work hasn’t been much better. I finish up at the office, come home, and read all about Communication Theory or Language in Social Contexts and write essays that irritate me. Oh well … that’s what you get for not doing college the “normal” way and going back when you’re 27, I suppose!
But … next week is finals, and I’ve finished all of my major assignments. I have no classes this summer (hurray), so my knitting needles are getting a workout again! Cozy is still on the needles, partly because of the knitting moratorium and partly because I only get so far before I screw up a row. Ah well. Mom will get it at some point, most likely before next fall.
I am making progress on Samantha, though!
I took this with me on the cruise in April and was able to get more done. Dell picked it up, too, when she needed a break from her own project. :-) I love the faux smocking on the bodice, but let me tell you — all that stockinette stitch is just snoozey. It’s so pretty to watch the results form, though, so I don’t mind.
I’m kind of stuck on the back neck shaping, though. You keep the “shoulders” on straight needles (or one pair of circs, in my case) and put the neck stitches on a pair of circs (second pair for me). You get the stitches on the needles, then the instructions say to turn, knit even with neckline, and then there are instructions for the next row. I’m not sure what “knit even with neckline” means, or when I’m supposed to turn … hmmm. I should go check Kate’s website. It’s a great little sweater dress, though. I just have a feeling that Kailyn will be too big to wear it!
Speaking of Kate Gilbert, somewhere on this computer I think I have pictures of what happens when you felt a Clapotis, too, so I’ll have to share that.
ETA: Huh. Kate Gilbert’s website seems to be down. :(
