by the skin of my teeth

now that it is officially spring (not that you'd know it what with the snow and all), i've been feeling guilty about that not quite finished clapotis. it would looks smashing with my new spring coat (i took ms. hedda's advice i bought a smart new coat) and new fluevog boots.

to recap on the clapotis situation, i finished it but i wasn't happy with it. i was paranoid of running out of yarn so i cheated by doing a bunch of k2togs in the repeats to reduce the number of rows i had to knit. so about 12 rows from the end, my clapotis suddenly got skinnier. no one would ever see it but i would know it was there.

i pulled it out saturday, threaded yet another lifeline in (that's 4 for those who are counting), and ripped back confident that i had enough yarn to finish it properly.

let's just pause for a moment to laugh at my naivety.

so even thought it was becoming clear that i actually did not have enough yarn to finish, i kept knitting. the rows were getting shorter and shorter, with fewer and fewer stitches, surely i could eke it out (did i just split an infinitive there? is it "eke out"?).

alas, it was not so. stubborn, i dug around in my knitting notions bag (where the scissors, tapestry needle and stitch markers live) and pulled out the end i had snipped off when i joined my second ball. (this is exactly why i fear throwing out things that i might need later) really determined now, i admit to one k2tog and really tight stitches and this is what i have.

i'm leaving the ends like that until i can show it off to the guild tomorrow night (amy singer! is coming! to talk to us!) and the tuesday night knitters. then i'm going to sew them in with thread because there aint no way i'll be able to weave those suckers in.

the other mildly amusing aspect of the scarf, one which i hope goes away with enough wear and scrunching, is the obvious point where i started to worry that i would run out of yarn. three quarters of the claptois has nice drape, loose, even stitches. the last quarter is *tight*. meh.

rippit rippit

curses!

last night we popped in season 1 of angel and laughed at how bad the vampire makeup was while remarking how it was so much better than the first two seasons of buffy. the makeup came a long way in seven years.

i debated over knitting a few more rows of part C on the green (plum) gable. i counted up the number of stitches on the arms (49) and compared to the pattern (47, 53, 65, 75, 84). i decided to increase to 51 and started knitting away, only to change my mind midway through the first sleeve section. i tinked back, slipped the arm stitches onto spare yarn, knit, slipped the other arm, and then slipped half the sweater onto a second needle and tried that sucker on!

and it looks great! i love it! i was convinced it was going to be ginormous but it sits perfectly across the chest, the lace ends at a decent spot just above the cleavage, the neck is wide enough but not too wide that my bra straps will show. yippee! (no photo evidence because it was dark and taking a picture of myself in the mirror with a flash wasn't going to work.)

the arms are a bit too short and a bit tight under the arm. a few more increase rows should solve that problem clickety-click.

i was admiring the lace in the mirror when i noticed this:

see it? a couple days ago, i was waiting for a friend to pick me up and was standing and knitting in the front door, watching for her car. when i dropped the right needle and lost a bunch of stitches. i thought i picked them up correctly but was worried i missed a yo. i couldn't see it though. i knit another round and still couldn't see it. so i kept going. but last night in the mirror, that missed yo is way obvious. it is front and centre. curses!

i am considering my options and trying to remain positive.

1) keep going because no one is ever going to notice unless they are staring very closely at my chest. which if they are, they are not going to admit to it.

verdict: meh. i won't be happy. if people are staring at my chest i want to know they are looking at my breasts, not my knitting mistakes.

2) put in a lifeline and mark the offending spot. rip back.

verdict: i've never done a lifeline in a lace pattern (i don't think the clapotis counts), it seems way complicated and time consuming. i'll likely miss another freaking yo, the whole thing will look like ass and i'll end up frogging it.

3) frog it and start over.

verdict: currently in the lead. i started this sweater last week, i think. i've barely had any knitting time all week and yet i'm just about finished the complicated part of the sweater.

opinions and words of encouragement are welcome!

brittle disappointment

can wool become brittle over time? would lack of proper care cause the fibre to weaken? old age? is wool just like people?

i tried to save the aran sweater, i really did. alas, even gentle tugs on the yarn caused it to snap like an 85 year old's hip on an icy day.

the only way to save this sweater now is to make it into a pillow cover. but it doesn't really fit into our design aesthetic. anyone want a slightly scratchy aran pillow sham?

bottles and cans, baby clap your hands (where it's at II)

i brought green gables with me to tuesday night knitting and managed to knit a couple rows last night during america's next top model. ahem. i can't help it! antm is like a car accident.

anyway, i've knit maybe 6 rows of just plain st st (part C in the pattern) and i'm thinking that my sleeves are long enough. i might knit 2 more rows just to be certain but if i hold it up to where i think the neckline should be sitting, the sweater sleeve is the same length as my t shirt sleeve.

so i'm not even close to the 15 rows of part C with all the increases that go with it. (we've already established that i am not getting stitch gauge, i'm definitely not getting row gauge.) i need to take another look at the pattern and figure out if i can continue on with the fewer stitches. it'd be like making a medium upper part and an extra small lower part. that can't be good. or maybe it is pure genius!

when i'm done the next few rows and can try it on, i'll know if i need to frog. stay tuned!

have you read the yarn harlot's tale about being trapped at the chicago airport? it has everything! it'll make you laugh, make you cry, make your heart swell with pride. go read it!

i have my own tale of woe concerning chicago and the airport but it pales in comparison to stephanie's. at least she didn't puke in the middle of an El station at rush hour. or in the back of the cab on the way to the airport. i haven't had many truly bad days in my life but that day in chicago is right up there.

plunge

when i was 11 my mother tried to teach me how to sew. these little sessions were not fun because i wanted to be outside playing or in my room reading or fighting with my brothers over the remote. anywhere but in the basement learning how to stitch a hem or wind a bobbin.

in highschool i made a couple pencil cases and my mom was quietly thrilled from the sidelines as i finagled a zipper in place. i also tapered a lot of jeans, breaking needles like crazy as i put my mom's kenmore through its paces.

for one of my brithdays in my early twenties i asked for a sewing machine. i pull it out from time to time when i need to sew things quickly but largely it has languished in the background.

since i've been on mat leave, i've trawled the 'net for crafty inspiration and have found the most amazing, talented bloggers. i'm always thinking, i could do that. i secretly dream of having a craft room with a big table and lots of organization.

today i took the plunge. the wee monkey and i headed off to the local len's mill store and i pawed through some fabric. (len's mill is really indescribable. it is the messiest, craziest, dirtiest store full of crap that is really all about flukes and bargains. cheap yarn, cheap fabric, cheap everything. you just need patience and the ability to maneuver around piles of crap. it makes thrift stores look like chic boutiques.)

i bought a cutting mat and rotary cutter, snap pliers and snaps, thread, a couple zippers, a fabric pencil, and some fabric. i am so excited! if everything goes well, i'll have pictures soon. if not, i'll have some gently used snap pliers, a cutting mat, and rotary cutter for sale...

where it's at

(got two turn tables and a microphone...)

i'm on the last row of the lace repeats. the sweater is knitting up quickly but i'm still a mite concerned about the size. can't wait to get the sleeves done so i can try it on.

the colour is a bit more plum-y, less purple.