52 in 52 Project #22

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Originally uploaded by rallaronson

Another washcloth, this one for granddaughter #2. All three girls seem to really like them.
It's week #23 and I've finished 22 projects. I'm nearly done with the second rambling rows sweater so there is hope I'll be back on schedule by the end of Panera Knit Group on Saturday...

52 in 52 Project #21

My modification of the Back to School washcloth from Spring 2009 Knitty

Lily Sugar 'n Cream Cotton Yarn

Still trying very hard to be current.  This is week #23 according to my calendar.  I'm two weeks behind but I have a number of UFO's that have the potential to "save my bacon."  Let's see what happens...

More Satisfied Customers

Quite some time ago I made Perry and Linny washcloths that had jack-o-lanterns on them.  Just looked them up on rav and see they were made for Halloween 2008.

When I was visiting Portland in February I noticed that they still used them at bath time.  I decided they needed some new ones. Perry and Linny are very interested in letters. They know what letters their names start with as well as that of their parents and grandparents. I searched on ravelry and found that Rhonda White, from Knitting Knonsense has designed free washcloth patterns with for every letter of the alphabet.  I did some stash diving and set about making a "P" and an "L" cloth from Lily Sugar 'n Cream Cotton.

This one is for Perry

This one is for Linny

And here's the photo that came today with the twins modeling their new washcloths.  Have you ever seen two cuter bathers?

Decimal Progress

Decimal Sleeve wip
Originally uploaded by rallaronson

I'm making progress on the decimal sweater and I'm really enjoying the lace pattern. I'm relieved to report the sleeve measures exactly the width the pattern requires. Of course, my sleeve will be straight rather than flared because I eliminated the gussets. The color is not totally accurate in the photo. The actual shade is a bit less pink and more mango colored.

Spring Knitty

IMGP9704=02-02-09-web
Originally uploaded by snowdenbecker

The Spring Issue of Knitty was released last evening. In a quick review of the patterns Decimal by Snowden Becker immediately caught my eye. It's a beautiful summer sweater and I had just the yarn for it in my stash. And, I had just finished the gansey so I don't have to feel guilty about casting on for a new project. I went through my stash and came up with 12 skeins of Plymouth Bella Colour in what I would call a Mango colorway. It's a little heavier than the yarn suggested in the pattern but I knit so tightly and have so much trouble getting gauge that this might work.
The sleeves are very flared. Rather than knit a swatch (a swatch! when do I ever bite the bullet and knit a swatch?) I decided to cast on for one sleeve and see how wide it was with the gussets that make it flare. It was much too wide! The pattern itself, though is easy to follow and it really is attractive knit up. I frogged the sleeve and cast on again for only enough stitches to create it without the gussets. I'm almost to the place where I was when I decided to frog. This is going to be fun, just enough challenge with the lace pattern to keep my interest.

Gansey Finally Finished

RLA Gansey
Originally uploaded by rallaronson

Here it is! The gansey is finally finished and DH is very pleased. I started this sweater in late August of 2008. My first version, finished just about to the neckline (but without the sleeves) was knit on needles that were too big and the resulting drape was not very attractive. In late September I frogged the entire project and began again making a larger size on smaller needles. Other projects distracted me over and over. As part of the Knitters for Obama Knit Along project for the first hundred days I made a commitment to finish languishing projects. This was the one that required the most work. I'm relieved it's finished. Now, just one more small unfinished project, a baby sweater that just needs seaming, remains to be completed before the 100 days are over.

Major Setback

Gansey, one sleeve
Originally uploaded by rallaronson

I thought I was on track to finish the gansey sweater this weekend. You can see from the photo, taken yesterday, that I had one sleeve finished. This afternoon, I was about seven inches into the second sleeve and feeling very pleased with myself when it dawned on me that I ought to either try it on myself or have DH give it a try. I could barely get my hand through the cuff of the finished sleeve and the part of the sleeve below the elbow was uncomfortably tight on me. When DH tried it on the result was the same. It was off to the frog pond for the finished sleeve. Fortunately, thanks to two trips to knitting camp, I know how to insert a lifeline. I then frogged back to the seven inch point on the finished sleeve. I'm now doing decreases every eighth row instead of every fourth row. The sleeve will be wider; I'm just hoping it won't be too much wider. Because it does not have a ribbed cuff, there is less tolerance for it to be too tight or too wide.

Potholders for Sara

Here are the potholders for Sara. She chose the colors and I modified Vivian Hoxbro's design to make a matched pair. I'll put them in the mail for her tomorrow.

Potholder Parade

Potholder Parade
Originally uploaded by rallaronson

I am having such a good time with this book, Domino Knitting, by Vivian Hoxbro and the various potholder patterns therein. Each potholder has a different edge treatment. It's a colorful project, really easy to knit with instant gratification because they knit up so quickly.
I know I made a commitment to finish the UFO's during Barak Obama's first 100 days and I think that is still possible. In the meantime though, my daughter in law has requested some potholders and I've ordered the colors of Sugar 'n Cream that she chose.
I never deny that I am a sufferer of knitting ADD. I admire people who can stick to one project from start to finish. I need to have numerous projects going at a time.