Seaming sucks

I didn't realize it would take so long to seam sleeves. Because there's all these curves, diagonal lines, and matching rows to columns, I have to make sure I line up the pieces perfectly. Otherwise, it will look really crappy. My sweater should be done by now but I put off blocking & seaming the pieces in anticipation of the suckiness. The pieces got washed and blocked. I looked up instructions on what to do and then started to realize how annoying this could get.

The pattern for the Multiplicity sweater calls for a slip-stitch selvedge. I can't actually seam into the selvedge stitches because they're too big, so I have to make my seam one stitch into the fabric. At least those big slipped stitches make lining things up easier. Some people suggested using a three-needle bind-off for selvedge stitches like that, but I wasn't sure if that would turn out pretty, and that would mean picking up stitches. In the end, I used this blog post's guide to seaming sleeves. I used tiny little safety pins to pin the pieces together.

In the entire 2.5 hours of Tuesday's knitting night, I was able to seam the shoulders, match up one sleeve to the front/back pieces, and seam up half the armhole. I finished the rest of the armhole last night. I did rip back two times because I wanted to get it right. The sleeve edge does seem to be a little shorter than the sweater armhole allows for, but I was able to match it up evenly. Now it's time for the second sleeve...ugh. Once I finish it though, the rest of it will be smooth sailing because it will be matching up stitches one-to-one.

WIP Progress

I'm slowly but surely getting through all these piled up WIPs now that my pieces to my sweater are done.

Clementine Shawlette
- I decided not to graft in pattern and just do the kitchener grafting described in the instructions.
- The yarn relaxed a lot after washing, and the shawlette is longer than I expected. To wear it, I'm going to have to pull the ends up, causing the back to droop low, which isn't a bad thing.
- The ends still need to be woven in.

Monterey Socks
- I bound off the first pair of socks.
- The ends need to be woven in.
- I need to make the 2nd sock.

Marilinda Socks
- I started the 2nd sock.
- I need to finish the rest of the sock, from the cuff on down.

Rona Lace Shawl
- I have not worked on this much.
- Same, I still need to finish around 40 rows.

Multiplicity Sweater
- I finished the front, the back, and the 2 sleeves.
- It's been washed & blocked.
- I need to seam the pieces together, first the front piece to the back piece, up the sides and across the shoulders. Then, each of the sleeves need to be set in at the armholes.
- I need to buy buttons.
- After seaming, I need to knit up the cowl neck.

WIPs

Works in Progress

Clementine Shawl
- Both sides are done but the gauge for each side does not match. One side takes more pattern repeats to reach the same length as the other side.
- I may have to wash/block them both before deciding what to do.
- I have to figure out how to graft them together.

Monterey Socks
- First sock needs to be bound off.
- Second sock needs to be knit.
- I need to do some research first and figure out a better way to cast on/cast off in the middle of a row.

Marilinda Socks
- First sock is done and the ends need to be woven in.
- Second sock needs to be knit.

Rona Lace Shawl
- I need to finish the 45 or so rounds left.

Multiplicity Sweater
- I need to finish the 2 sleeves.
- The cowl portion needs to be knit.
- I need to find suitable buttons.
- I should also figure out if I have enough yarn left, and then order more if necessary.
- The pieces then need to be blocked and seamed (3-needle bind-off?).

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Christmas Presents

After the debacle that was last year's Christmas gifts, I don't know if I can bring myself to knit presents for everyone again for this year. Maybe I could do it if it were something quick but with all the stuff I've been working on, I can't figure out what that could be. If I don't knit or crochet something, then what should I give my cousins? I wish I could give chocolate, since I found a bunch of cool chocolate companies, but they're all boys who probably don't eat chocolate. I was thinking about cooking. Maybe not my chocolate truffles, but something like homemade toffee? Packaged up nicely?

Knitted Dissections

http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5197504&section_id=5395372

These are awesome - knitted/felted dissected rats & frogs. These things earned a mention on the Pharyngula blog.

Lawrence wants a sweater?

Doh. I get so lazy and preoccupied with other things that I haven't updated this blog with pictures of my work in SUCH a long time...with Ravelry there, the prospect of having to upload pictures and update twice is not-so-appealing.

One thing this blog is good for is getting thoughts out of my head.

Yesterday night, Lawrence asked me to make a sweater for him! :D I was so surprised because he hates wearing sweaters, he doesn't like the look of knitted stitches, and prefers smooth, finely woven fabrics that are cut and tailored to a nice finished look. He specified that he still doesn't like cables, which unfortunately so many men's sweaters make use of. What he would like is argyle. I think that's because argyle is one of those traditional elements that has been utilized by the young, hip crowd - much like tartan plaids. So, wearing an argyle sweater, he can pass as suitably stuffy at his sales job AND pass as a yuppy punky hipster when we go out.

Perhaps I could try to add in some cool design elements to exaggerate the transformation. Or...maybe I've been watching too much Project Runway.