Sahara Sleeves Update

I've finished my left sleeve using increases to make it a bell sleeve. Starting at around the elbow, or roughly 18.5" from the under arm, I increased by (2, 2, 2, 2, 4, 4, 4, 4) stitches, every 7 rows. It looks rather nice, and not too big like I was afraid of. I was originally planning to do 6 stitches for the last 2 increases, but was already getting scared at how big it would be.

Sleeves take fricking forever! I'll be glad to finally get this sweater done, and in fact it actually will be my first real sweater! I was saying to people before that it was just a short-sleeved top. My boss said that because it's knitted, it was still a sweater, just a short-sleeved sweater. But, now that it's long-sleeved I can be comfortable either way. Even so, after this I am going to be so happy to do a top without sleeves. Maybe I'd actually be able to wear it NOW too! It is soooo hot in my office right now because the air conditioner is broken and I have no hair tie for my long hair. Uck.

So, as for the next project, I'm planning to make the Lelah Top, halter top version; Coachella once I get my Berocco Suede; and the Pink Sundae Camisole found in Sensual Knits. I may end up frogging the start of my Demeter, if I need those needles.

I also plan to start up a pair of socks (Leyburn socks) using some of the variegated sock yarn I bought. Ahh, there's also the socks from Cat Bordhi's book, which I am waiting for to arrive. I have a lace shawl on the needles (Rona Lace Shawl) that I'm still working on right now too. That one, I may leave as a long term project to be finished by Christmas for presents. As soon as I get some suitable yarn though, I do want to start up either Lyra or another Herbert Niebling lace pattern (maybe a smaller one that Lawrence would agree to use as a table runner).

Wow, there's a ton of patterns I want to start working on immediately! :) I'll post a list later.

Edit: I found the page where I saw the instructions for the halter top variation of the Lelah Top [here]. That was actually the exact project I saw on Ravelry that made me want to knit the Lelah Top! :)

Sahara Sleeves

I originally planned to make Sahara with short sleeves. Since I'm using a wool/cotton blend and it's summer now, I figured I could make a nice top to wear. However, when I mentioned that to Lawrence, he complained that a short sleeved sweater in a bulky yarn would look weird! Although the yarn is worsted, not bulky, I admit it is bulky comparatively to a fingering weight yarn. I started to doubt myself and thought maybe it wouldn't work so well as a short sleeved sweater...maybe I'm just blinded as a knitter and because I look at knitted garments so much I don't realize that a short sleeved knitted sweater would look weird...? But dang, I want to be done with this thing! With short sleeves, I would have been done by now! I also wasn't sure if I even had enough yarn left!

Well, I checked and I had besides the 1 ball attached, I still have 3 skeins left. Considering I bought 9 balls total, I used 5 and a bit for the body of the sweater. Three skeins should definitely be enough for just the sleeves. Even though the yarn has cotton in it, it's also still half wool. Perhaps it wouldn't be as cool to wear in the summer as I imagined. It is also kind of bulky. I mean, it's not a tight fit. I didn't make it with much negative ease, if any at all. There may be some in the bust once I sew up the neckline, but that's fine. I feel like I should do that first, before I finish the sleeves just so it will look nice when I show it off.

Bleh...sleeves take too long cause the circumference is too small. I've had to pull out 2 loops of my circulars (as if I were using 3 dpns). It gets twisted too, so I have to alternate directions when I rotate. Oh, and also for some reason I thought the long-sleeved version was designed with bell sleeves! The pattern calls for knitting even all the way down after the upper arm decreases. Maybe it's the lace at the wrists make it flare out a bit? I'm thinking of increasing a little bit. Perhaps when I get to that point, I'll put it on waste yarn and start the other sleeve instead. That way I can look at it as a whole and get a better idea of how it will look. Or maybe I just shouldn't bother trying to modify the pattern... :P

Fitted top

I set out to knit myself a fitted top a few months ago. I was all excited about it and looking forward to making something out of Sensual Knits. I even ordered a bajillion balls of the fingering weight yarn, Palette, from KnitPicks. I started on the Demeter Camisole. Considering that it was in a fingering weight yarn, the same weight used for socks...I actually got pretty far before getting sidetracked. I got through all the decreases and am now at the point where the increases start. However, the pattern doesn't include any additional bust shaping, besides just the typical increases/decreases, so I wanted to add bust darts. I've never done it before, and I have to calculate the stitches based on my measurements.

As a result, I got lazy and ignored it. It's currently sitting in a bag somewhere in the apartment. However, just last week I read a thread about Sahara, from Stitchdiva.com, discussing it as an easily customizable top that allows room for the bust. The neckline is actually a knitted border added on to the top, and at the bust the 2 sides are seamed together. You can seam it up as high as you're comfortable, or keep it low if you want. You can make it in a sleeveless, short-sleeved, or long-sleeved version. Plus, the neckline makes a plunging 'V' that looks very flattering. It uses a worsted weight yarn which makes it work up a lot more quickly than fingering weight. I'm using the O-Wool Balance I bought from Organic Imaginings. One week in and I am over halfway through. I am just about ready to join the piece in the round, which happens near the waistline. It is currently at about 14" long, 8.5" away from the final length of 22.5". After that, the bottom is shaped for a shirt-tail hem. The sleeve stitches are picked up and knit (I'm making the short-sleeved version). The diamond rib neckline stitches are also picked up and knit. Finally, the center of the neckline is seamed together.

I would post pictures but I need a bigger memory card for my camera. :(

Hourglass Jacket

It's out! The Hourglass Jacket is a fitted jacket made using broomstick crochet, a crochet lace technique that uses a 'broomstick' (or super large knitting needle) and a crochet hook to make these cool looking open loops. I must add this to my 'to make' list. Maybe it can be a stash busting project.

http://www.stitchdiva.com/ProductInfo.aspx?productid=SDS-044


(image from the StitchDiva website, it's not mine)

Broomstick Lace (Crochet)

I've been wanting to try this technique. There are some awesome patterns and instructions on the Stitch Diva website including a new pattern for a great looking broomstick lace top that's coming out soon.