Thanks, SP!!!
I got a little package in the mail yesterday from my SP6 - look what was in it!
Last-Minute Knitted Gifts, just in time for Christmas knitting (it has lots of good options in case I decide that I can't get two more pairs of socks, two pairs of gloves, a scarf and a sweater done before Christmas - and yes, that's THIS Christmas, not next Christmas). And the Yarn Harlot book - a critical part of every knitter's library. Can't wait to crack into it! Of course, that would require me to read instead of knitting...
I had my second sweater design class with Leigh last night. I was thinking of submitting my design from this class to IK, but I decided I'm just going to enjoy this class instead of trying to turn it into work. So, now I can show you my progress! How exciting! Here is a picture of the swatch I knitted up as my homework for last night.
Click on this picture to enlarge to make the stitch detail show up better. The yarn is Debbie Bliss Merino Bulky (which knits like a dream). I found the various cable patterns in my stitch books - the center panel is from my Reader's Digest Ultimate Sourcebook of Knit & Crochet Stitches (which I love because they show the stitch patterns in color, which unfortunately the Barbara Walker books do not). The wavy side cables are from Barbara Walker's first stitch book.
The first thing that Leigh pointed out after studying my swatch was that the cables and the ribbing have a very awkward join.
See how the knit stitches from the cable hit the purl stitches from the ribbing and the ribbing gets deformed right there? Not a big deal in a swatch for myself, but not something I'd want to submit with a proposal. And not something that would've occurred to me! (And no, I don't know what that mysterious spot on the carpet is - probably some sort of juice being squirted at high speed out of the straw of a juice box while I screamed "Don't squeeze it! Don't squeeze it!")
In this picture, you can see how the wavy cable is lined up with the ribbing and it makes it look nice and sleek and elongates the cable.
You'll also see that the little mock-cables running between the big cables don't match the ribbing either. Doh!
I started working a swatch last night that would line up the cables and the ribbing.
I started at a different point in the cable pattern so that the twist wouldn't be the first row on top of the ribbing - I give it two rows instead, which makes it so the knit stitches of the ribbing line up with the outside knit stitches of the cable and the purl stitches line up with the inside of the cable. You can't really see it yet, since I'm only on the first row of ribbing here, but I think it's going to look much better.
Next step - I'm going to chart out the pattern making sure that all of my cables and ribbing is lined up nicely. Whew!
I'll leave you with my bad parenting photo of the day.
This is Owen trying to launch himself off of his changing table while I sit innocently reading my e-mail with my back to him. Yes, I know, you're not supposed to leave them unstrapped and unattended on those things (but he's not really unattended - I'm almost within arm's reach!). But the worst thing he could do in this position is fall on a big pile of diapers. And he's having so much fun! Please don't call DCS on me...
And I just found this little stealth shot on my camera:
Could it be that I've been lax in bragging about the first place finish my dear hubby got this past weekend in the 5k he ran? Yay, honey! Good job! You're a winner, all right! Of course, now I have to steal his thunder by clarifying that it was first place in his age group, not in the whole race. And he was the only runner in his age group. But still! Great job, sweetheart! It would've been really sad if you'd lost...
Last-Minute Knitted Gifts, just in time for Christmas knitting (it has lots of good options in case I decide that I can't get two more pairs of socks, two pairs of gloves, a scarf and a sweater done before Christmas - and yes, that's THIS Christmas, not next Christmas). And the Yarn Harlot book - a critical part of every knitter's library. Can't wait to crack into it! Of course, that would require me to read instead of knitting...
I had my second sweater design class with Leigh last night. I was thinking of submitting my design from this class to IK, but I decided I'm just going to enjoy this class instead of trying to turn it into work. So, now I can show you my progress! How exciting! Here is a picture of the swatch I knitted up as my homework for last night.
Click on this picture to enlarge to make the stitch detail show up better. The yarn is Debbie Bliss Merino Bulky (which knits like a dream). I found the various cable patterns in my stitch books - the center panel is from my Reader's Digest Ultimate Sourcebook of Knit & Crochet Stitches (which I love because they show the stitch patterns in color, which unfortunately the Barbara Walker books do not). The wavy side cables are from Barbara Walker's first stitch book.
The first thing that Leigh pointed out after studying my swatch was that the cables and the ribbing have a very awkward join.
See how the knit stitches from the cable hit the purl stitches from the ribbing and the ribbing gets deformed right there? Not a big deal in a swatch for myself, but not something I'd want to submit with a proposal. And not something that would've occurred to me! (And no, I don't know what that mysterious spot on the carpet is - probably some sort of juice being squirted at high speed out of the straw of a juice box while I screamed "Don't squeeze it! Don't squeeze it!")
In this picture, you can see how the wavy cable is lined up with the ribbing and it makes it look nice and sleek and elongates the cable.
You'll also see that the little mock-cables running between the big cables don't match the ribbing either. Doh!
I started working a swatch last night that would line up the cables and the ribbing.
I started at a different point in the cable pattern so that the twist wouldn't be the first row on top of the ribbing - I give it two rows instead, which makes it so the knit stitches of the ribbing line up with the outside knit stitches of the cable and the purl stitches line up with the inside of the cable. You can't really see it yet, since I'm only on the first row of ribbing here, but I think it's going to look much better.
Next step - I'm going to chart out the pattern making sure that all of my cables and ribbing is lined up nicely. Whew!
I'll leave you with my bad parenting photo of the day.
This is Owen trying to launch himself off of his changing table while I sit innocently reading my e-mail with my back to him. Yes, I know, you're not supposed to leave them unstrapped and unattended on those things (but he's not really unattended - I'm almost within arm's reach!). But the worst thing he could do in this position is fall on a big pile of diapers. And he's having so much fun! Please don't call DCS on me...
And I just found this little stealth shot on my camera:
Could it be that I've been lax in bragging about the first place finish my dear hubby got this past weekend in the 5k he ran? Yay, honey! Good job! You're a winner, all right! Of course, now I have to steal his thunder by clarifying that it was first place in his age group, not in the whole race. And he was the only runner in his age group. But still! Great job, sweetheart! It would've been really sad if you'd lost...
posted by knittinmom at 8:38 AM
8 Comments:
ahahaha!!! that's so funny about your hubby in the race. but he was competing against himself, and that's one of the greater opponents in any competition ;)
dang, your SP6 pal was so generous! those are some great books. i left the yarn harlot book on the kitchen counter, and my mom picked it up and read it. she's not a knitter (she crocheted), but she thought it was a really good read. and the other book has lots of good stuff, too. the way things are broken up by the time it takes to knit them kinda throws me off; a two hour project for me sometimes takes a week just cuz i don't have two hours straight to myself. but eh, no matter.
it's so neat that you have such a great designing resource RIGHT THERE! little things make such a big difference, huh?
and owen's lookin' a bit taller. my nephew goes through stages where he'll get chubby, then tall, then chubby, then tall. i'm a bit partial to the michelin baby stage :)
LOL! I'd have been sad if he hadn't won, too. That's the stuff suicide notes are made of. ;-) Congratulations to Bill- that's an awesome accomplishment! And I agree with Jill...Owen's looking older and bigger. But maybe that's because he's in a non-high chair/non-strapped-in position. DCS fodder, I'm telling ya! Your swatch looks great and I like how you applied Leigh's suggestion to line up the cables and ribbing. It really does add an elegant touch. Your SP stuff is awesome!! Everytime I go to Border's I look at that Last Minute Gifts book, but Hairy Legs hasn't caught the hint yet.
You will love love love Last Minute Knitted Gift - I have tons of projects picked out to knit when I have free time (next week - ha ha ha). I spent 1/2 hour at the copy machine photocopying them (to stash in my knitting bag and not have to lug around the book - nothing illegal - I bought the book). Yup, doing all my photocopying and on-line pattern printing this week while using work paper, ink, copy machine etc - LOL!!! Anyway, it's great that you are learning so much in the class - really make it worth-while. Owen is so awesome, love that look of "who, me . . . I'm not going no where" on his face. :)
Glad you liked it.
Those are beautiful cable swatches. I'm about 2 repeats into the Must Have cardigan and noticed that some of the cables line up with the ribbing and some don't. It really looks much better when they line up, but I'm more of a blind pattern follower at this point. I'm also more of a plunge ahead rather than go back kinda gal too.
Your son is so cute. But he definitely has that "oh, she's looking at me so I have to pretend that I'm not doing anything" look on his face. ;o)
What nice books. I'm sure you'll have fun reading them between designing all those beautiful cables! I've been lusting a for a few cables to knit myself. Congratulations to you husband! I enjoyed that story. Better wrap that Owen in bubblewrap or put on a parachute;)
I hope you enjoy your new books. There is a site online for erratta for the Last Minute Knitted Gifts. If you can't find it, let me know and I'll go searching in my links for it ;) Goodness, I sat and looked for the "deformed" join between the cables and the knitting and I'll be $%^& if I can find it - it looks wonderful to me! Awesome job!
Cath
Too funny. Congrats DH!
I also tried to find the deformed join on the mock cables and didn't quite see it. I did like the way the wavy cable/bobble panel looked at the bottom next to the rib, so maybe I subconsciously see it. Looks like the sweater design class is going well!
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