Knitting Update

Finished a couple of items last week that I've been working on for months ... a prayer shawl for a friend whose husband has been going through some scary health issues ...

... and Mom's Mother's Day gift, the Lion Brand Soft Rib Cardigan. This thing is so heavy - it is double-stranded worsted weight with over two pounds of yarn in it. It's cozy and warm, but I was pretty sure after seeing it completed, that it would swamp her. I literally finished it at midnight on the Monday before Mother's Day and had to box and ship it out.

The reason it took so long to finish was I had trouble with the last little bit which ended up taking another week. You have to use a gigantic circular needle to pick up stitches all the way around it (408 stitches on this one), then knit a rib pattern for 4", then begin short rows to make the shawl collar (which was actually pretty cool). I didn't have a circular that long, so I used my interchangeable needle set and screwed together 4 sections to get the length. This photo shows the circular needle with the 408 picked up stitches ...

However, I had been working this on my lap and apparently every time I flipped it over to go a different direction on the short rows, I was unscrewing the connection on one of the cables. So about the same time I noticed there was a weird hole in the collar from a dropped stitch, one of the cable sections had come apart and I had to fish the stitches back onto the cable and try to reconnect it, as well as unknit a bunch of rows to fix the dropped stitch.

Worked for a while, but in the end the cable came apart two more times and I was having trouble twisting the cable to screw it back together. Since this was a section I wasn't knitting on, opposite the collar, I finally just left it apart, slapped some masking tape on each end to keep the stitches on the cables, and kept working the collar. I had to complete it while sitting at the table so I could just slide it around to do the short rows instead of flipping it over in my lap. When it was time to bind off, I was able to reconnect the cable and work over it.

Here it is finished ...

So Mom ... Happy Mother's Day ... I love you. (She's already received and opened it, so I can show it.) I should probably get you one of those Medical Alert Buttons to wear in case the weight of it takes you down and you need to call for help!  =O

I've started the triangular shawl I've been wanting to make for myself. It's such a simple pattern ... just keeps growing in garter stitch as you increase on each end of each row. I'm using Vanna's Glamour in Onyx - it's a #2 Fine Weight yarn and I'm using size 8 needles to make it a little lacy.

It's hard to see in the photo, but there is a sparkle to the yarn that's really pretty ...

And I have a May birthday girl that I wanted to make some Funky Footsies for. They're navy blue yarn with white fun fur and a thread of sparkle yarn in the cuff ...

Next on the list ... I need to focus on Christmas gift knitting and start making my lists of people, items to knit and yarn needed. If I start now, I'm hoping I'll be able to "wrap it up" early this year. Pun intended!

On the Needles - Soft Rib Cardigan

With our months of home improvements and making the horsie blanket for the baby shower, I actually only knit one gift for Christmas -- a prayer shawl for my Middle Sister. It's made of Bernat Soft Bouclé yarn (#26958 - Carnival Shades) that is so light and soft and cushy, it feels like you're knitting air. MS emailed me ... It is already in place on the back of my prayer/reading rocker in the living room (reading + rocking = exercise!). Maybe I should get rid of my treadmill and get a rocking chair instead. It would certainly get a lot more use!!!

I enjoyed making this prayer shawl so much, I bought yarn to start another (#22927 Misty Shades). While I didn't know at that time who it would be for, I spoke with someone last week whose husband has been through cancer treatments. Things were looking good; then he was just retested and they found another spot. I can't even imagine how scary that must be. They are young with three boys. She told me she puts on a confident face for her husband, but cries in the shower -- this one will be for her.

I receive a weekly email from Lion Brand and last week's newsletter included a pattern that was so cute, I decided I had to start it right away. Check out the Soft Rib Cardigan. I am not using the Fishermen's Wool yarn they show it in, but their pastel blue Pound of Love that is easy care and can be machine washed and dried.

I started the sweater yesterday and got the lovely rounded bottom of the back done while we watched the Cardinals football game. I'm not a big sports fan, but it was quite the exciting game, tied 38 even and going into overtime. Fortunately, the Cards beat the Packers by 7 points so we're still in the play offs. I must say, it's a lot more fun to watch sports (and everything else) on the big screen. I can actually tell what's going on ... sometimes.

Anyway, this sweater is knit holding two strands of the yarn together so it is thick and cozy. And the slip rib stitch is an easy repeat that I can just knit on without referring back to the pattern every few minutes. I think I'm going to like this one a lot.