NaBloPoMo

Recently I have had all kinds of ideas for posts for the blog but I just haven't gotten around to writing them up. In the last couple of weeks I've had a streak of bad luck with socks and also a streak of good luck with socks. I've also spun up some lovely blue/purple/grey yarn.

So I've decided to get my ass in gear and start posting more regularly. Since I've decided to do this now, so close to November, I've signed up for NaBloPoMo. This means that I will be posting every day for the month of November. Since I've got lots of Christmas gifts to knit there should be a variety of things to read about.

The plan, so far, is to not post tomorrow and post my list of sock horror stories on November first, even though scary stories are a perfect fit for Halloween.

Last of the Autumn Rose

I meant to get another picture or two of me wearing my Autumn Rose but that didn't quite happen. I did wear it all weekend but I didn't take any pictures. So here, instead, is a picture of what remains of the yarns I used to knit the Autumn Rose. Of course I have the most Old Gold left over and it is my least favorite colour of the lot. I'm thinking I might knit a tam or two with the leftovers.

Anyway, my main reason for this post was to finally record the details of this sweater...

Pattern: Autumn Rose Pullover, from 'Simply Shetland 4'
Yarn: Jamieson's Simply Shetland Spindrift in the suggested colours
Needles: Addi circular 3.25 mm 32 inches, set of Bamboo DPNs size 3.25mm
Size: smallest
Modifications: I followed the neck shaping instructions but I started the neckline 18 rows later than the pattern suggested. I began my neck shaping at the same time that I attached the sleeves. To compensate, I only picked up 232 stitches for the neckband.

Finished!

The last inches of a sweater always take me forever to do. However, I did manage to finish the neck band and my Autumn Rose is now done!



I'm wearing the classic wool sweater and shorts combo. It is 30 above today so it might be a couple of days before I actually get to wear this sweater for anything more than a quick photo shoot. The sweater is now soaking and I'll block it this evening.

I'm really pleased with the fit and the new neckline. I'll post more details once the blocking is done and I can take some more pictures.

Steek Cut

Last night I finished knitting the body of the sweater but I waited until this morning to cut my steek.
Before:


After:


Look, no unraveling:


Since this is Shetland wool there was no sewing done before the steek was cut. Now I just need to pick up and knit my neckband. There should be completed sweater pictures later today.

End of the ends

I have now tucked in all of the ends for this sweater. Hurray. I've also grafted the underarms. Now I have about twenty more rows to knit, a steek to cut and a neckband to pick up and knit. The end is very near.

Armed

The sleeves are attached and the new neckline is underway. I'm just about to start my raglan decreases and I'm excited that the rounds get smaller as the sweater gets bigger at this point. Of course once I've got the knitting finished I still have to tuck ends, cut steeks and pick up and knit the neckband. Still the end does seem in sight.

Endless Sleeves

All tucked in and ready to go. I don't really mind tucking in ends but it does take awhile. The thing that makes it tricky for me is that it requires very little thought but a lot of direct attention. I can read and knit at the same time but I haven't figured out how to read and tuck ends at the same time, sigh.

I still have the ends in the body of the sweater to tuck in but I'll do those later. I don't want to have to do all the tucking at once.

Pieces of Autumn

Both sleeves are ready to be attached and the body of the sweater is ready to have them attached. I'm going to take time to tuck in my ends for the sleeves at least before I knit any further. With any luck I won't bore myself to death in the process.

Socktober

Fear not, the Autumn Rose continues uninterrupted and I am nearly finished the second sleeve so it should start looking like a real sweater in the next couple of days. However I thought the blog was in need of an Autumn Rose intermission, so today I'm showing off some socks.

There is a contest for first and last socks and I'll take any chance to show off my first pair of socks:


I made these sometime early this year (I know this because I remember buying the yarn last Christmas). They are my very first attempt at socks. I followed Ann Budd's basic sock pattern and one of Barbara Walker's mosaic patterns. I worked my leg increases into one of the solid stripes. I think I knit the first sock with the pattern all the way around the foot but changed my mind and used stripes on the sole instead. I still have Opal sock yarn left over from these which I plan to use up in some sort of stripped pattern.

My latest socks are less ambitious. I bought some Trekking yarn knowing that it is enough to make knee socks. The yarn lived next to my computer for several months but I have finally started to knit these up. To make things a bit more challenging I'm using toe-up gussets for the first time. I won't be finishing these until I can wear my Autumn Rose.


And here's a detail of my ribbing increases: