Lucky Penny Coat

Last Sunday afternoon I knit my teacup poodle, Snooks, a little indoors dog sweater.
He wasn't much in the mood for a photo shot this morning as he lay snug in his bed. The best I could do was to get him to stand up momentarily but he wasn't about to let me pose him in any more pictures.
The husband told me that when he took Snooks outside in sub-freezing temperatures to take care of business, the pooch looked at him like, "Why didn't she make this sweater any longer! It's too short!" I informed the hubby that it was an indoor sweater and was supposed to be short. The daughter thought the sweater looked a little effiminate for a boy dog and I reminded her that Snooks is a teacup poodle and most people don't even consider him a dog!


I personally think the pooch really likes the comfortable armholes. And, who would not love this yummy Lorna Laces Worsted yarn, even if you are of a canine variety?

By the way, this is the Little Penny Sweater from Doggie Knits by Corinne Niesnerr.

Mara KAL

The MARA Yahoo Group started a Fall/Winter KAL a couple weeks ago. Participants could pick any pattern from Alice Starmore's Fisherman Knits book, one of her few books still in print. I have missed several other knitalongs with these nice ladies and have regretted it. I've generally had 'something on the needles' and couldn't justify casting on another project. Well, it has only taken me a few years to realize that if I hadn't done this I would now have a lovely Marina sweater, Mara sweater and Oregon sweater in my wardrobe!

I have long admired the Inishmaan sweater design and knew this would be my pattern choice for the knitalong. I am thouroughly enjoying knitting this sweater. In fact, I'm forcing myself to put it aside every day to work on other knitting projects. I've never enjoyed a pattern this much and don't think I will have any problems finishing this by mid-February.

The Starmore patterns are incredibly well designed and this one is no exception. I love the ribbing on this one and how the little honeycomb cable extends up into the sweater body. The cables have been easy to memorize with the exception of the center cable.

I'm giving myself a special treat tonight as I watch the election returns and devoting myself fully to this lovely Inishmaan!

Alcea Armhole Shaping -- Eeek a Steek!

My very favorite resource for Fair Isle Knitting is called The Art of Fair Isle Knitting by Ann Feitelson. I had checked this book out from the library so many times that I decided it was finally time to purchase my own copy.

Unlike most folks, I enjoy reading about the history of different knitting techniques and this book is filled with history. For instance, how many of you knew that 'fair isle' knitting was named for an island north of Scotland called FAIR ISLE? And, did you know that 'shetland' wool was named for an island north of FAIR ISLE called SHETLAND?

The Art of Fair Isle Knitting also has excellent explanations on armhole shaping and steeking. If you are interested in fair isle knitting I would encourage you to take a look at this book. That being said I have found that, like the Elizabeth Zimmermann books, I learned to appreciate this book more and more as I progressed in my knitting experience.

When I last posted about Alcea she was ready to receive some armhole shaping along with armhole steeks. If you are not much interested in steeking, now is the time to jump to your next blog site......... this may be a more tedious post than you want to read!

After two repeats (2 motifs equals one repeat) I got to the length where I wanted my armhole. I knit the right front sts in pattern and then placed 8 sts on a holder for the right underarm. I then cast on my 10 steek sts with backward loops. Continuing in pattern around the back I got to the left armhole point and put those 8 sts on a holder. I cast on my steek sts for the left underarm and continued in pattern across the left front.

And that is how I got my steek stitches in place! I then had 10 steek sts for each underarm and the front cardigan steek was already in place. Each steek is knit with alternating colors keeping the first and last st always in the darker background color. To shape the armhole I did decreases on alternating rows. The decreases slant inward toward the steek.

Next up...one more motif (24 rows) and neck shaping!

Alcea ~ Armhole Point

I've been knitting along on Alcea and continue to love the design and colors. A good soak and some blocking will smooth out the stitches and make the colors pop a little more but that won't be until I'm finished.

At 6" per repeat, two complete repeats of the 48 row pattern chart gets me to the underarm point where I need to begin shaping the armholes. The rib is 3" and the body thusfar is 12".

I think I will do one more full repeat and then knit rows 1-26 to get me to the shoulder. That should be the right stopping point so that the shoulder seam motif won't look wonky. I don't know if I've mentioned this but the pattern is actually a pullover and I am converting it into a cardigan.

Now it is time to do some underarm shaping as I make my way up to the shoulder. And then there is that armhole steeking that I have never done......I'm a little nervous about that. Do any of you have any tips??

Kate Models Her Baby Dale

My niece sent me a picture of Kate modeling the Baby Dale sweater I knit her. Remember it?

I came close to not mailing this sweater because I didn't finish it until well past Kate's birthday. I was concerned the sweater was too small but I think she might actually get to wear it for a couple seasons Isn't she a cutie-pie?

Stash Knit Down 2008

Last January I made myself a promise. The promise was that whatever WIP left on my needles come December 31, 2008 would be frogged. This promise was made in hopes that I would:

1. Finish all projects started
2. Knit down my stash

With the completion of my Nordic Mittens I looked through my projects to find another 'old-but-loved' WIP.....something I really did not want to frog come December 31st. I found ALCEA sitting in a basket under my coffee table lovingly neglected. Not only did I find stashed yarn, I also found stashed sunflower kernels that some little night creature had stored under the yarn. Thankfully, that is ALL I found!

I'm resuming the knitting of my Alcea sweater because I am going to be faithful to my promise come December 31st. Like the Nordic Mittens, my stranded technique has come a long way since I started Alcea but this time I am not going to frog and start over!

Baby Dale Sweater ALMOST Crosses Finish Line!

After missing the deadline of my great-niece's first birthday, the Baby Dale Yoke sweater has languised away in a basket. Actually, I don't think it was the deadline that made me put her aside but a buttonband issue. A distant memory of buttonholes that were too small comes to mind. At any rate, I mailed Baby Kate another present and promised myself to rework the buttonhole band in hopes of getting this sweater to her before she outgrew it.


Kate's Baby Dale almost crossed the finish line this afternoon! Almost? Have you noticed the cute little flower buttons I sewed on? One....two.....three.....four.....five...... WHERE IS NUMBER SIX? In her months of hibernating in the basket the sixth button has walked away and cannot be found.

Do you see the teensy button at the top of this sweater? It is temporarily holding button #6's place in line. I'm off on a button hunt............................... and if the missing culprit cannot be found then I will venture out to the fabric store in hope that they will still have some of these buttons left. Now, if only I could remember which fabric store I got them at......................

My First Baby Surprise Jacket

The past couple years I have observed little Baby Surprise Jackets popping up all over knitting blogland. I wasn't particulary enamored with the pattern. I thought it looked rather plain. But then when I read repeated posts boasting of the ingenuity of the pattern and noticed that knitting only ONE Baby Surprise Jacket didn't seem to quench the knitting appetite of the blogger ...... well, I decided to see what all the hype was about.

The pattern was designed by Elizabeth Zimmermann in 1968 as she anticipated her first grandchild, Cully. I really do think it is true that it has taken on almost legendary status. On Ravelry it is the most popular baby pattern and the current tally there is 3,978. And, upon my completion the number is 3,979!

Being a creation of Elizabeth Zimmermann's, it is indeed ingenious! I am filled with admiration and respect for the genius that went into this creation. She is brilliant and I confess that I am now a Zimmermaniac. In Elizabeth's own words, "I call it the 'Surprise Jacket' because it looks like nothing on earth when you have finished knitting it." Although I took no photograph of this knitting blob, I can assure you it is true. In fact, if I had not been using the Baby Surprise Jacket DVD as my tutorial, I'm not sure I would have been able to put it into its little jacket state.

Pattern: Baby Surprise Jacket by Elizabeth Zimmermann

Yarn: Lorna's Laces Shepherd Sport (Lake Huron)

Needles: 5.0 mm Inox Circular

BTW, Meg Swanson does an excellent job walking the knitter through the knitting and construction of this little jacket. I highly recommend purchasing this DVD. It includes Meg's own fabulous tidbits and some other variations of the jacket which you will be seeing on my blog in the future. What's that? Yep, ONE Baby Surprise Jacket is not going to be enough for me either! Bring on the babies!

Must Have Cardi Progress

I have decided that it is time to finish my Must Have Cardigan so she has been receiving some special attention the last couple weeks. I've planned out a knitting schedule and am bound and determined to get this project off my needles soon!
The reason this sweater has not been finished is because I've had to do some frogging. I decided the size I had been knitting was going to be too large. My Central Park Hoodie sits unworn because I knit it too big. My indecisiveness on sizes was met with procrastination but a couple of weeks ago I decided enough was enough and the frogging commenced..........

I have now finished the two fronts and have started the back. BTW, I am blocking them on a plastic padding for treadmills. The package came with eight pieces and when I was putting them together to put under my treadmill I realized they would be ideal for blocking! They are compact and can be put together in whatever size you need for blocking your project. Since they come apart they can easily be stored. $18 at Walmart, ladies.......