My new favorite sweater

Yes. I finally finished my sweater. I've wanted to knit another cardigan for myself for awhile now...But in looking at the finished cardi, well, maybe I should try to knit something a bit different. Yep, all my 3 cardigans I've knit so far pretty much all have the exact same shape! How'd that happen?!

3/4 sleeves....check
scoop neck...check
uhmmm... pretty much the exact same sweater. Oh, well. Did I ever mention that I had 15 black skirts at one time in my closet? So at least the colors...oh, wait, I've knit one green, one haystack, and now one taupe...argh!

Anyway, here' the sweater. (color is much darker than actual)

pattern: Hey Teach from Knitty
Started August 21 2008
Completed November 1 2008
yarn: Cotton-Ease in taupe
amt used: almost all of 4 balls
needles: US6 Options

Mods:
Since I've knitted a sweater (leaf) with this yarn, I pretty much knew how to get gauge, and made a size medium (probably should have made it smaller, but I'll get some elastic and put it in the middle band).
Anyway, mods...I opted for the 3/4 sleeves and changed the number of stitches for the button band. I also knit the sweater 1 inch longer than specified.

If I were to knit this again, I'd knit it in the round. And I'd probably knit the whole thing as lace (I may do that anyway). As for problems with the knit, as I mentioned, I picked up and knit the button band, only to look at it after it was cast off that it flared and rippled like crazy (it was also difficult to pick up that many stitches). So I ripped and went back and picked up 63 stitches and it looks much better. I also had to re-cast off the neck region since I was paranoid about it being too tight so instead, it was floppy and again, very ripply (sigh). The pattern? easy to follow, it was just me not checking the row gauge (shhh).

Bianca Fini

Milestones on this one.
1) a Finished Object
2) a sweater!
3) One that fits.
4) I like it
5)most importantly, one that I'll wear (in fact, it's already been worn, and I've not even blocked it)

Specifications:
Pattern: IK Fall 2006
yarn: Crystal Palace Flamme (100% merc cotton)
amount: less than 7 balls
Completion time: March 30, 2007-April 9, 2007
modifications: no major change*. 5 buttons instead of 6.


*I think the charts were incorrect. As written, there's an extra ridge in the lace pattern. I worked on the sleeves at the same time on the same needles and finished the first lace pattern, went on with the 2nd, realized it didn't look like the picture, and decided that was going to be my little modification. The first lace pattern has a ridge in the sleeves (not the yoke). It looked fine, so I just kept going, ignoring that one line and purled on the wrong side.

thoughts:
My gauge was off (smaller), so I made a large instead of medium. It's a tad big, could have made it in a medium. Would like to make the bottom as one piece instead of 3. Very annoying--that seaming the panels. Magically, the sweater actually fits, albeit a tad large, even with the row gauge definitely being off.

I did have another modification with the buttons. I found (in my button stash, no less), these cork resin buttons. See how perfect they are for this sweater? I even had six buttons, but I decided on five. Anyway, I had finished off the button loops for six and decided that the buttons were always going to be slipping out, so I only did 2 chains w/ crochet hook and I really like it.


Oh, yes. This sweater took me NINE days to finish! I'm straining trying to pat my own back...

Bianca

I've wanted to knit this sweater since I got the Winter 2006 IK. And I've procured several different types of yarns for this project. In fact, I've got several sweater's worth in different yarns...silk, cotton, wool, etc...

I just saw a pretty one in Cotton-ease when I googled it. Then I thought I'd make one in the new Cotton-ease...argh! Must make at least ONE first, before thinking about procuring more yarn.

Instead, I went into my stash and picked out CP merc. cotton (that's been discontinued). The color is similar to the one pictured here.

Anyhow, the gauge was off, so I am making a larger size. Altho', as I'm knitting it, I'm finding that maybe I got gauge, after all...hmmm...The way the sweater's constructed, I think a little wider isn't going to make a difference (I'm hoping).

The beginning of this sweater is ho-hum, just endless St stitches with a bit of shaping here and there. Will post pictures as it becomes more interesting. btw-- started this sweater March 30, 2007