One By One

Silver Medal Steggie

My Winter Knitting Olympics 2010 challenge was to knit Steggie for Jake. Even though I finished the sweater, it wasn't technically done until this last Thursday, beyond the qualification period for a gold medal. 

But, I am so happy to have finished it!

And that it fits! (no pointy hood either!)

And that Jake actually put it on!**

Pattern: Steggie, from Knitty, by Julia Farwell-Clay. Smallest size.

Yarn: Lion Brand Cotton Ease in Taupe, Black and Cherry Red.

Needles: Addi's US7, circular 24". My gauge was a little off from that of the pattern, but I went with it to get a cardigan that would be a bit smaller in order to fit Jake better.

Alterations: None except for the hood. I did not want a pointy hood, so I decided to change how the hood was knit. Here's what I did:

I picked up and knit as per pattern for one inch. From there I split the hood stitches in half and worked each side separately. Using how the saw-toothing edging is applied on the sleeves, I did the same method on the hood (one side of the hood with red and the other side of the hood with black) and started immediately when splitting the hood stitches. After knitting for about 4" more, I started decreasing by one stitch on the hood split side, two stitches in from that edge, every other row. On the right hand side of the hood I did a right-leaning decrease, on the left hand side of the hood I did a left-leaning decrease. I continued like this until I realized the hood was going to be way too big!

Argh!

So I ripped out the hood, keeping the saw-tooth edging stitches intact and live on waste yarn, and still attached to the remaining hood stitches. This happened to be two triangles on each side. I determined that decreasing for 3" would suffice, making the hood a total of 8" long. After completing the other side of the hood, I did a three-needle bind off per pattern.

The live saw-tooth edging stitches were easily sewn onto the ridge caused by the three-needle bind off.

One additional thought is that you probably don't need to make the same mistake I did making it necessary to rip out the hood keeping the edging stitches live and intact (it was a serious mess!). I think it is possible to stop knitting the hood stitches (keeping them live and waiting for a three-needle bind off) while continuing on with the saw-tooth edging stitches to get it as long as you need it to attach to the top. 

Phew!

Impressions: So super cute!! Although I finished it outside the Olympic deadline, I am really ecstatic that I got it done in three weeks - a feat in itself. I knit the smallest size for Jake (he's 21 months) and it's just a little too roomy. He doesn't seem to notice or care and he'll grow into it in no time!

**Steggie has being lying around for days waiting for a modeling shot, but Jake simply would not put it on when we asked him if he wanted to wear it. DH made it his mission Sunday evening to have Jake wear it. I'm not sure what kind of convincing it took, but Jake put it on and wore it!

Seaming Steggie

Rushing toward the finish line! Steggie has the arms inserted and the side seams sewn. Onto grafting the tops of the arms and picking up to finish the hood. Let's not even talk about sewing the zipper in! Some thirty hours to go...

Olympic Update

Sleeve progress is coming along, very slowly. Working two color intarsia on the ends have been proving to be fiddly. Luckily the back and two fronts are done! The zipper(s) were ordered this morning. Here's to hoping they make it to me before I leave for Stitches West! On a side note, this post is also a test of the typepad app for the iPhone. Yep, got an iPhone as part of my birthday present. I hope it publishes alright.

Ready... Set... KNIT!

Along with thousands of other knitters, I am joining the troops and participating in the Yarn Harlot's Knitting Olympics!

My challenge this Winter Games is certainly smaller than four years ago, but I think I have a good reason - a lil' man running around that needs constant attention (and who is 20 months today btw)!

I am knitting Steggie for said munchkin. It might be a wee-big for him, but at the rate he is growing it will fit in no time. And it is going to be so darn cute on him!!

I am using Cotton Ease - the main color of the body is Taupe. The dino spines will be cherry red and black.

Here is my progress from last night during the opening ceremonies. Not too bad. I'm just about ready for the armhole decreases on the back.

Anatomy of a Zipper

 

The long overdue model shots:

I really love this sweater. The Organic Cotton does stretch a bit with wear, so I imagine that I will get a toss in the dryer every once in awhile to shrink it back into shape.

For those who are wondering (and because I didn't cover it before) - I knit the size medium, and used five and half skeins of the Blue Sky Alpaca Undyed Organic Cotton in Sand. I completed two round of single crochet around the neck, front and bottom edges and one round of crochet around the sleeves at the wrists. This pattern is currently available for free download from the BSA website, and it gets the "Marisa Seal of Approval" :)

A big THANK YOU goes out to Kris - she showed me the ropes in the crochet edging and the zipper installation - Kris, you rock! :)

Olympic Update V

For the time being, all I'm going to say is:

Finished!

(With alternate closure - but a closer none the less. Jessimuhka - please indulge on my behalf! I am hoping that the zipper that I ordered last Monday will be here shortly)

ETA: Upon visiting Blue Sky Alpaca's website - I discovered that their Zippered Cardigan pattern is now available for free download. Check it out!

Olympic Update IV

Plugged away on the same sleeve last night. Here's sixteen and a half inches complete, two and a half inches to go until I start the sleeve cap shaping:

Hopefully I will get this sleeve complete and make some headway on the next tonight a Kris's (weekly knitting night tonight!).

I am completely over-due for a Stitches wrap-up, but it is going to have to wait until ATO (after the Olympics) - I'm dedicating any free time I have to getting my project complete before Sunday evening :) But, to just wet the appetite:

This is Tess's Superwash Merino. It is absolutely wonderful! I'm bringing this with me in tow tonight so I can borrow Kris's ball winder. I plan on casting-on for W (along with Betty - but more on that later) ATO!

Olympic Update III

On the blocking board:

And onto a sleeve:

Six inches in - thirteen to go until the sleeve cap.

I see a photo finish in my future :)

Olympic Update II

Five days and counting...

Being sick (and therefore tired) is really slowing my progress down. I was hoping to get these pieces on the blocking board last night and move onto the sleeves - no such luck. I ended up re-doing the shoulder shaping on the back and right-front piece using the short row technique I learned during the Stitches class. Tonight I will get this soaked and pinned and start the sleeves. I am thinking that I will need to get the sleeves on the blocking board by Friday evening at the latest in order to complete the seaming, crochet edging and zipper installation by Sunday. I'm cutting it really, really close... let's hope nothing goes wrong from here...

Olympic Update I

In between the family events of the weekend, and the napping while being sick the last couple of days, I was able to get some knitting done on the Blue Sky Alpaca Zippered Cardigan - my knitting olympics project.

Here is the finished back piece:

And my progress on the right front (three inches to go until I'm at the armhole shaping!):

I'm not sure how much I'm going to be able to get done today - I really need to get ready for the Stitches trip this weekend (I haven't even touched my laundry from last weekend). I guarantee you that this will be my project of choice during the trip!