I’m Knitting As Fast As I Can

Slinky Ribs is done! Well, it just needs to be blocked.

And I had 4 grams of yarn left. *Phew*

After continuing to fiddle with the neckband, I decided to just keep it simple. I picked up stitches around the neckline and then immediately cast them off in purl. That’s it. Clearly, I was overthinking it.

I vowed that I wouldn’t become equally obsessed with the bind off for the sleeves. But one of the main reasons I dislike top-down sweaters like Slinky Ribs is that the bottom edge of the sleeves and the body is bound off, instead of cast on. And bound-off edges tend to be inflexible and less attractive than cast-on edges. This is especially true for ribbing. It’s difficult to get a flexible edge and no flare.

My first attempt at binding off the sleeve was a miserable failure. It flared and basically looked like crap. I needed a bind off that was flexible, but firm.

I settled on a tubular bind off for 2×2 rib. I first tried following the instructions in Principles of Knitting but, between you and me, I got completely lost. So I turned to the instructions in the Fall 2008 issue of Interweave Knits. Excellent instructions! It worked like a dream.

I went back over the stitches and pulled them fairly tight after the bind off was completed and the sleeves don’t flare at all.

Now I’m just hoping this Felted Tweed yarn softens up in the wash.

And, look. I celebrated by casting on a new sweater.

*Apparently, I have a reputation for being somewhat inflexible. Who knew.

I believe it’s beyond debate that I now hold the sad and pathetic record for the category: How many times can you reknit the neckband of a sweater and still not be satisfied.

Behold . . . my Slinky Ribs sweater with neckband #6:

I really like the look of the rolled collar but I’ve come to grips with the realization that it’s a poor design choice for my modified version of the sweater. The ribbing stretches across the chest when the sweater is worn, causing the otherwise lovely rolled edge to stretch too.

Hmmmm . . . not so much.

I tried a number of different fixes, including several variations of a short row technique but all for naught. Honestly, I think the yarn has been reknit so many times it’s close to shredding. I’m half inclined to leave it the way it is–stretching be damned–but I will most likely set it aside for a day or two before pulling it out and knitting an applied i-cord edging. Well, unless one of you talks me down first.

In the meantime, I’ll just sit back and admire the lovely skeins of Ball and Skein yarn that I received today from Judy.

The return of Daylight Savings Time can mean only one thing. There’s enough light when I get home to take blog photos!

Progress toward completing my NaKniSweMoDo goal has been sporadic. When I finished the body of my Honeycomb Vest, I set the project aside. I guess I was getting a little sick of the unending cables.

I fully intend to finish it because I love the way it’s working up, but a new sweater project is getting all the love lately . . . Slinky Ribs from the book, Custom Knits.

Yeah, it’s top-down, but it has set-in sleeves that are picked up around the armholes. I’m using Rowan Felted Tweed and I only have 5 balls. So hopefully I won’t have to rip back the sleeve because I run out of yarn. We’ll see.

As for the Felted Tweed, I’m kinda on the fence about it.  I love the colors and it’s nice to knit with but the sweater seems really scratchy. The alpaca fibers look like nasty guard hairs instead of the softer, downier fibers. Am I the only one who thinks this???

Both sweaters temporarily took a back seat to two felted projects. I don’t know why, but I seem to worked felted projects in fits and starts. Both of these are shop samples for my LYS.

Nantasket Basket in Cascade 220

And a Basic Felted Bag with Homestead Heirloom leather handles in Debbie Bliss Donegal Chunky Tweed.

In addition to the knitting, there have been gifts and acquisitions.

Handmade, glass buttons from a friend:

A wonderful fabric project bag given to me by Margene (don’t forget that Margene’s birthday is Saturday!):

And Cheryl‘s gift of a seed stitcher has already been put to good use, picking up dropped stitches from the Slinky Ribs project:

I’ve showered myself with gifts, too.

A lovely batt from Yarn Pirate:

Some perfectly dyed roving from Lauren’s Etsy shop:

And a kick-ass fountain pen . . .

. . . that matches my infamous boots . . .

I know you want those boots, Shelley.