Sunday, July 01, 2007

Well ...

the stripey sweater is done. I was obsessed with finishing it, but couldn't bear to post pictures of it, which is why I haven't posted for so long. Plus I think there was a week or so where I didn't knit anything. *shock*

I still think this sweater is not the most attractive thing I've ever made. And I am bummed (this is like that "the food was terrible and the portions were too small" joke) that I didn't make it bigger. It is actually a little longer than it looks in this picture – I think it will fit through this school year, but not much longer than that. Which would be just one of those things, except that a) I didn't measure him and b) I deliberately made the body and arms shorter because the last Rowan pattern I made him was way too long! Stupid.

I learned a number of things from this project, including:

1. Teeny tiny little Debbie Bliss skeins leave you with many, many, MANY ends to weave in.

2. "Designing" on the fly is harder than it looks, and may not turn out as expected. Designing the sleeves separately from the body is not a good idea, especially with a raglan pattern.

3. I should not pick projects based solely on finding yarn on sale for a good price.

And many other things, I'm sure. The collar is not at all how I planned it to look, but I think it's kind of cute anyway ... and it just fits over his head. (Note for future projects: adding lining to collar makes it even less stretchy.)

Pattern: More or less loosely based on "Will" from Rowan Junior. (Modifications: added stripes, didn't make zipper, changed collar opening, made ribbing on collar shorter. The picture of just the collar is actually the closest of what this sweater was SUPPOSED to look like. But I didn't have enough yarn to make it solid.)

Yarn: Debbie Bliss Wool/Cotton. (Which I loved! but not the teeny tiny skeins.)

I'm just so glad it's done. On to fun, fulfilling projects!

In other creative efforts today, I helped with the "Swimming Pool Cake" for Auden's 5th birthday party at the Y today. (Pool party ... there's a theme here. Also Hello Kitty.) I made the little people and some of the other little stuff, like the beach towel and flip-flops, which you can't really see in this picture. Will made the cake, which was delicious (of course) and turned it into a pool. The party was a success, I think, and even though the Y was doing all the work, we're wiped out.


4 comments:

Anonymous said...

I love it!! I think it looks great! And the fit looks fine from here. Hooray! Mazel Tov! You did it!!

(The cake is pretty cool, too!!)

rahime said...

That's a really neat cake! And the collar of the sweater looks really nice. I'm blocking out the part about buying yarn on sale not being a good basis for a project, though - I don't want to hear it! (Even if I know it's true...)

Stell said...

I would have been soo tempted by rowan on sale to - like to collar - that is a nice touch.
My mum used to joke she would put a brick on our heads to stop us growing out of our hand knits. stella

Teal said...

Glad to see you back. Your son's sweater looks wonderful to me. I like the colors and they are very flattering on him. I also admire your ability to design your own pattern. I'm not that adventurous!

The birthday cake is awesome! How lucky you are to have a husband who bakes. Mine would exist on hamburgers and PBJ sandwiches if I wasn't around.