I Must Have Been Crazy

As my year of sweaters progresses, I had planned that any baby sweater I knit would only count as half a sweater in my tally.  That would  put my sweater count currently at 2 1/2, instead of 3.  But it is my goal, and I can change my rules, if I want.
And with my current knitting, the black project, it is causing me to rethink my counting method.
After all, I am making it in my size.  Let's just say ample.  And instead of my preferred wool or wool blend, it is cotton blend.  Sport weight, and on size 2 needles, with size one for the band; it is enough to drive me crazy. 
What was I thinking?  Pure, stark black, tiny needles.  This may take a while. Plus I will definitely need an alternative project in the knitting bag for evening knitting.  And for when I am being talked to. 
But it is pretty, and dark, and very soft.  But very slow.
So, yup.  I'm changing my rules.  For now.

A Cable Fable

Now I have read blogs where the knitter tells about discovering, several rows down, a mis-twisted cable.  And how, to my horror, they just dropped down the offending stitches to the cable, retwisted and knit back up to the rest of the stitches. 
I could not imagine doing that.  But, as you can see below, I did.
The first picture shows my four stitches dropped back five rows (and two twists). It also shows the two double-points I used to knit them back up.  (edited:  Blogger reversed the pictures.  First picture is second. Second is first.  Confused?)
And the second picture is the repaired piece.  That picture was taken while I was in recovery.
Whew.  There is a moral there somewhere.  All fables have them.  But I'm too weak to figure out what it is.

A Study in Black and White

I just wanted to share how my knitting has been going.  The black cotton tee is difficult in the evening, so has not progressed much this week.  The color is a deep dark black. 
The creamy white is a dream to work with.  Even with the cabling, it was a decent knit night project. 
I love cables.  So easy, yet so impressive.  This is my first time working traveling cables, but I like how they turned out.  Do I see an Aran or Celtic sweater in my future?
Ahhh....maybe not this year.

Shades of Knitting

While I decided to cast back on the other day with the black cotton, it is not the only project in progress.  I also am working on the cream colored sweater. 
The cream colored sweater is a semi-stealth project.  But I can show snippets of it.  I really like the textures in the project.  The seed stitch is always a nice look.  That was an adaption from the frilly looking picot hem.  But the purl ridge row is a touch of contrast between the seed stitch and the pattern on the main body stitches.
Before long, I should be able to start the next piece, depending on how much time I spend on the black tee.
And then, oh boy!  Cables!

Recalculating

Just like a GPS, I am recalculating my new black tee.  I had knit the bottom band and was switching to the larger needles.  It looked large so I did a gauge spot check.  (And I might add, that was not an easy thing to do: counting stitches, in the evening, on black sport weight yarn.)
Dang.  I was almost a half stitch off.
And a half stitch per inch, over enough stitches to cover me, makes a big difference.
So.......  I ripped and re-swatched.  And re-calculated my adjustments.
Instead of needle sizes 4 and 3, I'm using 2 and 1.
This may be a long project.  I will need that alternate night time knitting in a light color or I may go cross-eyed.

Next Project?

So, now what's on deck? 
Well, so far it is a toss-up.  I have a delicate cream colored sport weight project on the needles, as well as swatching begun on a black cotton blend tee top.   I want to get busy on both but the black tee is waiting for some sizing calculations to be done first. 
Now that I have been taking the Craftsy class on sizing your knitting to best flatter your body shape, I need to re-measure myself and figure increases to make, and how to make them.  It all makes sense, I just have to juggle figures and write them down.
But at least there is plenty of knitting to choose between, and all sweaters.

Year of Sweaters: Number 3 Finished

The typical glamour shot of the Lil' Sparty Fan Wallaby is not possible, since the recipient hasn't made his appearance nor started breathing air yet.  So until then, and until he grows into it, this picture will have to do.
The pattern is my favorite baby/child knit: The Wonderful Wallaby.
I have heard from the father's mouth that they are giving the little guy an ancestral name, Laban Ebenezer (and Brett wouldn't lie).  I figured saddled with that name, while not the worst from that family line, little Ebby will need a nice hoodie to hide in.
I do hope, whatever his name really is, that when my newest grandnephew is born, he will enjoy being a real Lil Sparty Fan.