"Cardigan for Merry" KAL!! - Page 6

[Megs_BK]

Originally Posted by fallriverfox

So, ummmm... I'm feeling very proud of myself having finished the back, but also a little bewildered. So I have all of these live stitches to save for later, that's cool, but what about the ball of yarn? Do I just cut it off leaving a long tail? But then what would I do with the tail later? Do I leave the ball attached for later? 'Cause then when I go to work on the hood I'll have a couple of balls attached. Bail me out, I'm new at this.

I cut off, leaving a long tail to join yarn with later. That bit me in the butt on the right front, though -- I had already cut the yarn and had it on the holder for a while before Anny Purls updated the pattern, so when I went back to add the last 6 rows w/ decreases, I encountered a little yarn-joining issue. I *should* have just sucked it up and picked out the stitches for one row, since my knitting left off in a way that I'd be starting back up at the cable. That's not a good place to join yarn! But I thought I had enough to make it across the row (though OBVIOUSLY I didn't and was being a dork). Ended up facing facts and joining the new ball about 3/4 way through the cable rows. Oh well. It still looks good. 'Though I did notice an error in my cabling about one repeat down the pattern. I'm not fixing it. It will be there, ala the Amish, to show that I'm humble ;-)

[nausicaamom]

All right ladies - what's the word?

I have a good four inches done and of course screwed up the cable (on both sides so it matches) about 6 rounds back : but I guess that's what buttons are for.

I have been waffling a lot on the yarn for my son's sweater. I asked him what color he wanted and he told me red. I was at AC Moore over the weekend and picked up some wool-ease chunky in this lovely brown heather color with the intent of making his weater with it. When I showed it to my husband his first response was, "Didn't Michael pick red for his sweater?" so now I'm really torn. I'm still leaning a bit towards the wool-ease since I love the color so much and doing a messenger bag for him in red and orange (his two favorite colors) or just biting the bullet and returning the wool-ease and dyeing up some peace fleece for his sweater. I just can't imaging dyeing in this heat though.

[flapjack]

Jar dyeing? Stick it in a pan on the hob and walk away and ignore it?

I have to say, I think I've quitted I'm in a bad place emotionally with knitting baby stuff (baby stuff in general, really) and I need to get a chemo cap done for one of my mums' best friends- which is kind of time dependent. I want mum to have it before she needs it, just in case.

[nausicaamom]

Helen

The koigu I bought for the bean's coming home outfit is calling to me and it's been so hard to stay on task. I'm still spending a lot of time exhausted so I'm nowhere near my normal output right now. I hope the chemo cap turns out well and that as things progress it gets easier for you - I cannot even fathom where you are right now but I'm pretty sure handknits for the new babe wouldn't feel right to me either.

[Megs_BK]

I've slowed down a bit, due to traveling and girl chat and no sleep and yada yada yada... My "me time" lately has been spent trying to nap.

BUT, I have joined the hems on the sleeves (which I'm knitting simultaneously) and have done one row of decreases. I mindlessly knit one extra row after the hem before the decreases, but I don't give a fig 'bout that.

Ahhhh, Flapjack is a Brit. when in doubt, she says "hob"! I loved Harry Potter, too. Finished last Tuesday night. Must go back and reread to get the details.

[Aurora]

I am almost finished with the back!

[fallriverfox]

I've done the back and a sleeve and a half. I'm leaving the cableing for last because that will go real quick right?

P.S. Thanks Megs_BK for the advice!

[Megs_BK]

Fallriverfox -- I can't remember what advice I gave, but you're welcome! I think it's hilarious that I'd be giving knitting advice, as I'm such a novice still, but there you go. I have a clever older sister. That helps. If you're lurking, dear sister, mwah!

I have finished the increase rows on the sleeves and am just plugging away at stockinette now. I also got a little sidetracked on figuring out a dishcloth pattern I've admired, sooooo... haven't done any Merry in a couple of days. A crazy weekend filled with family and my first Triathlon of the summer (first of two) didn't help my progress, either.

And that's all I know right now.

[Megs_BK]

[the sound of crickets chirping in the distance]

Well, how's it going everyone? I'm almost to the armholes on the sleeves now.

[fallriverfox]

I've finished the sleeves and the back and am halfway up the left front side. I've started obsessing about whether it will fit and will it be done before spring

[Megs_BK]

Originally Posted by fallriverfox

I've finished the sleeves and the back and am halfway up the left front side. I've started obsessing about whether it will fit and will it be done before spring

Wow! You're cooking right along. Pictures? I'm sure it will be done before Spring!

[Aurora]

I have the back finished and I am heading to my LYS today to buy a cable needle so I can start the front. I didn't even think about knitting the sleeves.

Has anyone knit the Cardigan for Arwen?

[chrissy]

i finished the back, but i must not have been paying close enough attention because i have 40 stitches left, instead of 41. i was knitting in the car alot while talking to my dh and so i have no idea when or where or why i screwed it up. does anybody think this is enough of a problem that i should try to figure it out and fix it? i am so anxious and excited to get to the cabling!

also i managed to snag a spot with a snappi yesterday. ARGH!!! it's just a small little place but still.

[fallriverfox]

Okay, time for pictures!
Here is how far I am:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/11600093@N06/1141079173/

Admire the pretty cables! (pretend they don't look just like the ones on your sweater)

http://www.flickr.com/photos/11600093@N06/1141922212/

And here is my DD attempting to try it on

http://www.flickr.com/photos/11600093@N06/1141080563/

Show me pictures of your work!

[Megs_BK]

Originally Posted by fallriverfox

Okay, time for pictures!
Here is how far I am:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/11600093@N06/1141079173/

Admire the pretty cables! (pretend they don't look just like the ones on your sweater)

http://www.flickr.com/photos/11600093@N06/1141922212/

And here is my DD attempting to try it on

http://www.flickr.com/photos/11600093@N06/1141080563/

Show me pictures of your work!

So pretty!! What yarn are you using again? That color looks like the lilac andean treasure my sister is using for her DD's cardi. Your cables look lovely -- the yarn is really showing the detail.

I'm very bad about taking pics -- I will tomorrow, or as soon as I can find my flippin' camera. I have the sleeves seamed to the fronts and back, so I'm ready to start the hood. I just need some major pep talks... and perhaps shots of Jaeger or something for courage

[fallriverfox]

Oh...the yarn... Umm. I'm kind of the cheapest person on the face of the planet. And I'm not a good enough knitter to be wasting a lot of money on nice yarn (and then wasting the yarn.) So I went to the local thrift store and found a super ugly sweater in an attractive dark blue cotton/acrylic (good for washing) and unraveled it. Picture me wandering around, with my tape measure, trying to find something with approximately the right gauge.

I can't wait to see your pictures.

[Aurora]

I do not know what is the matter with me. I cannot get the cables to look right! Granted, I have mastitis and I am feverish- :

I swear I am loosing my mind. WHY won't my cables work?

This is my first cable project but I really cannot be this inept.

So, you cast on the 24 stitches and then knit across them and your other 33. Now I am doing a WS row so I purl the 33 and the come to the cable stitches. I work the set up row, right? And I work right to left, right? So, I p, k, k, k, p,p,p,p, k,k,k,k, p,p,p,p, k,k,k,k, p,p, k, p. Is this right?

Then I start row 1 on the RS?

My cable stitches are purled, not knit so they don't pop out. I think I may be reading the chart wrong?

Please help me!

I suck.

[Megs_BK]

You don't suck! Cable charts are deceptive at first, but then they really make sense.

When you read the stitches on a cable chart, you read the wrong side rows from left to right (so, like you were reading english), but then you need to read the right side rows from right to left (like reading hebrew!). If you think about your cable chart as actually looking at your knitting if you were holding it in front of you (needles up, hem at the bottom), then it starts to make sense. The right side rows start on the right side of the fabric, so those are the stitches you start with. Conversely, the wrong side rows start on the left side of the fabric, so that's where you start.

Is this as clear as mud? It's hard to type out the concept. It really helped, for me, to talk it over with my sister on the phone. I think it would be even better to talk it over in person -- maybe at your LYS? -- to talk, see, and touch all at the same time.

[fallriverfox]

Originally Posted by Aurora

I do not know what is the matter with me. I cannot get the cables to look right! Granted, I have mastitis and I am feverish- :

I swear I am loosing my mind. WHY won't my cables work?

This is my first cable project but I really cannot be this inept.

So, you cast on the 24 stitches and then knit across them and your other 33. Now I am doing a WS row so I purl the 33 and the come to the cable stitches. I work the set up row, right? And I work right to left, right? So, I p, k, k, k, p,p,p,p, k,k,k,k, p,p,p,p, k,k,k,k, p,p, k, p. Is this right?

Then I start row 1 on the RS?

My cable stitches are purled, not knit so they don't pop out. I think I may be reading the chart wrong?

Please help me!

I suck.

Did you get the magazine? The direction on how to read the chart are in the back. It took me a few times reading through it to figure out what they were talking about. Cable charts make no sense to me either

[Aurora]

Megs and fallriverfox- I you! Thank you so much! I was reading the chart like I do for lace so each row I read right to left.

It is perfect now!