Why I Knit the Same Sweater Twice

...or, when you sense something's wrong with your knitting, frog it. Don't keep going on telling yourself it'll be fine, when a little voice in the back of your head keeps saying it won't :)

So last summer I started Buttercup with 7 skeins of Elsebeth Lavold Hempathy - six skeins of one dyelot and a seventh of a different, noticeable darker dyelot. I told myself it'd be okay, and started the top-down sweater with the one odd skein. After starting the second skein the difference was very noticeable and I frogged the sweater with plans to make it again this summer. (You can see my original post here.)

I decided to try the sweater again this summer. In a fit of brilliance (not!) I decided that instead of using the one odd skein by itself in the first half, I'd alternate rows with another skein. Let me just say, bad idea. I somehow convinced myself it was okay and finished the sweater.



You can see the striping in this photo. Also, the neckline was too low for my taste - it just looked weird with a shell under it. I like my sweaters to be about 15" from the underam to the hem. After trying it on, I decided that even though the sweater was about 2" short of that, it felt okay, and bound off. Another bad idea. It was too short, ending at the widest part of my hips, not flattering at all.



I decided to try again, with only the six balls of yarn, and using option B of the pattern, which has a higher neckline. I also decided to make the body length 15", and not go by the try-on length. I'm so glad I tried again, because I love this sweater!



Pattern: Buttercup by Heidi Kirrmaier
Yarn: Elsebeth Lavold Hempathy, color 14, 6 skeins
Needles: US 4 & US 5



This is the second time I've used this yarn, and I love it. It's a bit rough to work with, but it wears incredibly well, and makes a very comfortable sweater.



I finished this in late summer and didn't get a lot of time to wear it before fall, but I hope to enjoy it next year.

And I'm so glad for this lesson that I was able to use this past weekend. I was working on my Tree Jacket and made a mistake which I realized a few rows afterwards. I tried to brush it off, but finally decided to rip a few rows and fix the mistake. I'm so glad I did, because the mistake would have thrown off the pattern of the whole sweater yoke.



I'm absolutely loving this knit, and the Cascade Venezia - it's sooo soft and silky smooth!

Tree Jacket - Finished!

Pattern: Tree Jacket by ZephyrStyle
Yarn: Reynolds Soft Linen, 13 skeins
Needles: US 7 (4.5mm)
Modifications: None



This was a great pattern. Like any top-down pattern, it was quite quick and easy. The yarn was great to work with also. I was using it at first for the Dollar-and-a-Half Cardigan, but it came out horribly (all my fault) and I frogged it.



I started the sweater with size 8 needles but it was coming out way too loose, so I started over at the raglan increases with size 7's. The sleeves are a bit loose, but they're also quite comfortable, and the sweater is warm and light enough for the 50 degree weather we've been having.


Just a little sleeve bokeh for you.

WIP Wednesday

When I first started blogging I used to blog about my WIP's every Wednesday. I somehow stopped doing that, but hopefully this will be the beginning of my doing it again.

So, about 6 weeks ago I contracted a case of startitis. And I currently have six projects on the needles, four of which I'm trying to work on regularly.

First up, ZephyrStyle's Tree Jacket.



I'm using Reynold's Soft Linen that I frogged from my failed Dollar-and-a-Half Cardigan. It's coming along really well so far - I should be able to put the sleeve stitches on holders tonight.

I'm also working on a pair of Mockery Socks for the Malabrigo March group on Ravelry.



I'm using Malabrigo Sock in Ochre, and it is soooo soft! I think it's probably one of the softest yarns I've worked with.

For my mindless knit, I've got a pair of Double Moss Stich Socks from Sensational Knitted Socks going in som Silk Garden Sock.



I'm loving this yarn, too.

And, a knit that I haven't worked on for a while, the Diagonal Cross Rib Socks from Favorite Socks in Brown Sheep Wildfoote.



I'm hoping to finish them in time for the Earth Phase of Project Spectrum.

Hope you all have a great Wednesday.