So.
I am officially flaking on the blue sweater and have decided to make it out of the grey wool mix stuff I have.
I don't think the world will be worse for wear for me doing this.
The turning point for my decision was looking over the knitting that I did while I was sick.
Damn.
How do I breathe on my own when I am sick much less knit? The answer to that is that I *can't* knit when I am sick (yet).
I had to rip out a few rows, which in itself isn't horrible, but what seems to happen is that the row looks funny when I re-knit it.
I think its because the loops are twisted funny.
I finally lost patience with it and myself and decided to give in to the urge to switch.
The other thing I want to do is try a trick I learned on someone elses blog. Namely, casting on with a needle 2 sizes larger so that I don't chocke my poor size 8 to death. My cast ons are tremendously tight. (I'm sure there's a dirty joke in there somewhere.)
So, same project with some variations to come.
I said it was a learning sweater.

the joy of a newbie knitter

(or to be overly cute... a knewbie kniter)

mk carroll: "Under special stitches, '2-dc cluster across next 4 sts' is clearer if it's called '2-dc cluster across 4 sts' and should read (note missing yo): Yo, insert hook into same st as last dc worked, yo, draw yarn through, yo, draw yarn through 2 loops on hook, sk next 2 sc, yo, insert hook in next st, yo, draw yarn through st, yo, draw yarn through 2 loops on hook, yo, draw yarn through 3 loops on hook."

So when I read this, my goofy first read through sounded like some gangsta reading you a knitting pattern inside my head.
Yo bitches! insert hook in next st, yo...

Oh please. Oh please. Oh please...

I never want to be featured here:You Knit What??

I just got distracted

by a whole pile of Wool-Ease Oxford Grey...
does that make me a bad person?

New sweater

Because I am either trepedatious about doing the Must Have Cardigan or I am overly perfectionist (I suspect a bit of both) I am starting a different sweater with the materials I have on hand.
I have an acrylic, no-dye lot yarn (Red Heart brand Country Blue E300) that I will be making this out of...it won't be as fantabulous, soft or to die for, but it will be nice enough and suitable for my latest blue fetish.
I found the pattern on About.com originally but I couldn't seem to find it all again, so I googled it one more time and found it here.
I will be making a few adjustments to the pattern: I won't put the 1 inch band using size 7 needles at the bottom... I hate those and tend to get rid of them somehow, so I just am starting with size 8 and continuing from there. I'm also going to make it a little longer than they specify.
Its a learning sweater so I am not going to freak out if it isn't beautimous.
Here's their pattern:

Zena
in SensuWool
An asymmetrical V-neck cardigan.

Please note that this pattern specifies yarn(s) which have been discontinued by Berroco. Therefore, we can no longer accept any consumer inquiries regarding this pattern by phone or via email. Nonetheless, we hope you might enjoy copying this “oldie but goodie” for your personal library and knitting the pattern with whatever yarns you choose to substitute.

Skill level: Very Easy

Shown in size Medium/Large.

SIZES
Directions are for women’s size Small. Changes for size Medium/ Large and X Large are in parentheses.

FINISHED MEASUREMENTS
Bust (buttoned) – 50(54-58)".
Length – 26-1/2(27-27-1/2)".

MATERIALS
BERROCO SENSUWOOL TWEED (50 grs), 18(19-20) balls #7655 Cool Red.
Straight knitting needles, sizes 7 and 8 OR SIZE TO OBTAIN GAUGE.
2 1" BERROCO buttons #A334 Black.
Snaps (optional)

GAUGE
5 sts = 1"; 7 rows = 1" in St st with size 8 needles.
TO SAVE TIME, TAKE TIME TO CHECK GAUGE.

STITCH GLOSSARY
SK2P
Sl 1, k2 tog, psso (2sts dec).

BACK
With size 7 needles, cast on 125(135-145) sts. Work in K1, P1 Rib for 1". Change to size 8 needles and continue in St st until piece measures 17" from beg, end on WS.
Shape Armholes: Next Row (RS): K2, SK2P, k to last 5 sts, k3tog, k2. P 1 row. Rep last 2 rows twice more.
Next Row (RS): K2, SKP, k to last 4 sts, k2tog, k2. P 1 row. Rep last 2 rows 3 times more. Work even on remaining 105(115-125) sts until armholes measure 7-1/2(8-8-1/2)", end on WS.
Shape Shoulders: Bind off 5(6-7) sts at beg of next 4(8-14) rows, 6(7-0) sts at beg of next 10(6-0) rows. Bind off remaining 25(25-27) sts for back neck.

RIGHT FRONT
With size 7 needles, cast on 83(89-93) sts and work in K1, P1 Rib for 1".
Next Row (RS): Sl 1, rib 5 sts (front band), work in St st to end.
Next Row: Work in St st to last 6 sts, rib to end. Continue as established until piece measures 14" from beg, end on WS.
Next Buttonhole Row (RS): Work 6 sts, bind off 2 sts, work to end. On following row, cast on 2 sts over bound-off sts. Rep buttonhole when piece measures 19-1/2(19-1/2-20)" from beg, AT THE SAME TIME, when same length as back to armhole, shape armhole at side edge (end of RS rows) same as back. Work even on remainig 73(79-83) sts until armhole measures 3(3-3-1/2)", end on WS.
Shape Neck: Next Row (RS): Work 6 sts and place on a holder, work to end. Continue to bind off from neck edge 4 sts once, 3 sts twice, 2 sts 3 times, dec 1 st every other row 11(12-12) times. Work even on remaining 40(45-49) sts until same length as back to shoulder. Shape shoulder at side edge (beg of WS rows) same as back.

LEFT FRONT
Work to correspond to right front, reversing all shaping and working 6 sts at front edge (end of RS rows, beg of WS rows) as follows:
On RS rows: rib to last st, sl 1.
On WS rows: rib 6 sts. Omit buttonholes.

SLEEVES
With size 7 needles, cast on 39(40-41) sts and work in K1, P1 Rib for 1". Change to size 8 needles and work in St st, inc 1 st each side every 4th row 7(13-19) times, then every 6th row 11(7-3) times. Work even on 75(80-85) sts until piece measures 15-1/2" from beg, end on WS.
Shape Cap: Work same as back armhole shaping. Bind off remaining 55(60-65) sts.

FINISHING
Steam pieces. Sew shoulder seams.
Neckband: Sl 6 sts from right front holder to size 7 needles, pick up and k 113(117-119) sts evenly around neck edge, work 6 sts from left front holder. Continue in rib on 125(129-131) sts, keeping sl sts each edge on RS rows as before, for 1". Bind off in rib.
Set in sleeves. Sew side and sleeve seams. Sew on buttons. If desired, sew snaps to inside at neck and lower edge.
Every effort has been made to ensure that directions contained in this website are accurate and complete, however, we cannot be responsible for variance of individual knitters, human or typographical errors.

Flickr sets of Knitting pics

knitting clusters
"Explore and refine knitting photos with our brand new clustery goodness!"

Must Have Cardigan

Must Have Cardigan
Originally uploaded by cosmicpluto.

I swear, I'm totally obsessed with this sweater pattern.
I'm going to start on my own with some cheaper (but still good feeling) yarn that has no dye lot, so that I can get a feel for how it works (and prevent paying $400 for a sweater).
I'll make more than one if I survive the exercise.

Learning to Knit

This CD kicks ass.

They've got movies that show you stuff like cables and the various weird things you can knit. For some reason, reading about knitting techniques never really cemented it. This did.
(Here's a link to Amazon, but I got my cd at a craft store locally.)

Product Description
Learn to knit from the experts - Coats and Clark, makers of handicraft threads and yarns for over 190 years. This self-paced learning format ensures success from the start, using illustrations, text and voice-over video to make every technique crystal clear. CD-ROM includes 20 patterns ranging from beginner to intermediate. Learn: Casting On, Knitting & Purling, Reading Patterns, Gauge, Cables, Changing Colors, Yarn Control and More!

Project:Solio Cover

I finished this last month.
Using white acrylic yarn to match the Solio and my iPod. I made a little drawstring for it and its been good in my gadget bag ever since.

new knitting bag

I nabbed this puppy at Joann.com just before it went on sale (arg) but they were kind enough to ignore my somewhat cranky email and credit me the difference of the sale price and the price I actually paid.
Unfortunately, the bag is now either out of stock or possibly even discontinued in this pattern, though a denim and a tapestry-like version exists.
I like the throwback quality of this one with the modern fabric.
Also total bonus! It came with a needle holder that matches so I didn't have to shell out more for another item.
Schweet.

So far, inside the bag I have 2 medium size skeins of yarn, my needle set, a pattern book, a magazine, my high tech ziploc bag of odds and ends and the needle case.

Frankly, I would have loved something like this, but it just wasn't going to hold enough for me and the larger ones just didn't amuse me as much.