The Decorator Crab

Two Steps Forward...

...One step back. Finished the first square of the Mitered Square Blanket, and I love it. It's not what you expect when you think of a mitered square blanket, what with the lack of true stripes and all.  But the colors, which are not well represented on screen, still blow me away, and I think my vision of the end result is still a good one. The only problem is that the first square is huge. HUGE. I got one square out of the first hank, and maybe only have one or one-and-a-half left. (I think). At this rate I will have to purchase an unreasonable amount of yarn to finish the blanket, and I make less-than-reasonable amounts of money as a grad student (your tax dollars at work!). Maybe I won't worry about it until it's a real problem, but the issue of running out of yearn is a serious one.

Next thing next: swatching for the Cardi w/Cabled Yoke (CCY) continues. I moved up to size 8US needles, blocked the swatch and realized: I am hosed. Required gauge: 18st/4inches. My gauge: 19st/4inches (7US) or 17st/4inches (8US). I completely bookend the required gauge. WTF? Maybe I can use the smaller needles (I like the stitch texture better) and go a size up in the pattern??  Is this crazy?  But, then I [likely] won't have enough yarn in the stash to finish the sweater. Do I have to give up on this yarn/pattern combo??  I know that I can adjust the pattern for gauge, but I'd like to keep the insanity at a minimum for my first sweater project, know what I mean?  Also worth considering is the fact that my actual bust measurement, modest as she is, is only like 32". If I make the small size (35"), it might fit just fine even with the gauge I'm getting. Sigh. This is too complicated already... 

So, to lighten things up I give you Goose (AKA Gooser, little kitty, and fatboy). Isn't he handsome?! Also: I never knew that I had algae growing on the underside of my porch bench until I saw this photo. Despite the fact that the wee beasties are living on my decomposing outdoor seating, I think they're pretty amazing!

First sweater project!

Okay kiddies, here goes nothin'. The first sweater project is under way, and it is going to be fun. Skylar found a rockin' pattern from Karabella called Cardigan with Cabled Yoke (KK219c). I much prefer a cardigan over a pullover, so I am bypassing the Hourglass Sweater for this one as a first sweater project. What I should really do as a first sweater project is take my measurements and build myself a sweater using Ann Budd's guidelines. It would be a great way to learn the process and philosophy of sweater knitting, and is probably the best place to start in Sweater World. But, I'm up for an adventure, and with Skylar by my side this thing should go pretty smoothly. Knock on wood.

I swatched last night, and get this - I actually blocked the swatch. That's a first at Casa de Crabby! For my first sweater, that's just how I roll. I also encountered my first point of confusion in the pattern. (I say "first" because I am confident that there will be plenty of confusion around here over the next month) The sweater is supposed to be knit on size 7US and size 3US (for the cables) needles. The gauge is given for size 6US needles. WTF?! I know that I am still a noob and all, but it doesn't make any sense that the gauge swatch uses totally different needles than the pattern. Maybe I am missing something, but I took it as an error and moved on.

I swatched in size 7US.  Check it, yo. This is Knit Picks Andean Silk (55% alpaca, 23% silk, 22% merino) in Lettuce. Been in my stash for over a year. The pattern calls for Aurora 8, but since I am now dedicated to knitting only from the stash (except for sock yarn), and because I had enough ASilk to make a go of it, here we are. I am a half-stitch off on gauge over four inches, so I am going to go up a needle size and swatch again. I'm a little worried that the resulting fabric will be too open for my taste, but with the warmth and fluff of alpaca, that might be a benefit in the end.