River... its a scarf one minute, a wrap the next:

The Specs:
Pattern: River, by Sharon Miller, from Rowan 37
Yarn: Rowan Kidsilk Haze, 2 balls, in Trance
Finished Size: 14.5" wide by 66" long
Needles: Size 7 circs

Pattern Modifications:
Used size 7 needles rather than the size 10.5 called for. Knit to 20 pattern repeats for a longer scarf that used up almost all the KSH. I also did not knit the beaded knot.

Thoughts on KSH:
Knitting the KSH was not really stellar, but the results are so gorgeous, I'll probably use this yarn again. It may be better suited to bamboo needles.

Blocking:
I wet-blocked River. This is what KSH looks like straight out of the bathtub:

When pinning River out to dry, I pulled out a scalloped edge along all the edges. The BO edge was a bit tight and not nearly as stretchy as the CO edge.

Thoughts on the pattern:
This pattern seems easy, and doesn't involve any advanced knitting trickery, but its somehow very easy to make a mistake. I had to go back and fix misplaced YOs a couple times. And memorizing the repeat was impossible until Yahaira mentioned the secret way to remember it:

"Just memorize the first K# since it goes 3, 4, 5, 6, then 5, 4, 3, 2 and round and round it goes"

That's what got me through the last couple repeats! So glad I did too.. River is sure to be a favorite this fall.

After swatching for both the Lace Leaf pullover and Salina without first-try success, I moved on to Raspy. I'd already swatched for Raspy once, but it was confusing, and soon abandoned. Saturday morning, armed with a calculator and an apartment full of sleeping guests, I re-measured those washed swatches and calculated.

The conclusion: size 5 bamboo needles should produce the desired result. Size 4s for starting each piece. I started with a sleeve.

In a risky yet math-based move, I added extra length to the sleeve. I like really long sleeves; they are super comfortable. But would it be too long? Did I learn nothing from Wendy's run-in with the dreaded row gauge?

(warning, photos of cat posing with knitwear ahead...)

Raspy sleeve, pre-wash, looking rather long:

* guard-cat included for scale.

Pre-washing Measurements:
Length of entire sleeve: 35 inches.
From cuff to before armhole shaping: 24 inches.

It didn't get any wider or change color post-wash.. that's just the photo styling.

Post-wash Measurements:
Length of entire sleeve: 28 inches.
From cuff to before armhole shaping: 20.5 inches.

Perfect! phew... After washing, the sleeve turned out absolutely the right size! 20.5 inches hits just below my wrist bone.

The overall shrinkage for Elann's Den-m-nit yarn on size 5 bamboo needles was about 20%. Very similar to what you're supposed to get with Rowan's yarn. So maybe they aren't that different after all. This also corresponds to what the Knitting Wench found out in her highly scientific tests.

Onward to sleeve two!

This is the start of Raspy's front/back, layered over a basic stretchy tank top. The dull colors in this photograph are the result of a grim overcast morning that portends to interfere with my 20-mile run tomorrow. Yes, tomorrow the plan is to get up at like 5am, take the subway to Central Park, and run. I've been getting up early on the weekends to run since July. Its exhausting. I may not be able to get up early tomorrow if that also means running in the rain.

Raspy is way fun to knit. Raspy makes me want to stay up late at night and knit, which is generally an awful idea. Staying up late just kills me the next day, what with oversleeping and reduced brain function. Plus, runners are supposed to get lots of sleep. Raspy, you are infringing on my game. There is only a month until the marathon! This is no time to slip!

As long as its not raining tomorrow morning, I have a chance. If it rains, I might just be adding miles onto the Staten Island half marathon next weekend.

Back to the subject at hand. Based on a recent glance at the schematic, it appears that Raspy is a 38-inch sweater. A 38-inch sweater is what Rowan recommends for a 34-inch person (talking circumference here). I'd adjust the numbers without delay if this wasn't denim yarn. Post-shrinkage denim is one of the least drapey knit fabrics I've encountered. Think of a demin jacket... not really something you want super fitted, right?

Measurements of the completed knitting thus far indicate I may be getting something closer to 36-37" finished size, which may be just fine. To rip and adjust the numbers or not.. that is the question... that is always the question.

Raspy knitters, how do you like your finished sweaters? Wish it were smaller? Or do the Rowan sizing-people know what they are talking about?

Um, why do I have two nearly identical in-progress Raspy bodies? And what happened to the previous flat version?

Both good questions. I'll try to explain this situation.

The first, flat version was deemed too large and sent off to the ball winder.

I reworked the whole pattern to fit closely to my actual measurements (what a concept!), and started again, in the round.

After a couple days of knitting, I became concerned about the rampant curling going on at the bottom cast-on edge. I didn't recall the sleeves rolling this much.. hmmmm. Without undoing the current effort, I cast on again, this time working one row flat before joining in the round.

This new edge is virtually identical to the sleeve edge. I figured I'd be able to see the difference after a couple inches.

(New improved version on the right)

And is there a difference?

Not really.

Ah well, I am going to keep on going with this quasi-improved version because I also started adjusting for row gauge. Row gauge was right on in the swatches, but seems to have gotten away from me in the knitting. So every so often, I get out the gauge-o-matic and see how far off it is. Then I drop a row or two from the pattern.

In theory, this will work. But we saw how far theory got me with that rolling issue..

Raspy is done, and I looooove it.

I get why people like Denim yarn. Its like a huge math problem while knitting, but so comfy to wear! I wasn't sure what to expect from a sweater made of *denim* .. I didn't even know what such a thing would look like. Its good though! It even looks decent with jeans. I think its going to be my weekend/evening sweater.

The Specs:

Yarn: Elann Den-m-nit, 13 balls mid-indigo
Pattern: Raspy from Denim People
Gauge: generally approximates the called-for 20sts/28 rows per 4", prewashed.
Needles: Bamboo circs; size 4/5 for the sleeves, size 5/6 for the body

Pattern Modifications:

1. Sleeves. Lengthened the sleeves to 24" pre-wash by adding additional rows before the sleeve cap shaping. I knit the sleeves first. Knowing they were done definitely helped with motivation when restarting the body again and again.

2. Body. Worked the body in the round rather than flat, and adjusted the numbers for an ease-free fit. I followed the pattern for the smallest size, then increased up to 34". Altered the raglan shaping so it would correspond to the number of rows on the sleeve raglans.

3. Row gauge. Constantly checked row gauge and removed rows while knitting. I basically dropped one row from every 7 specified by the pattern. (For those seeking real specifics: decreased every 5th/6th/5th/6th/5th row to the waist, worked 10 rows even, then increased every 9th row 4x to the chest.)

4. Neckline. If I could do it again, I'd do something about the neckline. The front and back are identical. The back looks fine, but the front tends to pull and roll. Same thing happens with my Hourglass sweater. Really, a front neckline should be lower than the back, always. Next time, next time.

5. Edge Stitches. I slipped the first and last WS stitches purlwise. This helped when seaming; everything lined up perfectly. Here's a close-up of the inside-out raglan seams. These work quite nicely with the dropped stitches.

That's it for this denim sweater! Next I might try one with the darker indigo.

My next project is in the style of The Hourglass sweater (original from ), but different. I am in the initial design stages of modeling a new garment after this much-loved one:

Its a fine-gauge knit top from Banana Republic which I bought a few seasons ago. I wear it to important meetings, or on first dates. It fits unbeleivably well. Let's see if I can knit its long-lost twin.

The yarn is Lime #77 Noro Cash Iroha, destined to look quite nice under my new puffy black vest.

The plan is for an all-stockinette sweater, worked in the round. Clean edges, maybe with attached i-cord to prevent rolling, or maybe I'll let it roll up.

So far, I have a swatch.

Added to the fall queue:

I think this will look cute with cropped pants and boots in the winter. The maroon is a departure for me in terms of color, but it seems warm for fall and holidays.

There is no real pattern for this (image from BR), but its a basic turtleneck, so I think I can handle making it up...that is, with help from . I may add ribbing to the bottom, or may leave it loose like their version.

Two sweaters at once, isn't this contrary to the ever-practical one-sweater-at-a-time rule? What am I thinking? I am thinking that I need some zone-out knitting, and a worked-out pattern is just the thing. Never fear, I'm all about finishing. These sweaters will get done.

A whole lot of stockinette is going on over here this week.

Figuring out a pattern for Hourglass v2.0 was an unsteady process that involved measuring myself and my storebought sweaters multiple times, but I think I've got it. Its going to be a negatively-eased garment, approximately 2 inches smaller than me. Seriously, everything I own is at least this small, so why not handknits? Plus, Purly says it will work, and Purly thinks about these things, so I am going with it.

Also, Cash Iroha grows and stretches over time. Though I did take this into account. So far, I've got part of the body and sleeve.

The sleeve comes with me onto the subway. I wonder if any of the commuters will notice when I wear the finished sweater...

Purly and Joelene tagged me for the knitting meme. Here goes..

What is your all time favourite yarn to knit with?
Louet Gems Pearl. Its the yarn I used for Baby Norgi. I only knit with it that one time. Its soo sooo soft, and though fingering weight, knitting with it was wonderful.

Your favourite needles?
I used to be all about the metal needles. Addi Turbos. They cost the most, so must be the best, right? Lately I enjoy working with bamboo needles the most. and I only use circs. I can't even use straight needles anymore; they feel super awkward now.

The worst thing you've ever knit?
Hmmmm. Well as you know, I mostly knit only high quality items, but there have been a couple mistakes. Like when I decided to knit this Rebecca wrap with sleeves out of super-cheap magenta ebay yarn. That was an error. I was a new knitter, I didn't know. This photo was taken months ago, it has since gone to a better place.

Your most favourite knit pattern? (maybe you don't like wearing it...but it was the most fun to knit)
Baby Norgi. I just loved knitting this little sweater. The fair isle was engaging, and the yarn so so soft. I'd definitely knit another miniature fair isle sweater.

Most valuable knitting technique?
Weaving in ends. does that count? I love weaving in ends. I live for it. I weave them in as soon as possible... like as soon as I get 10 rows away from the end, I like to weave it in.

Best knit book or magazine?
. When I am feeling particularly confused about some knitting techinique, it helps to read a little Elizabeth Zimmermann. She's funny, doesn't make things overly complicated, and its easy to adopt her mindstate about knitting.

Your favourite knit-a-long?
Stitch Ya Neck Out. Swapping projects with overseas knitters was great fun. I got to knit a way cool scarf that wouldn't have been under consideration otherwise, and will get a handknit in return! I am looking forward to wearing a handknit that wasn't knit by me. So rare for a knitter!

Your favourite knitblogs?
The ones on the sidebar are there becuase they are the blogs I check *right away* when they have new posts. In the morning, when Bloglines has 73 new posts, that's where I go first. The sidebar list fluctuates over time, and I diplomatically try to keep it to only sites that I really enjoy reading. As of right now, I read a total of 172 blogs, some non-knitting.

Li at Domesticat is consistently hilarious and knits great things. I enjoy the way Blossom writes; she has a delicate and intelligent way about her. I often to check to see if Stephanie has posted, even before Bloglines shows her post. Also, I recently started reading Knitting Iris, whose posts frequently take the form of mini photo essays.

Your favourite knitwear designer?
I am always interested to see what Teva Durham is up to, though I am unconvinced about the wearability of her creations. I've yet to discover my ideal knitwear designer, but when I find her, you'll be the first to know.

The knit item you wear the most? (how about a picture of it!)
This is a close tie between a pair of fingerless mitts and a pair of socks.

These are the first pair of socks I ever knit, Koigu with 2x2 ribbing. I wear them often around the apt in the cooler months.

(This photo is from last fall, back when my cat was small. awwwwwww.)

These fingerless mitts (from ) were the second item I *ever* knit. I wear them daily in the winter, excepting those very cold days. The yarn is Cascade 220, which has help up very very well. I even send them through the washing machine (not dryer).

It looks like they are not as green as they used to be though! Perhaps this year it is time for an upgrade.

Jody, Lori, and Annie, you're tagged!