July Project Spectrum, et. al.

The MDK baby kimono, bib, and burp cloth are not quite finished, but I wanted to post a picture for July Project Spectrum. They'll be done in time for the baby's arrival.

MDK Purple Baby Gifts, for Project Spectrum, July

Marce asked if I'd made anything with the yarn I bought in New York, so I've posted a picture of my progress on the Shapely Tank, which is knit from a pale olive green cashmere blend that I bought at School Products. This is the front and I've done as much work on the back.

I completely frogged my first attempt at the front because I sloppily made adjustments without annotation and knew that I could not make the back match. And by the time I got to the bustline I had 15 or so stitches too many. I don't know how that happened. ACK! I discovered a neat trick - for me, at least - I slipped on a stitch marker every 20 stitches when I cast on. Makes it easier to count stitches later on. I hope it fits or I'll have to frog it again. Actually, I think it will fit, but it may be looser than Soleil.

If I do have to frog, I'll have to put it away for a while and work on simpler projects. I'm up to my ears in MDK dishcloths - I haven't even bothered to take photos of all of them. I got these skeins of Elann Canapone (hemp) today to make washcloths. The two skeins in front are a beautiful dark brown that I'd like to buy more of for Glampyre's Orangina if I can get gauge, the middle two are white, and last two are black.

I'll be swatching tonight.

STR and Shapely Tank

The new Socks That Rock arrived yesterday. I like the color and the pattern, but I wish there was more than 360 yards in the hank because I like longer socks.


The pattern is called "Hippy Crunchy," and is described as a "mesh" pattern.


I don't know when I'll get to them as I am in the midst of knitting the Shapely Tank. (And I'd better lay off those M-D Ballband washcloths!) Though my swatch gauge was spot on with the recommended 6s, when I begin knitting the tank it was too large. I frogged and used some old Susan Bates 5s and it seems to be OK now. The old Susan Bates have a better join, by the way. The short rows worked out OK, though I'm concerned that they may function as darts instead of creating the drape effect intended.

The yarn has little give and purling in particular is hard on my hands. Maybe the first attempt larger because I purled looser to compensate. Who knows?

The Key West Suite

Purple WIPS, Project Spectrum, July

StitchDC cancelled the Shapely Tank class because I was the only registrant. But it works out well for me: the two hours can be devoted to my two prime issues: negative ease and finishing. I worked one inch of negative ease into Soleil and it fit, but I feel like I just got lucky. I can devote one of classes to negative ease and the other to finishing. I can use some instruction on finishing, not one of my favorite things to do, nor one that I'm good at. Is it synchronicity?

Signed up for StitchDC's Shapely Tank class. I'm going to use the pale olive silk that I bought at School Products in New York. Here's the swatch:

The gauge is perfect. Too bad I'm using shitty Susan Bates circs, but they are the only US 6s I have. I'm afraid the rough joins will damage the yarn. I may buy KnitPicks new circs that everyone's talking about and switch mid-project. Hope that won't mess up the gauge. Any comments about changing needles mid-project?

In the meantime, I'm knitting a baby kimono, burp cloth, and bib from Mason-Dixon Knitting for a colleague. Pictures will follow. The baby is due in September. I'm pleased that I will have finished knitted gifts before the baby is born, for once.

I'm thinking about about buying this unit for yarn storage from Grandin Road.

It's black, and most of my furniture is cherry, but I may buy a section or two anyway.

Thank you all for your kind comments about Soleil!