Sew Wrong

On The Needles: Knit Night Cardigan

whole wheat WIP

I love my Wednesday night knitting group.  We’ve been meeting at our local Panera Bread every week since last August and I’ve gotta say, it’s a great group of girls.  Some of us are new to knitting, have been knitting for years, work in super smart science/tech jobs, but we all share a love for the craft and gathering to trade ideas and get inspiration.  Forming this group initially on Meetup.org is one of the best things I’ve done since moving to the city – I’m so glad we all met!

I’m calling this cardigan my “Knit Night Cardigan” since the yarn I’m using for this project was purchased at a LYS using a gift card that the girls chipped in and gave me as a thank you for starting the group – they’re the sweetest!  (Funny enough, the LYS is across the street from where we meet and they have a knitting group that meets every Wednesday as well.  And there’s a bookstore in the shopping center where we meet that has a Wednesday night knitting group.  Wednesday is a knitting night I guess!)  I’m using Sublime Yarns Baby Cashmere Merino Silk DK, which has such a nice feel and stitch definition, but it’s a little on the splitty side if you’re not careful and paying attention to your knitting.

I’m really enjoying the knitting on this project, which is originally called the Whole Wheat Cardigan by Alexandra Charlotte Dafoe.  It’s not mind-numbing stockinette and it’s not overly complicated that I can’t talk while I’m working on it.  The above picture is my progress so far on the back, but I’m actually further along than what you can see above.  I’m right at where the neck shaping takes place, and then it’s time to bind off and start the fronts.

And yes, this really is a shockingly loud pink yarn.  Perfect for all of those black and white dresses and tops I’ve been sewing!

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On My Cutting Table: Simplicity 2369

WIP - Simplicity 2369


This pattern is one of two patterns that I’m trying this month in an attempt to master a style that alludes me: the surplice top/wrap dress.  To this day I have not been able to find a dress or top, be it in RTW or a sewing pattern, that fits my bust.  The gaping, the droopiness, the excess fabric – I shall conquer it this month.  And it’s so far so good with Simplicity 2369.

This tunic is the start of a conscious effort to start sewing more separates, and I’m happy with how well the test garment turned out (above).  The neckline is going to be pretty low, but I don’t think I’ll have any gaping issues from what I can tell (otherwise I’d try this).  Based on what I’ve read about this pattern on Pattern Review, I’m going to try using clear elastic to stabilize the neckline instead of using a facing.  I figured it would be best to start with the tunic version of this pattern and if all goes well, I’ll definitely make the dress version at a later time.

Yesterday I also cut out and made the pants from this pattern that will go with the top.  I should have tried them on before I trimmed the allowances since I could have done with a little letting out of the side seams at the thighs – I have “frown lines,” an indicator that there isn’t enough room for my thighs in the front.  But I didn’t adjust it and I have some frowny-ness going on and I’m ok with that.  I tried the test tunic on with the pants and it’ll cover that area, so no one will know about it but me.  I also had to crop about two inches off of the top of the pants since I’m not 85 and I don’t like my pants to hit right at my rib cage – why is it so hard to find pants patterns that have a modern fit?  Now that they hit about an inch bellow my belly button, they are the comfiest pants in the world: almost like PJ’s but sewn out of a knit fabric that is socially acceptable to wear in public.

What’s on your cutting table this week?

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Sweater Update

Knitting is not something that I can accomplish quickly – there are times that I think I’m the world’s slowest knitter.  Part of this is due to the fact that two years ago I started getting an RSI, or a Repetitive Stress Injury, from an all-day knitting session.  I didn’t knit for about eight months after it happened, and I had to gradually ease back into knitting when I picked it up again: 10 minutes here and there at the most.  Now I knit for about 20 minutes and take a break, and am able to knit for longer periods of time.  I can’t knit on any needles smaller than US 7 unfortunately, which is really a shame since so many sweaters with nice drape and detail are on smaller needles than that.  The strain from me holding those tiny needles is just too much and causes my wrists to swell up.  Bummer.

So I guess that’s my preamble for how I’ve been doing with my two on-going projects.  I’ll first reintroduce my Debbie Bliss Cable Capelet, which I started in December 2010.

Debbie Bliss Capelet WIP

I was stuck trying to figure out how to work my Leaflet sweater properly and needed something to take with me to Knitting Night a few weeks ago, so I picked up this lovely and fuzzy capelet after a spring and summer hibernation to work on again.  Boy, does the bunny in this angora blend shed like mad!  It’s slow going with this one, but I love to work the cables, and I figured by the time I completed this it would be the appropriate time of year to wear it.  I’m about 50% of the way complete with the body of the capelet since it wraps around my shoulders and is starting to cover my back.  Hmm, possibly foreseeing some matching boot toppers to wear with this as well…

Leaflet WIP

Leaflet is so close to being finished!  I was hoping I’d make my October 1 deadline for the Sexy Knitters Knit-along on Ravelry, but I got stumped trying to figure out how to make the underarm stitch pickup look nice, plus this other thing called “work” and “extra hours” got in the way.  Right now I’m picking up the stitches around the neck and knitting the ribbing.  That’s it, I’ll be done then!  I’m hoping that when I block it, the leaves will lay flatter than they do right now, since where the middle rib starts, a bubble forms and sticks out.  Blocking does cure all ill-stitched stitches, so I’m hoping it will fix this as well.
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I really should be packing, but…

Leaflet WIP


I just can’t even begin to think about all the packing I have to do in preparation for moving at the end of the month. Granted I just have a bedroom in a Philadelphia style house and I’m only moving three minutes away to another apartment, but I have stuff.

Like, a lot of stuff.
I previously furnished a one bedroom apartment almost all by myself for my first two years in MA, but things happened and I’ve been subletting in the city for the past five months. I crammed just about all of my furniture in my room, my couch is down in the living room (the four boys I live with love it), and all of my pots, pans, dishes, and spices are in the kitchen. Not to mention I have all of my clothes, books, yarn, fabric…the list goes on. This will be my fourth move in the past three years, and I’m just tired of doing so. I guess you could say I’ve become an expert on moving.
So instead of packing, I’ve been making progress on my Leaflet. I brought it to work on at Pints and Purls at Gather Here in Cambridge the other night and knitted to the point where you divide for the sleeves. I’m right now just about half way through the second of three leaves, which are so fun to see materialize throughout the process. The Boyfriend is always watching me knit this when we’re on the couch in front of the TV and I think he likes to see the leaves form as I knit, too. He was even suggesting the other night on how I could have mixed up the leaves, making each one look different. How can you not love a guy who is actually interested in what you’re making?

Leaflet WIP


One thing I’ve noticed about this sweater on Ravelry is that, in my opinion, the sweaters made in the Osprey yarn look better/nicer than sweaters made from other yarns. Like I said, just my opinion, but it’s almost as if this sweater was made for this yarn. I had difficulties getting gauge when I tried using a different yarn than the one recommended and when using this yarn I can see why – it’s a yarn between a worsted and a bulky, and I really can’t think of another yarn that looks like this. So when sweaters are made from worsted yarn on 10US needles, the look is much more open and loose. I’m so happy I went with this yarn and colorway, plus it’s a dream to knit with. Plus, I’m certain at the rate I’m knitting that this will be done just in time for cool weather to set in. Which is not that far off in New England…

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Grape Ape


Cowl Pullover WIP

I’m convinced I’m having a purple moment. Whether it be new clothes for fall or yarn for upcoming projects, purple has been my color of choice. Just a few weeks ago, I purchased a knit jersey robe to bum around the apartment in – it’s lighter weight than my fluffy red robe I wear in the winter time. So I’m wearing my robe, sitting on my couch knitting my new sweater (above), and I look down and notice that the color of my robe exactly matches the yarn I’m working with. Purple isn’t even my favorite color, green is! Yet when I look at my notebook on Ravelry, the majority of my projects are some sort of purpley color. Only two are green.

So yeah, really groovin’ with the purple right now. I was getting a bit bored with the back-and-forth of my cardi and wanted something of the instant gratification variety since it feels like I’m not making much progress on it, so this mohair sweater on size 13 and 15 needles seemed to fit the bill. I think I’m going to look like one big fuzzy purple muppet when I’m done.
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