Alpaca Cardigan

Goal #1 for 2008: Learn how to make a sweater without a pattern using my own measurements and swatches.

Name of Project: Alpaca Sweater
Yarn: Superfine Alpaca
Yardage: approx 1200 yards
Yarn Source: Common Threads
Needles: Size US 4 (3.5 mm) Knit Picks interchangeables
Estimated Time to Complete Project: 3 months, including the month when it was in time-out
Pattern Notes: See below

I was keeping a look out for books or classes when I saw the four session class at Common Threads. It started on March 15 with measurements, and we learned how to take them and where. From there we took our measurements and gauge and figured out the math.

I used my measurements and did the math exactly to make a slim, close-fitting sweater. I started at the hips, decreased for the waist, increased again for the bust, then finished off with the armhole. Then I did a 3-needle bind-off for the shoulders.
One of the things I really wanted to learn was how to do a short-row sleeve cap in the round. I didn't understand how it worked. So I asked and was shown how to do the math. It seemed so easy at the time, and my sleeves turned out perfectly! Unfortunately since that was over a month ago, I have not been able to repeat the process of figuring out the math on my own. I know the idea is to work the math as if you were figuring out a sleeve cap decrease. Then you turn it around, and use it in the short rows. I've since tried it again and can't even remember how to figure out the basic sleeve cap. So it'll seem I'll be back in the classroom, but at least I know it's possible.

A little snag I hit was when I tried my sweater on, and realized that since I had put all of the decreases for the waist on the sides, I had a weird little pointy flair on each side of my hip that stood out. See picture above (think horseback riding pants). My idea was to tuck in the little points and sew them into the seams. I SHOULD have gone with my instinct because here's what happened instead...

The other option, which was deemed the CORRECT option from the other students in the class, was to cut off the bottom of the sweater where the waist shaping ended, pick up the stitches, and knit downward. I don't mind a challenge but I felt like I had already done all the learning I wanted to on this sweater and didn't want to learn how to cut up my knitting. My lack of confidence won over and instead of sleeping on it, I cut off the bottom of my sweater.

I undid the seams, wound up the balls of yarn that I unraveled, picked up the stitches and started again. Or thought about starting again. I actually didn't knit a stitch on this sweater, or anything else for that matter, for the following two weeks after this incidence. It was the longest I think I've gone since I started knitting without even thinking about it. Talk about avoidance. Now that it is completely finished, I feel excited about my other projects again. May was a crazy month and I'm really glad it's over.

When I finally finished the bottom, I tried it on and it fit okay. The flairs are gone. But there is too much bagginess underneath my arms in the sweater. Not in the sleeves, but in the body. And it just didn't fit the same after I cut off the bottom.

Here is the final blocking.

So it didn't turn out exactly how I had envisioned it, but it is so soft and does fit mostly. Nancy was such a kind and patient teacher, no discouragement about trying things that were probably a little over my head for my first sweater with no pattern. She just said, "sure, we can figure that out if you want to try it." Which is exactly what I look for in a teacher. I don't like to be told something is too advanced for me, even if I have to learn slower and it takes longer to figure out.

The final little note that kind of bummed me out was that my husband said it didn't look like me. He said maybe if it were pink yarn. Which I can see because most of the things I make are a little more colorful, but hey, who knows any pink alpacas?

Central Park Hoodie

I'm an official member of CPH.
Name of Project: Central Park Hoodie by Heather Lodinsky
Yarn: Peace Fleece, color - Mir Atlantis Periwinkle
Yardage: 6 hanks for size 36
Needles: Size US 4 (3.5 mm) and US 6 (4.0 mm) Knit Picks circulars
Estimated Time to Complete Project: 2 months
Modifications: The first thing I changed was instead of working all of the pieces separately, I made the body all in one piece. Then I split off for the armholes and the fronts. I can't accurately describe all of the changes I made, since I veered off from the pattern somewhere. All I remember is noticing that the front cables weren't lining up with the ribbing, so I dropped them down to the ribbing and knitted them back up. It probably didn't save me a whole lot of time (as opposed to ripping it all back), but I just wanted to see if I could do it. It was kind of neat!

I worked the sleeves in the round on two circulars at the same time.

Here's what it looked like before the hood and button band.
I learned about button bands when I picked up the stitches for this. If you pick up in every stitch, then the button band will pucker and ruffle. The general rule of thumb is to pick up 2 stitches for every 3. If you want to be more specific, then you can use your gauge. If you have 5 stitches/inch and 7 rows/inch, then pick up 5 stitches for every 7.

And here it is before the sleeves.
One of the things I learned while doing this project was how hard it is to pick out buttons. I didn't realize that it was going to be so hard to make the decision. Many hours and opinions later, the silver ones won out.

It has been very convenient that I'm taking classes to make my Alpaca sweater at the same time I'm finishing my Central Park Hoodie. It's helped me learn a lot about the different ways to do things. I've found a wonderful (and patient) teacher whose helped me understand what the outcomes are, and has helped me learn a lot about sweater construction. I'm going to pick up for the sleeves and do a short row sleeve cap and work my way down to the wrists. It all works out on paper so I just have to get started.

Last Thursday was a momentous occasion down at the Grove. I got together with Cupcake and ItShe to celebrate Bobmas Eve, the anniversary of the start of Ravelry.com.

Here's the three of us, ItShe is in the middle. I think she thought she had cupcake in her teeth or something, but I don't know why. Cupcake made the best cupcakes ever. Here was mine.

Afterwards we went for pizza and beer. My kind of night!

Pacapoo

Today I got to check out the International Alpaca Odyssey at the Del Mar Fairgrounds. I wasn't quite sure what to expect because I've never actually seen an alpaca in person. Only in pictures. I went with My Best B and family in tow.
Their little faces are so cute and their fleece looks so soft that I can understand why people fall in love with them and buy ranches so they can keep a few. I think I'm going to. I would have a few in each color.
They seemed especially interested in the kids, but didn't really give us the time of day.
I can say that I was expecting it to be a little more. I wasn't sure if all of the different colors of alpaca were represented and there wasn't really anybody hanging around to enlighten us on the animals. It looked like they had already started packing up and leaving, even though we got there right when they opened. I'm not sure how that worked though because there was still judging going on in a pen outside. So maybe next year I'll try to go on Friday or Saturday.
Even though I didn't buy an alpaca, I did take this cute little black alpaca finger puppet home.
I thought it appropriate that this Saturday, I started my Alpaca Sweater in the first session of my sweater class down at Common Threads. First we took our measurements, then decided on the shape and design of our sweater, and figured out the math. I had decided to do a cardigan that had some shaping but was not necessarily fitted. I want to wear it over a shirt and not have it be tight. So of course it meant that I had more math to do, but I have faith in the process that I'm being led in. I am so in love with the yarn. It's so soft and the fabric I'm knitting is so light and airy. I'm thinking I may need to re-think my wardrobe so I can wear it everyday. Of course I said that about all of the red socks I've made too. But when you make something good, you want to wear it all the time!

I am almost done with the Big Basin socks too. I tried them on Son #1 tonight and they are a little long in the foot but I think it may work out. This time I may have caught his feet ahead of the curve and he really likes them. So all I have to do is bind off and they're his. They are just a little too snug for my feet and they look cuter on him anyway.

This was a really cute purse My Best B surprised me with when I met up with her at the sweater class on Saturday. She saw it and knew I would love it so she bought it for me. If that wasn't enough, there was a beautiful hank of Mountain Colors inside. It's different shades of green and I needed the yarn for a design I have in mind for the sock contest I'm entering. So she'll get some props if the design wins. It gave me the opportunity to photograph my second Unoriginal Hat I made back in January but never took pictures of.

Pacapoo was a personalized license plate we saw on the way back to the car from the Alpaca fair. I thought it fitting for a blog title. :)

Big Projects

The spinning continues...
This is a sample of the new Mountain Colors roving that I was privileged to get a sneak preview of. It's about 3/4 of an ounce and 73 yards. I spun it into the thinnest single I could manage and then Navajo plied it for a 3-ply. And it still came out fingering weight. Oh yeah!

My local yarn store Common Threads is going to be carrying these rovings and I just can't wait to see what colors they get. My little skein came out so cute that I'm definitely going to get some more. I just love the colors and after it was washed and hung to dry, it actually softened up a little bit. Not that it was scratchy to begin with, but now it feels really nice.


I bought this Superfine Alpaca for the Make Your First Sweater class I'll be at next Saturday. I just have to do a couple of swatches to get a gauge that I like and then I'll be ready. This alpaca is so soft that I know my children are just going to want to hug me and cuddle with me, and I won't have to pin them down on the floor to kiss them. I have a Cardigan in mind, with sleeves that flare out a little at the wrists, is fitted at the waist and probably has a V-neck. We'll see how the process goes. I need to be measured and want to just soak up as much information I can about making my own sweater. I've made them from patterns but am very interested in learning how to make them using a yarn that I like with a gauge of my own. I could probably figure it using the trial-by-error method, but I like the idea of being walked through the process a lot better.

And now I would like to introduce, the Woolee Winder.
I ordered this early in February and have been waiting patiently for a month for it to arrive at my doorway. It automatically winds the bobbin for you when you spin so you don't have to stop and move the hook down the bobbin. I keep hearing about how helpful it is and how people who have used it have had much better results with their spinning. And my thoughts are, You're only as good as your tools.

So now I get to start my Sheep 2 Shoe kit I got from Blue Moon Fiber Arts.

So here's a list of upcoming projects:
Giselle
Alpaca Sweater - My First Sweater Class
Socks That Rock Shipment #2 (should be here very soon)
And the Socks That Rock Sheep 2 Shoe Kit

A lot of big projects happening for me and I'm very excited. It's just too much fun!