exciting knitting news!

    I'm so excited! Last night, the practice sweater body came off the needles! Unbelievable! It was very satisfying. The next step is to find the smaller needles, and pick up the stitches around the neckline, to start the collar.

    Of course, the first thing I did, after it came off, was to try it on, It fit me! It was snugger than I like, but I was thrilled I could get it on at all. After the collar, then I can tackle the sleeves. I will need to buy more of the blue yarn for that, I'm almost out already! I thought I had more, but I couldn't find it in my stash.

At Last! Sweater Photos!

    Today I present to you the progress report on the practice sweater, complete with photos! I managed to do the whole top with hardly any mistakes. When I got to the part where I was supposed to take the sleeve stitches off, I counted all the stitches, since a stitch count is mentioned in the pattern. I was only one stitch short in the back! I must have missed an increase somewhere. One stitch off isn't bad!!


    So here is how the sweater looks now:

    You can see where the sleeves will go, and the V neck!  It's starting to look like a sweater now. Here is another look, a little closer.

    I will keep going on this one until I run out of yarn. Then I will probably add a second color to finish it. I just want to finish it, I don't really care if it fits anyone, or if anyone likes it or not. If someone does want it, and it fits them, they shall have it.


    Now I think I can start thinking about what yarn I want for my own sweater!

I Think I Got It.....

    I don't want to jinx myself (too late!), but, I think I got it. The sweater pattern, that is. I managed to create a little chart for myself that indicates how many rows of each kind of increase there are to be done, and I just tick off with a pencil when each is done.


    I bet that sounds simple to you, but for me it was monumental. That I could figure it out at all is amazing to me. As my good knitting friend said, "You must really want that sweater very badly!" She says that's how she got most of her knitting skills, by wanting something badly enough to learn the new skill. I'm sure I drove her nuts last night at Karate, as well as this morning at Stitch n Bitch, by how excited I was. And I still am!


    I am now confident enough to forgo the whole "make one of cheap acrylic first" thing, and go right for the good wool. Unless I've annoyed the Knitting Goddess with my boastfulness. Which is entirely possible.


    I'm going to continue to knit the yoke of the sweater for practice, just to make absolutely certain. I am not going to take photos of the practice yoke. It would entail me pinning it to the carpet, because it's all rolled up. BUT it is awesome, and you can easily make out where the V-neck is, as well as the sleeves. Who kows - if I can find enough of the practice yarn, I may very well continue on it, just to see what it looks like. There must be someone in my life that it would fit. I made it a smaller size than the one I would make for myself.


    And YES, Sara, I am still working on the Gamer Gloves! One is almost ready for a progress fitting.


   I know, I know, I screwed myself with this post. Now I will have pissed off the Knitting Goddess for sure, and she will punish me for my boastfulness. But I GOT IT!!