Swathe Victory

The buttons are not exactly what I wanted colorwise but they look very nice.  Over all I am happy with the sweater.  Of course in Texas, I'll only be able to wear this one or two days a year.  Just knitting it was hot and its wintertime.

I decreased on the Purl side:

Stockinette: Public Side:
K2tog - slant right
SSK - slant left
Reverse Stockinette: Public Side:
P2togtbl - slant right
P2tog - slant left
P2togtbl: Slip first stitch knitwise:
Slip this stitch back to left needle. Purl 2 stitches together through the back loop—to do this, you have to reach around behind your knitting and put the right needle through the second stitch first, then put it through the first stitch; purl the two stitches together from this position.

Swathe Buttons?

So I've come to halt on the Swathe.  Its done...except the buttons.  I've made three hats trying to figure out what to do about buttons. 

I looked in the stores, those buttons are...not what I wanted.  I thought I'd try the sculpey.  Making my own buttons it harder than it seems like it should be.  Hmmm.  I'm still working that one out. I've spent more money on trying to come up with something I like than if I'd had the buttons custom made by Tibetan monks.

I've even resorted to re-organizing my yarn (again) just to get my groove on. Its actually not organized as such.  Its more like not hanging out and/or all over the room and floor.

And I've read two books. These are children's books but they are really good.

I also made some prayer beads just to stay busy. 

I really need this whole Swathe button thing to resolve.../sigh.

Blocking the Swathe

I haven't really spent much time blocking anything.  I blocked a baby hat on a balloon.  That was fun and it turned out nice.  You can't really block acrylic, at least not like natural fibers. Wool on the other hand is amazing when blocked. This is my first large project to block: my Swathe (Rowan Winter Drift) sweater. It was curled up because it is all reverse stockinette.  It didn't seem possible that the pieces could lie flat.  Well, guess what?  They do!!!

Now if I could only get the thing put together right...

February, Knitters Repentance

So in the first month of the new year I managed to get off track and now its time to return to the straight and narrow (narrow being a relative term).  I did not finish my January project list because I took on 5 additional knitting projects (all done btw) and one crochet project (nearly done).  So I look at my list for January and see that I have at least two weeks of work to do. 

The Winter Drift Sweater-back completed:

The Mixed Media Sweater back is nearly completed:

Tami's baby blanket is 3/4 complete:

And last but not least, well, yes it is least, the one piece garter sweater is about half:

So all this January project stuff may lead you to ask, "What about February?"  Eeeep!  Well there's three things on that list:  Another sweater like the Mixed Media in Blue-Green and a Sweater for my youngest son.  And an afghan for the den sofa.  Which also leads me to the baby blanket above that I have found out is the wrong color!!! 

The baby colors are now purple and green:

So "focus, grasshopper!!!" and get to work!!!

The January Effect

I have noticed on all of the blogs I read that they all are concerned with unfinished projects. As a general rule, I am a good finisher, meaning I finish what I start at least 90% of the time.  But I noticed that I've started a good many projects lately that are un-done. 

I think this is what I call The January Effect.  We start the new year by clearing out the old.  Most of us are like that I think.  So in December, I had this frenzy of everything I wanted to do in 2011.  I had limited myself to four projects and guess what?  I not only started those four and had a great start, I started four other things. I made three hats and a pair of gloves.  I mean I started five, because I also started a crochet shrug.  I used to say crochet didn't count because its not knitting.  Who's fooling who?

The three hats and one pair of gloves are done, but the four main things I wanted to work on are in various stages of completion.  The Rowan Winter Drift sweater has a completed back. The "mixed media" sweater also has 95% of the back done.  The one piece garter sweater is actually pretty close to half way and the baby blanket is well past half. 

The main thing I wanted to accomplish in 2011 was to "knit-down" my inventory.  I came up with little plans to use up some of my excess stash.  And then I promptly went out (online mostly) and bought MORE!  Why did I buy more yarn?  This is the whiplash of The January Effect. I start thinking I can get all this done, I am so efficient.  I started knitting in June of 2010 and have made forty or more knitted items.  I am so conceited, lol.

So next month is February, Knitters Repentance.  I will turn from my "start a bunch a stuff" ways and bend low over the current in-progress and mend my ways.