FINISHED!

Cable Luxe Side
Originally uploaded by wzrdreams

The end of the project kind of snuck up on me in the last hour. I started to get a sick kind of roller coaster feeling as I was binding off... a combination of excitement and nerves. Then it took me most of yesterday afternoon to sew it all up neatly.

I love it! Cozy and warm and it fits me better than any other sweater I own. I'm glad I like it because I've been knitting this thing since OCTOBER, and that's a long time to find out if a knit makes you happy or not.

As happy as I am with the results, I can't help but analyze the silhouette of it in comparison to the Pringle of Scotland sweater that it is inspired by. I've had the picture (grabbed from NewYorkMinknit) as my desktop image for 5 months now as motivation and I am so very tempted now to knit another one, in a bulky yarn with the exaggerated swing shaping and more accurate cables. Knowing what I know now, and using a bulkier yarn it would go much faster. Tempting, but I think I'll hold off on that idea until next fall.

First Try-On

First Try-On
Originally uploaded by wzrdreams

The thing about knitting that I don't like, is that you have to commit yourself to the project before you can ever try it on. Luckily, if you don't like it you can always rip it out and reclaim the yarn (not so with sewing... ask me how I know this and you will hear a sad story about crepe backed silk satin by BF got me in Como) BYGONES. ANYWAY. It appears that the cable Luxe Tunic will fit me in the way I was hoping. Now all that is left is the sleeves. I am dragging it out though because I will miss knitting this sweater when it is over (I mean, done). Reaching this point of success has also given me license to cast on for 2 (yes TWO) lace projects which I am currently cheating on the CLT with.

CLT Back Blocked

CLT Back Blocked
Originally uploaded by wzrdreams

I blocked the back, and as one can see, the shape has relaxed a lot and this pleases me very much. It did grow 2 inches longer then necessary, so when I finish the front (sooooon) I will likely rip back a bit.

Cable Luxe Back Progress

Cable Luxe Back Progress
Originally uploaded by wzrdreams

I just bound off the back and I think I'm going to like it! Now on to the front. I really need to pick up the pace on this so I can wear while it's still freezing.

Note to self (or likewise interested knitters): I bound off on the RS, in pattern (rib), purling the slipped stitches.

Cable Luxe Tunic Update!

CLT WIP Side
Originally uploaded by wzrdreams

So this is were I was yesterday. Then I ripped back about 6 inches and eliminated the last round of increases. I also added 1 purl stitch before that last cable at the edge so the spacing would match the ther purl sections. As of this morning I am past this point again. I love knitting this thing! It's not boring and not hard to keep track of the cable rows. Because I am knitting the pieces flat from the yoke my rapid progress is very visible. If I had knit this in the round (as many of the other people in the KAL are doing) I know my progress would appear more slow. Normally I love in the round construction, but this time I am glad I'm not monkeying with the pattern (too much). I have about 6 more inches to go on the back piece before I start on the front or sleeves.

Luxe Cable Progress

CLT Yoke Front
Originally uploaded by wzrdreams

Well there it is! Picking up the stitches wasn't as annoying as I thought it would be. All the angst was wasted on procrastination. Once my stitches were picked up an a satisfying manner it was another hour of idle tv watching and the yoke was done!

Picture of the back seam is here.

CableLuxeYoke2

CableLuxeYoke2
Originally uploaded by wzrdreams

Yup, I like the second version better (on the right).
My plan was to graft the CB seam together, but that turned out to be confusing and beyond my skills, so I cast off the end and used the tail at the beginning to graft the provisional CO live stitches to the bound off edge. It's neat enough and the seam isn't bulky or ugly. Why didn't I take a picture of that? Oh well.... later.

Now I have to pick up the garter yoke stitches. I'm not especially looking forward to it. I've tried a few times already with unsatisfactory results.... but it's the weekend so I'm going to dedicate some quiet attention to it.

Current WIP

I am so so so very happy about the results of the election!

But so is everyone and there is knitterly stuff to talk about so I'll skip it.

First, some obligatory Rhinebeck pics. I mostly took pictures of the animals because my hands were otherwise occupied in the yarn barns:

happy sheep

pretty trees

Nishanna, Shannon, Me, and Laura

It was mad fun. I wish it had lasted longer. We'd been planning that trip since our knitting group started meeting last December. I didn't go crazy with the purchases... I made it out of there with 1000 yards of Mohair, 3 skeins of fingering weight merino, 1.5 oz of roving (BUT I DON'T SPIN!!), a leather handle, a bag of Maple cotton candy and $15 worth of goat cheese. We went to the Ravelry party afterwards & met up with some of our other Brooklyn friends, made some knew acquaintances and ate Bob cupcakes. I also stalked a version of my current WIP....

My Current Wip:

I'm working on the Cable Luxe Tunic from Lion Brand. This is the yoke. I knit 19 repeats which gave me 45" unblocked, 53" blocked. Ripped back 2 repeats to get to the necessary 47" (size M). BUT - as much as this looks like the pattern picture, it bothers me that it doesn't look like the cable used on the yoke of the maxi version. This version has a right/left. The maxi version is more symmetrical. This bothers me more than it should and I'm contemplating starting over again. Gggrrrrrr! If I do start over, I could start with a provisional cast on and graft the center back seams together.... knitting buddy Eve's suggestion. What would you do?