princessdeia

Yarn: Elsebeth Lavold Classic AL in North Sea (Darker Blue) & Rooster Almerino DK in Sugared Almond.
Pattern: Hourglass Sweater from Last Minute Knitted Gifts .
Needles: 4.5 mm.
Notes: Well, I did finish this sweater in a month - even I am shocked. I loved this pattern, simple stocking stitch on the round on large-ish needles. I think my love of this sweater was doubled with the combination of my Addi Turbos and the lovely soft baby alpaca/merino yarn.
Modifications: I made the Medium (41) sized sweater for the body, but found the arms to be too wide, so I cast on the next side down for the sleeves, I also found the length of the arms to be way too long (about two inches). As mention on several blogs/boards, I had to add several more rows of decreasing, I am not sure how many I ended up doing, I just kept knitting and randomly trying it on until it fit.

1. Hourglass - Hem, 2. Hourglass - Side, 3. Hourglass - Raglan

Well, I am still working on the Hourglass Sweater, I have finished both sleeves and am now working on the raglan decreases - this should be finished by the weekend.

I have been thinking about my new year’s resolutions for next year - I think I need to stash-bust (it is getting a little silly, that I keep buying yarn). I also think I need to control my startitis for next year. I am need to become a two-project gal, I figure I will always need a small project for carrying around, a major project to potter on at home.

So last night before, starting this new exciting knitting life, I decided I needed to finish what is on the needles. Attack the projects hibernating the bottom of my knitting bag, finally weave the ends on the Entrelac Scarf, sew the sleeves on my Central Park Hoodie. I thought I would start with the Flower Basket Shawl.

Now, I loved this pattern, and I like the yarn - I just don’t think they would well together. I think the pattern will look better with a solid coloured yarn, as for the yarn because it looks like water I am thinking it will be better suited for a River Stole or Print O’ the Wave Stole. So I frogged it - one project down - five to go!

For months I was planning on knitting this sweater, if I am going to be honest, I think I planned on knitting this pattern soon after buying the book in New York way back in June 2005.

Now after a week of knitting I have nearly finished the first arm (I have a long knitting session planned tonight). I know this pattern is in the “Over Eight Hours” chapter of the book, but I thought that meant way more than eight hours, I think I have been knitting for around seven hours now.

I love this knitted on the round yoke type sweater, and I am already on the hunt for the next one to knit, I love the IK’s Equinox Yoke Pullover and Aftur (especially after seeing Lolly’s completed version), however I think that fair isle pattern is out of my league, so I think I will opt for Neiman, now begins the hunt for the right yarn.

I spent most of the weekend working on my Hourglass sweater, I have to say this is knitting up so quickly, I have finished all the decreases and increases on the sides, I was thinking of knitting this as part of NaKniSweMo, but thought I would never knit that quickly now I am having second thoughts - maybe I could have who knows. I think part of the joy of knitting this sweater (apart from it being knitted on the round) is the yarn. Both wools are so soft, I just love the feel on the yarn in my hands and also the knitted fabric.

Recently my new obsession has become knitted things for the home, I have had Erika Knight’s New Knits for a while and love most the patterns, and she is about to publish another book Glamour at Home, which I can’t wait to see. After hours of searching I have found several things I want to knit (Mason-Dixon’s Absorba Bath Mat, Mug and French Press Jacket and Reverse-Bloom Flower Washcloths), but I started off with these lovely Flower Scrubbies. I adapted the pattern a little, to cover one side to protect your hands whilst washing.

As well as being a showcase for all my present and past projects, it has helped me organised my stash and needles. But my favourite section has to be the “queue.” Of course I always have a list of planned projects - used receipts in knitting books, post it notes in magazines saved web pages and the odd scribbled note in the bottom of my knitting bag.

At the top of this list was always the Hourglass Sweater from LMKG, I got as far as buying the yarn for the project in the summer some Elsebeth Lavold Classic AL from Coldspring Mill. Before, I cast on the project I was checking out Ravelry (as you do), and discovered that you actually need more yarn than the project suggests, knowing I couldn’t get the same dye lot for this yarn, I decided to get another colour and add a few stripes to the sweater.

I then discovered it was almost impossible to get Elsebeth Lavold yarn in the U.K. so I asked the London Knitting Group for advice, I found out the Rooster Almerino Aran is a very similar yarn (50% Baby Alpaca wool and 50% Merino Wool), and comes in some amazing colours.

I managed to get the yarn in at Ally Pally, and now whilst ill in bed this week, I finally got around to casting this project on. For the hem, I used the provisional crochet chain cast on, and folded hem, similar to what you would use for a Picot Hem, done with the Almerino Aran and then changed to the Classic Al for the main body.