WIP Summer Knitting

Major progress has been made on my Summer Lace Sweater. I did choose to switch up the colors and make it trendy with color blocking. I saw a cardigan at Target a while back that I fell in love with but couldn't see myself spending any amount of money on a sweater I could make myself with yarn I have in my stash. The Target sweater was the inspiration for my color choices on this summer sweater. It didn't hurt that I was threatening to run out of the original color before the sweater was finished.

Color blocking

I also had to tear a little bit of it out because I was off on my stitch count and couldn't figure out where. It was my own mistake, which I blame on the lack of oxygen that can enter my body due to congestion and lack of sleep due to that same congestion.

mint and white

Sexy Summer Knitting

There aren't that many sweaters that you can knit in the summer that are fashion forward. That's where Allyson stepped in to change that. She has been designing patters for a great cause, Work+Shelter. This is a project that helps provide women in India a safe place to live and a means to sustain their own life. She has created some beautiful pieces.

There was one pattern I completely fell in love with as soon as I saw it. The Lace Sweaters pattern was gorgeous, to say the least. 8 days ago, I decided to cast on my very own summer lace sweater. I did do things a bit differently, though. I decided to use up some of the yarn that is collecting in my basement. The yarn I had in mind wasn't quite the weight the pattern called for. It's left over from a baby blanket I knit back in January of 2010, for Caitlin's son. I was actually really bored with the color when knitting the blanket/bootie set, but thought that it would go great with my hair color. The color is called Mint Charm from Baby Bee yarn, which I bought from Hobby Lobby.

When casting on the 20th, I followed the directions to the letter, including the part about being careful not to twist when joining in the round. It was perfect, until I thought it was twisted and "untwisted" when moving on to round number 2. However, much to my dismay, I actually twisted it! I studied it for about 20 minutes, trying to figure out a way to avoid tearing out the 1+ inches of knitted sweater. After deciding there was no way to fix it, and knowing this before studying it in the first place, I sadly tore it out. I then started casting on again and misjudged my length and didn't leave enough yarn for the stitches. Not once, but twice. Defeated, I headed to bed and decided to try again in the morning.

After some much needed, but very little, sleep, I cast on the stitches needed to start my sweater. I am happy to report that there isn't any twisting going on this time around and I am past where I was before all the deconstruction commensed. It's knitting up quite beautifully but I am afraid that I may run out of the mint yarn before I finish. This got me thinking on color blocking (much like Allyson did with her own Summer Lace Sweater). We may be playing around with some additional colors (I'm thinking a middle set of white and then finishing in a Navy).

FO Delancey #1

This week was an extremely busy week. Knitting wise, it was busy but with only two projects. Both of which were Delancey cardigans. Both of which are finished! I was invited into the Sweatshop of Love's fourth knit along by my sister Allyson; the third in which I have participated. When we voted on the sweater to knit with our last knit along, I voted for the Delancey. We knitted the Aidez sweater, but I really had my eyes on this baby. It was the second place winner, so it was chosen for this knit along.

DELANCEY FINISHED

I loved knitting this sweater! The construction of it was so unique and turned out so amazingly. It was also my first time knitting a sweater using ALL Knit Picks yarn. I again felt spoiled knitting with such great yarn. The color is so rich and the yarn itself is so flexible.

Diagonal stripes

I knit this using Knit Picks DK Swish yarn in Garnet Heather and Brave Sport in Dove Heather. I was unsure of how much I would like this sweater when I initially started, but the further along I got, the more I loved it. I have yet to block this sweater (as we all know, my favorite part) but it fits pretty well as it is. I need to block it in order to lengthen the sleeves a tad bit and get the collar to stay folded down. Im completely loving this sweater! I will share the sister sweater for my sister later this week.

Back of the sweater

KAL Delancey

We are about to enter week 3 of our knit-along with the Sweatshop of Love. Allyson chose the Delancey Cardigan, which I posted about earlier this year. I chose to knit this sweater in Knit Picks Swish DK in Garnet Heather as the main color and Knit Picks Brava Sport in Dove Heather as my striping color.

Garnet Heather

Dove Heather

I have been making some great progress on this sweater (especially since I am also in the progress of knitting a blanket, hat, soakers, and 2 other sweaters). This first week, I exceeded the goal because I was unsure of my color choices once I got them on the needles.

Week 1

 I FINALLY decided I loved the color choice after this weeks goal was reached (or almost reached). I have completed 98 of 108 rows of this sweater (the goal for this week). This sweater has an amazing construction and I am having a ton of fun knitting it, even though the stitch is entirely Stockinette Stitch.

Week 2

I am dying to finish this thing already because the finished pictures look great on Ravelry! My mother-in-law and Allyson have chosen some great colors as well! Check out The Sweatshop of Love's blog for their and other's sweater progress