Hmm...

Well I didn't make it however, in a last ditch effort I am going to knit a few hours before taking progress pictures to share tomorrow.
I have LOVED knitting this sweater and will keep working on it through April!
Anyone else close?

Done!

This sweater is now officially done, but it didn't get this way without its share of knitting pains. The instructions were about as clear as mud and there were numerical errors. I would not recommend this pattern to someone without extensive knitting experience. On the other hand the cable patterns were easily memorized if somewhat unconventional (the smaller cable and part of the larger one is executed from the wrong side, something I've never encountered before). I did my share of tweaking to this pattern, starting with a different yarn, and therefore a different gauge. Not a major issue, as I simply ended up knitting a smaller size (once I realized that just because the gauge on the ball band matched the required one by the pattern didn't necessarily make it so!) Instead of short rows at the shoulders, I shaped them by casting off in sets of four stitches at the beginning of each row and working a k2tog and the end of each row to create a smooth contour. I cast off the band on one side but kept knitting the band on the other side once the shoulder stitches were cast off to create the neck band. I sewed the band to the sweater as I went along to get the right length and attached it to the other side. This turned out much nicer than my attempt to knit the back of the neck band as written. Because I was worried about running out of yarn, I worked a provisional cast on for the sleeves and once the body was done I simply worked the sleeves down until I ran out of yarn (I had tried to calculate the yarn required for the final cast off but ran out half way through the second sleeve and had to rip back a row of seed stitch on both sleeves to be able to finish the cast off). This is all that's left of the yarn after I finished all the seaming! Talk about stash busting. Now the sweater is going for a nice swim in some Eucalan and a blocking. Final picture once it dries.

Thanks for another great month of Madness, Michelle!

Almost!

Just have the underarm stitches to kitchener in the morning! Yeay!

Maybe

Stupid short rows. Or more likely my ineptitude. Short rows and I don't get along, never have. It's a hate/hate relationship. I had to rip out 2 hours' worth of knitting late last night after taking a look at my very wonky short row-shaped shoulders. Yikes. I refused to photograph the disaster. So far today I've avoided touching the sweater in case it spontaineously combusts. I will tackle those shoulders today and hope they turn out less freakish with my standard shoulder decreases. Then just to knit the rest of the sleeves until I run out of yarn. How are the rest of you doing?

Not going to happen

Well -

I managed to get out of Afghanistan on a Space-A flight on the 18th. That meant that I had limited ability to haul stuff with me. The knitting went in my last box which I will get from the APO today.

Guess there is not a prayer that I am going to be able to get this puppy finished...

Next year!

How did I get here?

I can't believe it's March 22. I thought I would have this thing practically done by now. The truth is, my knitting mojo has deserted me right when I needed it the most.
I've been reading instead. I don't know how it happened - I mean, I read for work all day, the last thing you'd think I'd want to read would be more literature. But someone loaned me the biography of Lucy Maud Montgomery that came out a couple of years ago, and I zipped through that. Then I got the new one on Mordecai Richler, and I am working my way through that, too. What the heck is WRONG with me this month?
I have 12 inches of the body of my blue sweater done now. I am trying to get my knitting mojo back....Darn books anyway.

Getting There

I finished the lower body. I'm about to start the sleeves, but I will do a provisional cast on and only knit a small section on each one before attaching it to the body and finishing the body first. The amount of yarn may become an issue and I'd rather end up with short sleeves than an unfinished body. Here goes nothing.

Progress check!

Less than 2 weeks left??? Is it just me or is March missing some days this year?
Well I have about 8 inches of the body done and am working hard at motoring along. How is everyone else doing?

Half Way Through March?

How can that be? Yikes!

Well, gauge did not like me snubbing my nose in its general direction and so with two balls knit and at about 3.75", I had to rip right back to the beginning and restart--two sizes smaller! Story of my life. I recall another sweater with a similar fate. I'm on track now. I don't dare measure to prove myself delusional. I've finished one waistband chart (4 rows) and will evaluate after one more. This photo represents 19cm (7.5") of knitting. This is the side view.

Finally!

I have finally mastered the set up row of this dang sweater!! i can't tell you how many times I had to rip it back and re knit. The sweater is written in pieces but I wanted to knit it in the round which didn't seem like a big issue, but geez did it ever give me a hard time.
I am now on my way with the sweater finally. Maybe this will have to be March/April sweater madness for me!

I'm in the race!

Well, not really.  I started this sweater a few months ago, so I'm not going for the prize.  That would make me a big fat cheater pants.  Here's what I'm doing:

This is the pattern photo - Ysolda's Coraline Sweater.  I did not get permission to post this picture but it's the photo on the pattern I purchased.  But if you're interested in the pattern, here is the link to where you can purchase it.

Here is the start to my own version.  I'm not too hip on the color.  Bummer.  But I have the yarn and there is no stopping now.  It's a copper penny color.  I don't know why I picked it.  What mood was I in?  Hmmmm.  Anyway, I am almost onto the next section which I'm looking forward to since the endless stockinette stitch on size 4 needles is getting tedious.

I would knit 500 miles

So, I have almost 4 inches of ribbing! I also have had limited knitting time but comfort myself with the fact that I am knitting the whole sweater in the round.



The yarn is handspun and I'm totally in love with it. I am expecting that once I get to the actual pattern it will move a little faster. soooooo excited to be done the ribbing soon!

Barely Started

Well - here it is the 11th of March and I am barely started. I have only the yarn for this one sweater here, so it is not like I can change my mind and move on to something else.

The particular Sweater is Dacapo (Hanne Falkenberg) and there are two challenges (well actually three). First the instructions are in Danish so there is that challenge. The second is ... 3mm needles and garter stitch. The final is that I have been on the road for the last several days in places where it has been too filthy to knit. Not exactly worried about the Burgundy or Navy, but cream just does not hold up well to dust and grimy hands.

At least I can show you yarn and part of the back-

Maybe....

Maybe a sweater vest is a cop-out...but at least it's a men's sweater vest!  All of a sudden, I have a lot going in my life.  I've been unemployed for 6 months.  Out of nowhere I'm looking at three offers in less than a week.  I spent a lot of the last week interviewing.  I've also been teaching classes and doing a lot of pattern development for a local yarn artist and a lys.  I have half of the sweater vest done.  Both my cameras are dead and I've yet to put them to charge.  I'll post pics soon.  Casting on for the other half soon.

After a Week

This is all I have to show: That's only the band and set up row, one ball worth. I'm already starting to worry that I may not have enough yarn and if that turns out to be the case this could turn into a vest or a short-sleeved cardi. After all, this is a stash busting project for me.

How are the rest of you making out?

Third try lucky

Well......
I cast on my sweater the other day, but realized quickly that a knitted hem was not what I was looking for. I love the look of them, but hate wearing them - they flip up and they generally annoy me. So I ripped. Then cast on again with 2x2 rib. Only to realize 6 rows in that I had twisted it. I never do that!
Third time seems to be the charm, but I am wondering if this sweater is cursed? :)

Welcome to March!

Did you all cast on yet? I'm planning on casting on tonight. Throwing caution to the wind by not knitting a swatch. But having just said that, I expect to regret my choice.