Day 31 - At Last

It's almost all over but the crying.  I'm making the final push on my sweater. It's impossible highly unlikely that I will get done in the last 10 hours that remains in this Madness, but I'm actually knitting so anything could happen.  I'm working on the back section and then there are still the sleeves.  Sigh.  Maybe if I had been a bit more committed..

Toni, your sweater is looking great.  I can't wait to see the finished product!

Tina is still working on her sleeves and I will bully encourage her until she has a finished sweater, whenever that may be.

How are you doing, RobinH? We haven't heard from Ms. Packratt in a while either.

Keep knitting, Ladies.

Day 29 - Toni

The fronts are at the sleeve decreases:

so with the back and the sleeve cuffs done I think I'm about 60% done.  Sleeves always take MUCH longer than I thought, but the sleeves on this one will be knit up from the cuffs, which are fairly long, so I only have about 3/4 of each sleeve to do.  Maybe not by the end of the month, but maybe at least the two fronts done by then?  That's possible...................I think............

The Winner

Diana's hoodie in all its glory.

Congratulations!

For the record, her sweater totally guilted me into working on mine.

DAY 27 Brings A Winner!

Congratulations to Diana on her finished hoodie!  A picture is up on the Facebook page.

After a late start, some pattern modifications (she added a zipper and pockets!), miss-counted rows which resulted in lots of ripping, and yarn shortage, she still danced across the finish line with a finished sweater!  I am so happy for her!

Diana, way to rock March Sweater Madness.  I'm not worthy.

Day 23

Just checking in.

Ms. Packratt, we haven't heard from you in some time?  How goes your sweater?

Erica, Diana, Tina, and I have been posting our updates and photos on facebook, where you will also find more general chit chat and pattern assistance, if required.  Toni has posted about her sweater on her blog.

Personally, I've fallen off the wagon again, but I better get my needles in gear and soon.  I got distracted by some socks, mittens, and a sweater called Driftwood (free pattern on Ravelry) that I started a few days before March.  The plain stockinette stripes were so much more soothing to my brain than that darn chevron pattern on my red beast. Alas, I have promised myself to knit at least 2 rows on it tonight.  I'm working on the left front now, so I am making progress, but really, how can I call it progress when it spends more time in the bag than out of it??  And when I looked at the picture of the sweater and realized that the sleeves also sported that "charming" chevron pattern?  Yes, that's precisely when the sweater hit another time out.

Knit on, Ladies.  Only 8 days left.

Day 19

I should be getting my pom-poms out (if I had any) to cheer you on.  It seems some have fallen off the March Sweater Madness wagon and been knitting other things (cough, cough, Tina!)

Toni, on the other hand,  is creating some beautiful bits of lace, and you can read about her misadventures on her blog.

I finished the right front.  Yes, I messed up the pattern a bit but I convinced myself I can live with it, so it's staying.  I misread the pattern and made the attached collar a bit too narrow (5 stitches' worth), but I couldn't see myself ripping back to the arm hole and re-knitting the front and collar with that bloody chevron pattern again. You're think it would be simple enough, right? Only Knit and Purl stitches to worry about.  Not a chance.  It seems that I'm fixing mistakes from the row before almost at every turn.  Sigh.  Apparently years of knitting experience are not enough to help in pattern execution.  Now I have to pay attention to make the same mistake artistic pattern adjustments on the left front.

I posted a picture of the prize package on Facebook, a sock pattern book and sock yarn.

BTW, does anyone have any suggestions on how I can fix my inability to post photos on here??  Help?

Day 18

More than half way there, Ladies! How are you all doing? I'm working on my sweater again, after a time out. The right front is 57cm, and soon I'll be able to get working on the back section. I posted a photo on Facebook.

The prize this year is sock-themed. I'll post the picture on the Facebook page. I'm looking forward to sending it to one of you!

 Knit on!

Day 11

It didn't feel like I made much headway today. I worked on the right front and collar, knit and tinked back, and knit and tinked back and did it again. I actually like the Drops patterns for their quick and dirty instructions, but I am having a real problem with this particular on. I think I would have really appreciated row by row instructions, or at least ones that were considerably clearer ones. I'm taking some "liberties" translating the pattern to my understanding and I hope it doesn't come back to bite me in the butt.

Day 10 - Barbara

I love reporting progress! A third of the way through the month already and there were some days when I didn't even pick up the sweater, then this afternoon I buckled down and put some serious knitting in. I'm at 38cm, cast off for the arm holes and am ready to begin collar increases. Those will wait for tomorrow. Yawning and pattern following don't go well together. How are the rest of you ladies making out? Toni, I'm looking forward to seeing the fronts of your sweater. Another few days before the prize reveal. :) Don't forget to post your updates to be eligible. :)

Day 10 - Toni

Progress!

The back is almost finished (don't you wish stockinette didn't roll so much?), though since this is not 1/3 of the sweater, I'd best pick up the pace.  21 days to go!

Day 6

I still can't seem to post photos with Blogger.  I don't know what's up with that.  I even tried a different browser because they told me that Blogger doesn't support Internet Explorer.  Whatever, because using Google Chrome didn't help.  They did mention something about Cookies, and if I was techie enough to find them in my computer, I'd try to adjust my setting.


I'm telling you this because posting pictures of your progress and later your finished sweater is important.  Because if there is no proof, there is no prize.  Just saying!


I mentioned before that I was thinking of setting up a Facebook page.  I did. You can find it here. 
I would encourage everyone who is participating to join the page.  I will be posting my photos there this year.


Some more housekeeping:  when you draft your post, please add the label "March Sweater Madness 2014".  That way, if you happen not to finish your sweater in March and keep posting updates as you progress, we can track your efforts. The labels are found on the right hand side. Thanks for your patience.


My sweater is coming along slowly but surely.  The nice thing about my pattern is that there will be minimal finishing.  I'm knitting the fronts and back all in one, including the button bands.  18cm/7" done, lots more to go. On a happy note, I'm approaching my third buttonhole.

halfway up the fronts

And I'm working on the ribbing for the back at work since 2x2 ribbing is pretty mindless and so will the 10 or so inches of straight stockingette before I get to the armhole shaping.  Hard to spot mistakes in this very dark yarn ...

Day 4 - Erica's Sweater

Here is Erica's pattern.

Day 4 - Toni

Aside from just having to rip back about 3 inches to fix my join which was looking dreadful,

I am making progress.  Luckily, I've worked with this yarn before and I know the horrible unevenness of the stitching will disappear with blocking.  Otherwise, I'd have chucked the whole thing by now.  Funny how you have to get to know a yarn and all its quirks.  So, not as much progress as there was last night, but one entire ball of yarn used up already--that's a start.

Hi!  I've been knitting a shawl that has been kicking my butt over and over, so I am setting it aside or at least putting it on the back burner for a cardigan.

I have some Bergere de France worsted in black or an inky navy blue - can't tell - and I'm making a cardigan that's roughly based on a free Lion Brand pattern that I'm altering a bit - I only want one button and I'll be using a loop, not a buttonhole for it and I'm making the ribbing at the bottom about three inches deep instead of the skimpy inch the pattern called for.  That said, I got the left and right fronts cast on together on one circular and the ribbing and the first three rows of stockingette done Sunday night.  Didn't get the laundry done, but I knitted.

Day 3

This day might actually see me casting on a sweater.  I'm still swatching this morning.


Now for some housekeeping:


For those that are participating and haven't already been added as authors to this blog, please provide me with your name and email address so I can add you.  This will enable you to post updates and photos so we may cheer you on. 


Happy knitting!

Day 2

Change of plan.  I knit two gauge swatches with two different yarns that I was interested in using, and neither one suited the pattern I was considering.  So back to the drawing board, maybe. 

Here is the pattern I'm contemplating now.

I don't have perfect gauge for this pattern either, but I can work with it.  (Tina, you can mock me later.)

 We're gaining a following.  We can be found on facebook now. 
I am still having issues posting pictures here so my photo updates will be posted on facebook, just to keep things interesting.

Day 1 - Toni

After all my searching and browsing and debating, at the last minute I decided to go a completely different route entirely and have swatched and cast on this:  http://www.garnstudio.com/lang/us/pattern.php?id=3520&lang=us#pattern_content

which wasn't actually one of the sweaters I was originally considering.  But it's using yarn from 2006, so it is a Deep Stash Dive!

And We're Off!

Happy March!


Welcome to March Sweater Madness!


Hope you've all cast on.  Or at least found a pattern and some yarn.  And perhaps even swatched.  Nice thing about March? 31 days to work your magic. 


Good luck everyone.  Please feel free to post some glamour shots of your yarn and chosen pattern.


I still have to swatch and make sure I have gauge, otherwise there might be a change in the pattern line up.


P.S.  I am considering creating a facebook page for the March Sweater Madness.  Opinions?