Monday, September 15, 2008

All Things Brown
by Vickie


I have been afraid of something in the knitting world for a few years now and I think that I have finally begun to conquer my fear. I signed up for neck down sweater class. I tried to knit a sweater a few years ago and I really didn't like the yarn I chose so I frogged it. I took that yarn and started a prayer shawl that is someplace in my stash storage area. I really will finish the shawl but I am thinking it won't be any time soon. What I really should do is put the whole thing on scarp yarn and put that needle back into the mix.

The main thing that I have been pouring myself into is the neck down sweater. Those of you who have already got the sweater thing figured out please bear with me. I have had this silly phobia about knitting a sweater for years and now I am trying to meet that fear head first. Here is where I have gotten so far. I missed the first class which was the first Thursday after Labor Day and now I am a week behind the rest of the group. I have to say, I have made good progress and it's been pretty easy so far. It's mindless knitting but that's okay with me for the first sweater that I will finish. I am hoping that this sweater will be the one I can build on and do more intricate things with later. I would love to embellish the bottom and the sleeves later down the road.

This picture was taken a few minutes ago in the morning sun so the color that looks like orange is from the sun. The pattern is from Knitting Pure & Simple. It's the Neckdown Cardigan for Women #9725. I found out from the instructor that if I had any questions I could go here and check out to see if anyone had asked the question that I have. I did check out the site, but what I mostly checking out are all the varations that others had done with the basic sweater pattern. I got some great ideas and I think I might have knit a few more of these for myself.

I picked Classic Worsted Tapestry yarn adn the color is 7012. I think the name of the yarn is Capers. It was not an expensive yarn and I really didn't want it to be in case I frogged it. I really didn't want to spend a lot on this sweater after what happened to the last one. The next sweater yarn is already in my mind. I can't remember the name of it but know exactly where it is in the shop. They had better not rearrange before I get the name of the yarn!

I also finished all the gift bags for the dinner group of friends. I have not however even made adent in the scarves I want to put in each bag. I may be changing my mind about what I put in the bags if I run out of time. We'll see...

So I finished the unnamed unseen Christmas gift. It's completely done! I felted it on this past Friday and then it spent the weekend in front of the pan packed with plastic shopping bags. I turned it inside out and gave it some fan time and it dry as a bone. I can't show you yet, but I will as soon as Christmas is over. The intended reads my blog...so no peaky.

5 comments:

Tracy Batchelder said...

Good luck with the sweater. I know you can do it!

vlb5757 said...

I sure hope so. I really want to learn how to make a basic sweater that I can build on. I tried it on last night and so far, it fits!

Susan Luni said...

The sweater looks great so far! I love anything brown. The bag pattern is a great way to use a small quantity of yarn. I have a couple of hanks that will either become a bag or a cowl. Can you knit the bag on circulars, or do you have to use dpns?

Vickie said...

Thanks, Luni. I knew you would get a kick out of me doing a sweater finally. I bought some more needles today to do the arms with. I even bought a new sweater pattern. I think the brown sweater will have a zipper instead of buttons. I have to wait and see when I am done but am leaning towards a zipper.

I knit the whole bad on a circ. The end needs to be closed up with two dpns but that's it. Very simple to do and they go so fast.

Anonymous said...

oohhh, I *love* top down sweaters! they are my fav! Cause you can try them on as you go. I'm knitting Bryce a sweater from the top up with a little bit of fair isle action on the yoke. Only good thing about this sweater is I have to get all the boring bits outta the way first! You go girl, your sweater is looking fab so far. I love the yarn you picked out it has some great patterning to it!
Your dinner group is so lucky to have you! Those are going to be some great gifts no matter what you put in those bags!