Branching Out pruned

To my utter surprise, I finished another UFO tonight. Got into a rhythm with Branching Out; that, and the unexpectedly smaller size of the ball (combined with a fairly loose gauge on my part?) meant I only managed to do 19 repeats, as opposed to the 27 or 36 with the two suggested yarns in the pattern.

I'm blocking the hell out of it, mostly lengthwise, so that it can be at least a decent neckwarmer.

I did a few rows on the Tahki blue cotton sweater. It's not nearly as bad as I'd remembered, but is fairly technical. I'm having to use a clipboard and paper to map out each row so that I don't miss out on the various decreases and to start the V-neck (which I hope to God isn't too low). I'm knitting it on one big circular needle, now with three balls of yarn (1 for back, 2 for the 2 sides of the v-neck). It sure would be good to finish this one.

But after this, I'm giving myself permission to start the "Viva" sweater!

Another FO!

Update: now with photos!

I finished one of the remaining 6 UFOs (that I can think of) on my list. It's another Magic Scarf, to replace my black one that disappeared in December. (boo hoo!) I had bought some soft, fluffy brown eyelash yarn when Yarn! closed, and started the scarf in December, probably while I was at my mom's. Put it down when we got back and hadn't touched it since. I had about 1/2 ball to go.

I got to the end of the skein last night and had to tink back an entire row, as it needs to be bound off so very loosely. I used my Daisy 35s to bind it off, and took the end and knotted it securely (but with a loose loop) to 2 other threads. The other Magic Scarves I've made have a problem with the end coming loose and hanging down. I'm hoping this method will work. I hate making knots, but clearly, the other way was not working.

This yarn is a lot heavier than the NY Yarns Fluff yarn I'd been using for the other ones. It feels a bit like a beaver pelt! Which is fine. I can still put my hands in it, stretch it out, and make it into a cowl. Works for me!











I also did a few more pattern repeats on Branching Out, after having to rechart it. I have no idea where the pattern went, and the chart was always a smidge too small for me, anyway. I did it by hand, but maybe next time, I'll use that knitting font and just make it oversized. I moved my lifeline every 10 rows and (knock on wood) didn't make any mistakes. Maybe I'll finish it yet!


(Hmm, dark photo. Yarn is a dark-to-medium purple, not navy.)

Will I ever finish anything???

I feel like I have 6 projects and will never finish any of them. sigh

The most likely candidate is G's childHood, which has the sleeves sewn in and just needs the underarm/side seams done. When that is done, I can really try it on him and estimate how the hood is coming along. Maybe 1-2" left of that, I think. Then I can put buttons & snaps on and BE DONE.

But nothing else is as close to being done. The blue cotton Tahki is slow going and I have my doubts about the way I did the decreases on the bustline (directions are vague for every row after the first--"do the same decrease" but the first decrease row gives stitch counts and there are fewer stitches after that!). And it's getting heavy. I should calc to see how many more rows I have till the shoulders. I already decided not to start the v-neck as low as they recommend, as I'm hoping to wear this in other places than the Ren Faire.

I'm completely befuddled on Branching Out. I had too few stitches on a row, so started to tink back, only to realize that I don't konw which row I put the lifeline through (10 or 1?). Ugh. It is lovely so far, though...

Birch continues to taunt me. I may put her away in the basement and start the Swallowtail shawl instead. I already have the laceweight alpaca it calls for. Ha!

Good progress on Branching Out

Lots of counting has made all the difference for Branching Out with the Misti Alpaca sportweight. I've finished 3 repeats of the pattern, and it looks really nice! I'm using my kacha kacha to count rows. It's been a while. I love that thing.

Tried childHood on the child, and yep, the hood needs to be larger. I'll put a few more inches on it and try him again. I don't want it to be another jacketlike thing whose hood he outgrows first.

Maybe I can finish it for him to wear to school on Tuesday!

Birch 1, Me 0

Birch has won this round. I got to the end of row 4 and instead of 6 stitches left, I had 1. I give up. I'll frog that and re-cast-on with stitch markers every 10 stitches, since the pattern is over 10 stitches. (and am eyeing Kiri as an alternative...)

I've also decided to frog my other KSH project, Branching Out. I just kept making mistakes and getting paranoid, so I'll use that beige color in something else, maybe stranded along with another yarn. I've restarted Branching Out in my Misti Alpaca sportweight in a beautiful aubergine. (No printed gauge on the label! Little Knits says it's 6 sts/in, so it should be fine for this pattern.)

Am slogging away on the blue Tahki cotton sweater, checking rows off on my clipboard. I think I need to frog down to one decrease, though, as I did it in reverse (the k3tog first rather than last; what was I thinking?). I'll get to the V-neck shaping soon!

Am also slogging away at the Redwood Forest socks. I'm on row 18 of the 20 rows of k2p1 ribbing. I hope the 10-row pattern can be clearly charted so this can continue to be a very portable project (unlike the blue sweater).

And finally--am nearing the end with childHood! Finished the 10" of the hood last night. Just need to try it on the Child With The Significant Cranium to make sure it will fit him before I do the 3-needle bindoff. I've heard the hood is absurdly large so we might be just fine. Then I'll have to sew the sleeves on and seam them and the sides, sew on the buttons and snaps, and be DONE.