Sleeve, Glorious Sleeve
Though no one has exactly been clamoring for an update (”Ruth, how did the Rowan Denim tank do in the wash? Ruth, Ruth, tell us more about your grandma’s sweater!), I will pretend that you have, because it suits me.
So, first things first, the linen-stitch baby tank survived the wash beautifully. It is cute as can be. Also, kinda small. I am checking with a friend of mine who has an eighteen-month-old daughter to find out whether she thinks it will fit her. If not, I will give it to another friend who has an almost-six-month-old baby, who will grow into it soon enough. For the mega-twins, I will make another tank with the Knit Picks Shine and then, I think, do the Monica pattern from Knitty for the other top. I have a strong aversion to knitting things three times. Twice is a stretch, really.
Oh, and I do still intend to write up the pattern for this and offer it as a free PDF eventually. I just need to figure out the ideal sizing and then knit the other top to test out my directions and refine a few of the techniques.
I have been neglecting the Tedium Bathmat for a few days, but in my defense, I haven’t had much knitting time at home. We’ve gone out the last two nights, once for a panel discussion on the Holocaust and once for an Iranian movie, and the bathmat does not make good travel knitting. In good news (?), Mass Ave. Knit Shop still has the yarn and has promised to send me three more skeins to slog through. I will press on and see this sucker through to the end.
Meanwhile, I’ve been working on my grandma’s sweater, which I think I will call Thelma, after her. I finished reknitting the back to a crewneck level, and I also knit a short sleeve. Both are now blocking, as you can see:
The sleeve went very quickly, but I had trouble figuring out how many stitches I needed around my upper arm, and I cast on way too many. I ended up cutting off the ribbing I had knit and reknitting new ribbing downward, which I had to do three times to get it right. Part of the problem is that my grandma’s 1 x 1 ribbing is immaculate, whereas mine looks like regular old saggy crookedy 1 x 1 ribbing. After entertaining and then rejecting the possibility that she was somehow invisibly twisting her stitches, I went down two needle sizes and got something that is passable. My conclusion is that the yarn she used when she cast on is a little fluffier than the yarn I’m using to finish the sweater, so it fills in the 1 x 1 ribbing better. Just a theory, but I can’t think of any other explanation (besides the fact that she was vastly more skilled than I am, which I acknowledge).
I hope to whip out the other sleeve, rip and reknit about three inches of the front, and get the sweater put together soon, though I’m a bit frightened of what will happen when it comes time to figure out a nice-looking collar. Stay tuned.
April 20th, 2007 at 6:43 am
Great job on the sleeve & its ribbing. I think that has to be one of the most meaningful memorials to a loved one!
April 20th, 2007 at 9:47 am
Ruth, Ruth, how is that other Thelma sleeve coming along?
I like the way the linen stitch baby top washed up. It looks like it would be comfortable to wear. And though it would be an emotional adjustment to even think of it going to someone other than one of the twins, I can also see the appeal of making the Monica top — it would suit one of the twins beautifully! I’m looking forward to your posting the top as a free pdf. Then, Re the Tedium Bath Mat, what color/s will you be getting to add in next from Mass. Ave? And for the Thelma collar, have you ever considered Zimmerman’s “Norwegian Neck” (Knitting Without Tears, p 63). Bloggie