Happy New Year, My Year in Sweaters 2014

As the year is winding down and we are gearing up to ring in the new year, I (like so many others) am taking time to look back at all I have accomplished.  I've had many highs in my personal life and a lot of first time experiences. Along with some lows with medical problems and employment.  But that is life, you got to take the good with the bad and put the positives in to focus and let the negatives fade and blur in to the background.  As I look back over my year, there is one thing that has remained constant throughout the year.  I am now a sweater knitter.  I started off the year strong and continued to cast on and cast off sweater after sweater. Right to the very end; they just keep coming off my needles. So, I'd like to end the year with a look back at all of the sweaters I've made and shared with you.

Although I must admit I started this sweater last December, I finished it in January, which makes this my first finished sweater of 2014.  This sweater was knit during the Knit for Victory KAL hosted by Tasha of By Gum By Golly.  You can read more about it here on the original post.  Not only was this my first vintage knit, but the experience introduced me to a whole new world of vintage loving knitters and bloggers.  I had no online presence and didn't read other blogs at all before this experience, I am so thankful for stumbling on to that Knit-A-Long.  It truly changed my life, for the better.

I apologize for the out of focus picture of this one, but as I knit this one during the Olympics in less than 2 weeks, I am really proud of it.  To make that even more impressive, this is made with a sock weight yarn and size 2 needles.  Here is the original post from last February.

I love this sweater so much I've blogged about it twice.  The first post was last winter/spring and then again last fall when I declared that is was my favorite fall sweater.   This was among the few hand knits that actually made the move with me to the new apartment.  Most of the rest on the list are waiting patiently for spring to roll around to come out of hiding (in storage).







This lovely lace cardigan was knit last spring, just in time for the warmer summer weather.  The stitch pattern threatened to be too much for me, but I managed to make it all work and am very happy with the outcome.

This Peggy Sue Cardigan was part of a fun little Knit-a-Long that I found on Ravelry.  I love joining KALs; it is so fun to be 'meeting' new people who are working on the same project as you.

This was probably my most favorite outfit of the summer.  Even if we didn't have enough nice weather to wear it much.  This Que Sera cardigan was my first all over lace pattern with set in sleeves.   It may not have been a smooth knit, but it sure did come out lovely.

This fall I whipped up the Myrna cardigan,  It is more of a summer sweater, but it'll be ready for me when next summer rolls around.

Next came my Marion Cardigan that was part of an Andi Satterlund KAL.  This was the sweater that had to be put on hold due to the infestation and subsequent move last October.  I really did not think this one was going to be done before the end of the year.  It has spent the last 2 months in a Ziploc bag in the freezer and right before my trip to Nevada, I thawed it out.  I'm now very happy to share with you my final sweater of 2014. 

It still needs to be blocked and I have to wait till I get home to put on the buttons but the knitting is done.  So far, I couldn't be happier with it; it so soft and comfy and really looked great with the navy blue shirt under it.  I look forward to wearing it into the New Year and years to come.

Happy New Year, dear readers.  May 2015 be the best year of our lives. 

XOXO,
Cherry

Victory in Knitting

Over the last few months I've been in a group on Ravelry Knit for Victory and we've all been working hard on finishing our 1940's inspired knits. This was not my first sweater by any means, but it was my first sweater of this sort. Every sweater that I've made so far has been of a completely different construction type. Up to this point all the sweaters, cardigans, boleros, and tops I've done have been working form the top down, in one piece with raglan sleeves. This was the first time I had to work a top in pieces. First the back, then the front, then each sleeve. I've never seemed my knitting before, well not with any success anyways. I vaguely remember in the beginning of my knitting life doing a baby sweater with seaming that looked so horrible that I didn't even frog it, it just went strait into the trash. I was scared at first, well, and the whole way through, but it came out really well. Doing the set in sleeves was the scariest but after watching a half dozen tutorials on youtube I dove in head first. I firmly believe that if it weren't for youtube, I'd still be making garter stitch scarves. I'm a self taught knitter, or rather a youtube taught knitter, haha. Anyways, this was also the first "Vintage inspired" pattern that I've followed and true to vintage pattern form it was very vague. I'm used to having stitch counts when I have increases to make. I'm used to having row counts until there is a change in the pattern. I'm used to patterns that do the math for you when increasing or decreasing (Knit 8, inc 1, rep) not "increase 7 stitches evenly over next row" then I've got to figure out where to do them in the row. After completing the pattern, I'm not complaining. But I sure was complaining while doing it. In the end, it all worked out great. I was able to trust my knitting skills and now I know that I can to a sweater that is constructed in pieces. It's a wonderful feeling of accomplishment. The pattern is The Quick Knit 1940's style sweater , I altered the pattern on the front, I like a little deeper neck line, I also did some plain ribbing around the bottom of the body. I absolutely love the easy cable rib pattern and would have no problem making this sweater again. I think, if I do make another one, I'll make it just a bit longer and maybe put some plain ribbing on the end of the sleeves so that it matches the body.

I'm working on 2 new patterns right now. One is a Capelet with a staggering cable pattern, the other is a Herringbone stitch key-hole scarflet. I look forward to sharing them with you soon.

#knitforvictory

Bandana Bow Tie

I've been involved with a knit-along, Knit for Victory on Ravelry.com and it has really inspired and motivated me. Not only have I been working on a 1940's inspired sweater (photo's and details at a later date), but I also created a new pattern for a head wrap inspired by the bandanas and turbans worn by the women of WWII as they were entering the factories and had to cover their hair so that it didn't get caught in the heavy machinery. This is my first time sharing a personal pattern. I hope you enjoy it.

Bandana Bow Tie

This cute little headband has a retro feel that knits up very quickly. Wear it with a high ponytail or use it to cover your pin-curls. You can alter the bow to be as big or little as you like and make one in any and every color to match your cutest poodle skirt or tightest peddle pushers.

Yarn - I used Dream in Color’s Bermuda Teal for the one in the pictures, but any worsted weight yarn will do.

Needle - Size 7

Abbreviations
RLI - Right Lifted Increase, Knit into the back of the stitch (in the “purl bump") in the row directly below the stitch on the left needle
LLI - Left Lifted Increase, Insert left needle into back of the stitch below stitch just knitted. Knit this stitch.
SSK - Slip, Slip, Knit
K2tog - Knit 2 stitches together
Psso - Pass slipped stitch over.

Co 7 stitches (From here and throughout pattern you will slip the first stitch of every row. On the odd rows, slip knitwise, on the even rows, slip purlwise.)

1) Sl 1st, P2, K1, P2, K1
2) Sl 1st, K2, P1, K2, P1
3) Sl 1st, P2, RLI, K1, LLI, P2, K1
4) and all even rows, work in pattern (knit the knit stitches, purl the purl stitches. Remember to slip the first stitch.
5) Sl1, P2 RLI, K3, LLI, P2, K1
7) Sl1, P2, RLI, K5, LLI, P2, K1
9) Sl1, P2, RLI, K7, LLI, P2, K1
11) Sl1, P2, RLI, K9, LLI, P2, K1
13) Sl1, P2, RLI, K11, LLI, P2, K1
15) Sl1, P2, RLI, K13, LLI, P2, K1

Continue in pattern without increasing (K the knits, P the Purls) until piece measures approx 17 in from CO edge. Or about 2 inches shorter than you want the final length to be, keep in mind you want it to stretch to fit your head. Starting on RS,

1)Sl1, P2, SSK, K11, K2tog, P2, K1
3)Sl1, P2, SSK, K9, K2tog, P2, K1
5) Sl1, P2, SSK, K7, K2tog, P2, K1
7) Sl1, P2, SSK, K5, K2tog, P2, K1
9) Sl1, P2, SSK, K3, K2tog, P2, K1
11) Sl1, P2, SSK, K1, K2tog, P2, K1
13) Sl1, P2, Sl1, K2tog, Psso, P2, K1

Bind off leaving a long tail. Sew ends of headband together still leaving end long. You will use this to attach the bow.

BOW

Co 8 st
1)Sl1, knit to end
2) Sl1, Purl to end.
Repeat these 2 rows till piece measures 8-9 inches, depending on the size of bow you want.

Bind off leaving a long tail to weave the ends together creating a loop. You should have both loose ends on one side. Tie them in a knot. Wrap ends in opposite directions around piece, a few times each to create the bow. Tie ends in a knot. Place bow on top of headband. Wrap the left over long ends around bow to secure in place. Tie another knot and weave in all ends.

Normally, I’m not one for blocking such small items, but this headband doesn’t like to lay flat so I recommend blocking this one.