Knitting Update

[untonuggan]

Haven't posted about knitting for a bit. I have, um, *many* things on the needles at the moment, but these two have been occupying most of my focus (except for a scarf that I forgot to take a photo of, but that's mainly for when I'm in the car or somewhere I can't do anything fiddly).

Button-On Knee Warmers


Multi-colored knee warmers made from chunky wool. Approximately 12" long, ribbed, with an extra spot for the knee to bend. Button-on.

I made these knee warmers for my partner's mom, whose knees are bothered by arthritis, cold, and driving a school bus. The bus is very cold in the mornings, and she can't cover her knees with a blanket because blanket + brakes would be bad. Anywho, there are a lot of patterns for pull on knee warmers on Ravelry but none for button-on ones. I made something that works, although they tend to slide down when she walks. If I make them tight enough to stay on when she walks, they are uncomfortable when she sits down for driving sooo....semi-success!

First Adult Sweater In-Progress


Top-down sweater with sleeves divided on stitch markers, completed down to the bust line. Scoop neck, which will later be ribbed. Colors: Blue with a brown that has hints of green; some of the blue also held double with lace-weight that is cream/gold and gold/olive. The lace-weight is AWESOME and from an awesomesauce friend :D


Close up of the raglan edge and a better estimation of the colors.

I am wrestling with my inner critic on the sweater. It will be lovely for autumn, and it goes swimmingly with a skirt I have. However, periodically I keep thinking all the awful things about my knitting. So I just need a moment away from it, or with it, or something, to wrestle those demons away. Or I can do what I've been doing today, which is work on the sweater while having a Downton Abbey marathon. :D (Trying to catch up on things before the new season starts).

Comments

[majoline]

I love the colors in your sweater! No matter what your inner critic says, you're doing an amazing thing (to me at least).

I'm not a knitter at all and I always admire people who can.

[untonuggan]

Thank you! Sometimes I am not sure about the color thing. ^_^

If you ever want to learn, I could point you in the direction of some helpful YouTube videos...

[tyger]

\o/ Legwarmers.

AND WOW THAT JUMPER IS GORGEOUS. *_____* It's not even my colours, but I just want to stroke it, wow it's so pretty~ And the laceweight thing is really, really cool! I haven't seen it done before, but it look AWESOME.

[untonuggan]

\o/

Thank you! (*squees a little bit to self*) I got the idea after seeing a couple of people hold yarn double, but I hadn't seen it done with laceweight in a sweater before so I dunno? Anyway, shiny!

[tyger]

:D

It really, really is! :D :D :D

[northern]

That sweater looks like it will take a while! And yeah, I really like the colors too. *cheers you on*

[untonuggan]

*nodnod* I did about 20? rows of plain knitting yesterday, and I'm supposed to do a total of 84 before I move on to a bunch of ribbing for the edging (it's a long edging though). Then sleeves, and collar. So I'm hoping I can finish it in time to start that cool shrug you linked in time to finish the cool shrug by spring/summer. If that makes any sense...of course I have other things on the needles too, but I'm putting them aside for the moment...

[the_rck]

::hugs:: I'm sure the sweater will be great! I hope you can work around your inner critic. I know that can be an incredible barrier to actually getting stuff done.

[untonuggan]

Case in point: sweater has been in the basket for four days or so. But am feeling much better now, so, hopefully all the good knitting?

[lynnoconnacht]

Yay, knee warmers! <3

That looks like an awesome sweater! *cheers on*

[pipisafoat]

those kneewarmers look really fun! um, color-wise. (random aside: I was in my hometown/my mother's town recently & ran into my childhood bus driver. very fond of him, really. also it was funny because nobody I grew up with recognizes me, but was all "come on, I watched you grow up since you were 5, getting a foot taller and chopping off all your hair isn't going to change whether I can recognize you!" man earned himself a hug with that one haha. what an interesting point though. he sees tons of kids, but he sees them over so many years. those of us who rode the bus most of our lives (10 years before I moved away) he recognizes even 8 years later. that's very nice. I like that. bus drivers have always had my respect - like hell I'd turn my back on that many kids! - but d'awww, I just love him.)

ahem. re sweater: love the color thing. my (second-)favorite scarf (because my new favorite was just delivered to me yesterday, a rainbow made by theoretical_cat exactly to my choosing hooray; pictures later if TC consents) is one that I made when I was just learning to knit. I was all, oh, I love this dark blue and I love this light blue and I just wish I could find a variegated-in-the-style-I-like* of these two colors and then I realized that I could just hold the two together and roll with it. delightful. (also, very warm.) anyway, so I am predisposed towards liking that sort of coloring trick, but also those colors look really good together, to my eyes. (I don't have a clue what the sweater will look like at the end, not one of my skills, but I like the colors!)

*while all types of variegation have their place, of course, I typically prefer the kind where (this is so hard to explain) (actually i have a starting point! haha) it looks all along like two (or more!) colors held together rather than Color A changes into Color B changes into Color C changes into Color A. (and I would also like to take this opportunity to be sort of baffled that there are variegations where colors just abruptly change rather than melting smoothly into one another. Why is that a thing people want? idgi. (I don't doubt that people like it. (I've seen it in scarf-yarn a lot recently.) I just don't see why.))

[untonuggan]

Bus drivers FTW! She has some cool thank you collages made by students up on her fridge, it's cute.

Holding two yarns together is indeed a very fun coloring trick! I have all the lovely laceweight to try it with now, I'm so excited with this holiday present.

I guess it takes all kinds of variegations to make a world? IDK. :D

[spring_dream]

The sweater has lovely colors, and the knee warmers are a great idea!
I understand the inner critic problem, and how hard it can be to ignore it. But I think (not that I know much about it) that you're doing an amazing job knitting :)

[untonuggan]

Thank you! I really appreciate it.
Inner critic - booo!

[ngakmafaery]

...I think it looks great, and I used to be a virgo, so that means I used to be picky!

[untonuggan]

Thanks!

[spiralsheep]

Would the kneewarmers take two rows of buttonholes for looser and tighter fitting?

[untonuggan]

I had considered that - they probably would - but I think part of the problem is that she wants them on over pants, which means there is probably inevitably going to be some slippage. Also, we are now in the polite land of, "I don't want to bother you," so the chances of me being able to add another row are slim. However, next time, definitely would add two rows...Thanks!

[eruanna]

Very pretty! :-)

[untonuggan]

Thank you! <3