The NaKniSweMo attempt

Inspired by this sweater I bought some inexpensive yarn made of very soft acrylick in a beautiful heather gray with the idea I would make it for TGF. This was back while we were in motel land. However when I showed this photo of the pattern, she gave it a distinct thumbs down.

So the hunt then begun for just the right pattern. Many sweaters that I would love are too femmy for her. There was a recent thread on the butch-femme forum at Ravelry about just such a dilemma of a good pattern for a soft butch (or as TGF prefers "tomboi"). Luckily I already knew to run ideas by her.


Finally I found one that passed her muster and was the right gauge for the yarn I had already purchased on the Garn Studio Drops Design site. It seemed like a design I could handle.

But between home hunting, the moving, and the settling in nothing appeared on my needles. Finally roused from my knitting slumber by NaKniSweMo, I decided to cast on and unofficially join in (along with NaBloPoMo, which I did official join. Can I just say that via the Randomizer I have found so many blah blogs, not to mention many people have long since bagged on the premise. But I digress.)

This is the first time I have attempted an adult sized garment, it's also my first bottom up sweater with raglan sleeves. Don't I sound like I know what I'm talking about? Well I don't really I am just repeating details from the pattern. The bottom up to a bind off for sleeves went rather well and used almost an entire skein.

Then in a flurry of bravado I thought I would do two sleeves on two circulars. First I researched on the web, followed by learning the long tail cast-on (ridiculous easily!). I began trying to cast on but no matter what I did it just did not square up At.All.

Deep frustration. Finally I proceeded with dpns. I figure when I start increasing I can switch to a pair of circulars and begin the second sleeve on dpns and catch up to try to do them sort of simultaneously. Given how far I have gotten since I finally gave into the dpns yesterday I think it is unlikely I will finish this project by Friday.

Today I found a great tutorial on y*u t*be by Cat Bordhi for doing one round object on two circulars. It helped a lot so maybe I can try that and then try two objects and it will work. Another day, not today though.

The other I also cast on for an Odessa hat, also for TGF in a beautiful wool & silk yarn by Elsbeth Lavold. Well I casted on and decided it was too small so I ripped back and cast on with one additional repeat as my gauge is different because I am using very different yarn.

I think my knitting dry spell is ending. Yeah!