Before I go on to the subject of this entry, let me announce that I am graduating college on May 14. I have one full week of classes, then finals (which in my case are two papers and a Japanese final, no sweat). I’m stressing out a lot about making everything perfect, which just goes to show that my habits do not follow my code of beliefs. How many times can I tell myself I don’t care that much and then come out and stress out like crazy about a 12-15 page paper on a subject I love and which I still have plenty of time to complete? Also, I’m a senior and I have been getting pretty good grades in my English class without doing too much (except obsessing, I’m good at obsessing), so why do I care so much? Is someone going to shoot me if I get a B on this paper instead of an A-? Is my mom going to die? I thought not.

I already got asked to join the school’s chapter of the National German Honor Society, so really, what do I have to worry about again? Besides getting a job and figuring out what to do with my life now.

ANYWAY – the point of this post! A couple of weeks ago a friend and I went off to have an adventure on a Saturday, and I wore my Vestvember vest which has been finished for a while. I got her to take a picture of me in it, then later took some pictures of the details.

Ta-da! On a stunning background.

So, that’s it. I was not the happiest camper with this pattern. Some of the measurements didn’t make sense, and the schematic didn’t fit the pattern. (It started the neckline above the armholes, which absolutely did not happen in the pattern.)

I did like some of the details, like the tubular cast on and off:

Though I spent the first half of a button band doing it completely wrong. Oh well.

The pattern has you do your decreases two in from the edge, which I realized I really like and might co-opt in future garments.

Also, I love the look of seams. And I realized I love picking up stitches. Although since I’ve stalled on Twisty’s button bands, it seems I don’t love picking up stitches if I also have to place buttonholes on them. More things to think about. Ick.

Overall I would say this isn’t my favorite garment, but I learned some things I really do like from it. Like how nice stockinette is. Another thing is that I like more fitted clothing in my style repertoire. This is nice, but it’s not going to be what I wear on dress-up days.

Also, really not going to recommend the pattern.

vestvember (Ravelry):
Pattern: Blustery by Anna Bell
Yarn: Cestari Traditional Wool 3ply, which I’d like to use again someday
Needles: US 4

Apparently my creativity is in textiles.

Today, I:

-picked up the stitches for the left buttonband
-knit the left buttonband
-did a TUBULAR CAST OFF of the buttonband which took FOREVER)
-and then picked up the stitches for the right buttonband so I can take up again tomorrow or the next day.

Now I think the vest and I need a rest. I’ll pat myself on the back for a job well done today and hopefully pick it back up again tomorrow.

Brrrrrrr. It’s been raining the storm of the season and the house is chilly. I keep lighting candles for warmth and comfort and drinking lots of tea. Speaking of tea—I think it’s about time for another cup to warm up my hands. I’m wearing three layers AND wool socks, so I’m not sure why I’m so cold as usual. Must not be moving around enough. Need a little more energy, I admit. Anyway. It’s cold and my vest isn’t drying very quickly at all.

So, that’s going slowly because everything takes foreeeever + 3 days to dry. This is my least favorite part about knitting. I need something that gets air under it and dries better. Bleh.

On Monday we decided to watch movies all day (don’t I feel lazy), and my hands felt restless, so I pulled out this KnitPicks Risata sock yarn and started Hedera, a pattern I’ve been wanting to knit for a while now. Whoosh! Look how quick the leg went.

It looks extremely crisp and absolutely adorable, but, man! Is it hard to knit with cotton or what, and this isn’t even 100% cotton. Just the majority is cotton. It’ll be a great spring sock for when I want to dress up a bit, but I get the feeling it’s going to be a while until I get there. I can’t wait to get back to school next week, because I have a feeling I’ll be heading to the nearest yarn store pretty quick to get other sock yarn. Or hat yarn. Or sweater yarn. I just want to knit with soft lovely warm wool!

Have a great weekend, all! Think of me as I’m packing, flying, and cleaning my room at school and getting settled in again. The next time I write here I will probably be back in good ol’ freezing Minnesota. Thinking of that really makes me want to put a coat on…

No, my second Ishbel certainly hasn’t gone by quite as quickly as my first did, but I still love the pattern. I tried to do a large stockinette and small lace section but was about to run out of yarn, so I ripped it to the stockinette section last week for the small small size. I only have about 15 rows left, so it’ll be done soon, and I’ll have another pretty Ishbel to wear around my neck. :)

One of my January knitting goals that I have as of yet failed to clarify here was to knit mittens. Well here I go! My current mittens are a year and a half old and falling apart. They were the kind you could flip the top off so you could use your fingers, which really, don’t keep your hands THAT warm when it’s 6˚F out. I’m stalling a bit to put in progress on Ishbel 2 and the next bit, and because if I sit down to finish the top I’m going to have to weave in ends. Blasted ends. I’ll get to it soon.

And my Vestvember vest. Oh wait, it’s not November? Yeah, that’s how long I take on things. I’ve got two fronts and this is the back, halfway done, so it too should get finished soon. Fingers crossed I don’t procrastinate on washing and blocking it as I usually do. This is a good evening knit that doesn’t require tons of concentration.

I’d like to start (and finish?) another sweater before winter break is over, so I guess I better get knitting. Have a great Thursday!

I’ve never done this before but I was hoping you’d be willing to help me out. You see, I started knitting a Blustery last night for Vestvember. Most projects seem to be really happy with the pattern, but I just can’t figure out how it’s supposed to work right.

Here it is, looking all right. First I wonder, if a pattern says “work decrease row, then rpt each following 6th row” does that mean to work a decrease row, then start counting from the next row to the sixth row? Or do you start counting from the first decrease row? I seem to get enough length by starting counting from the first decrease row, so that’s what I did.

Then the real problem spot:

Here the direction is to “Cont with decreases at neck edge until 14 sts rem.” Then: “Cont without shaping until armhole meas 8.25 inches.” Okay, the decreases occur at the neck edge every 4 rows and I’m starting with (I think) 27 stitches. 27 – 14 = 13 stitches to decrease, in 13×4 rows = 52 rows. 52 rows? Doesn’t that seem like a lot for 8.25″? That’s about 7 inches in itself at the stated gauge, and I already knit about three inches of armhole with the previous direction. Am I missing something? What am I missing? Am I really supposed to decrease at the neck edge every 4 rows? And only at the neck edge?

Hoping this can get solved so I can keep knitting,
Stephanie