Becky

Here’s my completed Hopeful earning me this: 

Project Stats

Pattern: Hopeful by Jenna Adorno in Size Large (click the link for the great story behind this pattern)

Yarn: Rowan (RYC) CashCotton DK in 606 Quartz

Needles: Addi Turbo 5’s

For: ME!!

Started: September 16, 2005

Completed: Feburary 26, 2006 (with a big break in Nov-Feb for Christmas knitting and life)

Knitalong:     

Mods:  A lot!!

• Hem:  I really liked Marnie’s version of Hopeful with the picot hem, and her point about garter stitch around the middle of the tummy is well-taken (although not on her).  However, instead of doing a provisional cast-on, I used Jenna’s method from another design - Ultra Femme.  She demonstrated this technique in her Knitty Gritty appearance and her explanation is very easy to follow. 
• Length/waist shaping: I am VERY short waisted and although this sweater was designed for petites, since I was making the size large, I started the waist shaping early eliminating a little bit of the extra length
• 3 needle bind-off at shoulders instead of casting off and seaming
• Sleeves - I meant to do the cap sleeves.  But after starting on the second sleeve, I realized I had misread the directions on the first sleeve only adding 1 stitch to each short row instead of 2.  This gave me short sleeves instead of cap sleeves.  I did the second sleeve as a cap sleeve to see which I liked better.  I ran a poll and the short sleeves definitely one.  But at that point, I was still leaning towards the cap sleeves.  However, once I did the collar and tried it on, there was no question that the short sleeves looked a lot better on me.  So I ripped out the cap sleeve on Sunday afternoon and started feverishly working to finish it by the end of the olympics - which I did!  There is also a mistake in the size large sleeve directions for one of the very last rows - the number of stitches it explains and the numbers you have on your needle do not match up.  I sent an email to Jenna, but haven’t heard back.  I just fudged it and it seems fine.  I also added some purls to the last few rows to make it match the collar.  For the last 5 rows, I purled the first 2, knit the next two, purled the last and bound off with purls.  The inspiration for this came from Claudia.
• Collar - I wasn’t near a computer when I started the collar so I followed the instructions.  It sure seemed like a lot of stitches to pick up, but it wasn’t until I was almost halfway done with the collar that I realized something was very wrong (see the picture below).  Then I went to the knitalong site and read the modifications people had made and realized 1) Jenna posted a correction to just pick up every other stitch all the way around instead of trying to match her stitch counts and 2) Marnie’s tutorial (here) makes the collar lay much nicer.
• Ties - I was trying on the sweater and playing around with the ties.  All of the sudden, I looked in the mirror and thought - well that sure looks cute.  So now they make a little knot instead of being held together as originally designed.

Thoughts:

• My first sweater - WOW!  I am so proud of myself - especially since it fits!!!  What surprised me the most was how many modifications I made.  Several of them were following other’s inspiration and instructions, but a few were ones I came up with myself.  I am not a particularly creative person and tend to do things by the book, but I am glad I made changes because they looked better on me and it makes this piece totally unique.
• Yarn:  I had originally hoped to use this yarn, but the place I was going to order it from online flaked out, and because it was new it was pretty expensive everywhere.  But then my LYS got their fall Rowan shipment in.  And it was just sitting there begging to go home with me.  Yes, it was more than I wanted to spend b/c I needed 8 balls, but since this is my first sweater, I know I will have it forever, so I wanted to use a yarn I love.  It is great for Austin since cotton is more appropriate for the climate, but it is softer and more elastic than plain cotton which makes it quite enjoyable.  It does shed a little due to the cashmere and angora, but I really liked knitting with it and the finished product seems like I’ll be able to wear it as long as it’s not too hot out.   And I LOVE the color - looks good with black and jeans and khaki. 
• Hem - I’m having a hard time getting it to lay flock.  I’ve only done a simple steam blocking - I’m thinking a full fledged wash and block is in order.  This would also help me to get the ties to lay better as they are starting to curl.
• Knitting in the round and making it as seamless as possible.  I enjoyed having very minimal seaming.  However, I realize now that doing it this way means you don’t get to block the pieces before putting it together and I think it will be harder to block it now - especially the collar and ties which could probably use it. 

Here’s what happens if you follow the original directions for the collar.  Bad news!  Too many stitches picked up and no short rows at the turn.

My other smaller goal during the Knitting Olympics was to finish my Jo Sharp Justine skirt.  I forgot to upload pics of the finished product, but here are pics of it blocking.  Unfortunately, as I feared, it’s pretty big so I don’t know if I’ll be able to wear it or not.

And here’s Major sleeping - and what happens after you take a picture of him with a flash - THE GLARE (the mommy I am too tired to get up but you are disturbing me and need to stop taking pictures look)