Petal (where this blog gets very boring)
I started Petal yesterday. You may think that knitting on teeny size 2 3 (tight knitters unite) needles would be slow going, but I’ve already finished a sleeve. How can that be? Well, I thought I broke my toe last weekend by dropping something very heavy on it, and my standby orthopedic appointment took two hours. Normally this would make me cranky (well, I was a wee bit crankola), but I was pretty psyched to get all that knitting done in the office. The ladies with poor bone density dug the knitting, too! And $20 later, I found out that my toe is not broken, just “colorful,” which is doctor speak for, “Ew. Gross.”
The edging is interesting, it’s knit sideways with these oddball picots on the one edge. You’re supposed to work the picots every right side row, but that was making my edging flare unattractively, so I’m working them every other RS row. My modification looks painfully obvious in this photo, but it’s really much less apparent when viewed in a non-macro way. Hopefully no one will be staring this closely at my upper arms, eek!
I forgot how rope-like the Rowan 4 ply cotton is. It really exacerbates any knitting wonkiness, like my hideous ssk’s. I’d love to hear if anyone has any advice on how to neaten them up - click on the photo to read some good pointers, including a link to this awesome ssk comparison. I think I need to go swatch some decreases now…
So the plan is to work on this sweater exclusively until it’s done, which is bo-ring blog fodder. I do have a few WIPS that need simple finishing details, so hopefully we can motivate a bit here in camp kelly to finish them. And then there’s sockpalooza - I seem to have misplaced my sock knitting mojo, and that August deadline is looming in the distance. I’m sure I’ll get sick of Petal soon enough and welcome the distraction of a shiny new pair of socks in soft, squishy, non-rope-like wool!
RSS
Nothing wrong with some good old-fashioned faithful knitting once in awhile. And Petal looks like the best companion for it too. :)
it’ll be a great top when it’s done, and if you’re faithful you’ll be able to wear it before it’s cold out! nothing wrong with that :)
I love the tight gauge of Petal, very delicate and so aptly named.
Reading about how knitters approach various projects is never boring!!
very pretty - props to you for knitting a sweater on size 3’s!
I’ll have you know that I had a dream last night (due to browsing flickr before bed, I’m sure) about left slanting decreases! I like the sl1-k1-psso or ssp — they look the neatest in my hands in cotton yarn, anyway. Also, working an extra stitch on the edge (k2, then work the decrease) helps me too — I think Jody mentioned this on flickr.
This sleeve looks really great! I cannot wait to see this sweater finished! :)
[sorry to hear about your toe! ]
Petal is looking great so far! Don’t worry about being “boring”– we’ll be here when you’re done :) The knitting comes first!
I do my ssks the second way and it works for me. I am amazed at how nice her s1,k1, psso’s look because those are always extra wonky for me. Good luck finding your own perfect decrease.
Also: love the Petal sleeve!
Not boring! Pretty! So pretty! I love you, Petal.
I am going to recommend the slip one knitwise, slip one purlwise method–works for me. Although to be fair I haven’t tried it on cotton. And I will definitely echo Jess’s suggestion to move the decrease 1 stitch in from the edging. Not only does it look neater, you’ll thank youself when it comes to seaming.
Petal is beautiful! I’m feeling the same way about the Jo Sharp cardi and blog fodder. But I’d love to see a bunch of progress pics of that beautiful pattern, so maybe we’re both wrong to worry. :)
Petal, you are so pretty. let me count the ways.
1, 2, 3, 4, …99, 100! :o)
seriously that sleeve is looking very nice! and thanks so much for linking to the SSK discussion/post at Nona Knits’ blog. that was very interesting reading and very helpful too. can’t wait to see how this all turns out! yay!
and yes, i must agree with the commenters–not boring! not boring! :o)
I echo Ashley’s advice re: decreases. And I LOVE how this looks with the purl stitches instead of beads!
I’m not finding this boring in the least. First of all - I like the project that you’ve selected, and the color is yummy. Also, I like reading more about the “process” - I fear that I’m a mindless knitter, I *do* it, but I’m not so sure how much I really get the science/math/”why” and “how” of it, if that makes any sense…
Also - you’re my new favorite person for sharing the SSK comparison link! WooHoo! Love. it.
oh - and (duh! I hit “submit” too soon!) sorry to hear about your toe! I’m glad that it’s not broken, I just hate that you dropped something on it in the first place! ouch!
I was also going to mention not doing the decreases right on the edge of the piece–it helps with neatness. I love that color–it’s going to look great!
i love rowan 4ply cotton — it makes the nicest weight sweater. you didn’t mention where “petal” is from - is this a rowan pattern? looks lovely & can’t wait to see more.
Your ssk’s look fine to me. I’d try a skpo, or this neat trick:
http://fleeglesblog.blogspot.com/2006/12/slipping-and-sliding-go-away.html
Do you know if you can buy just the pattern? I have yarn that I’d love to use on this.