Ramblings of a Knitting Obsessive

As very much requested, I’ve been working up a simplified ‘pattern’ for the Mrs. Darcy cardigan. I probably couldn’t call it a real, honest-to-goodness Knitty-acceptable pattern because I didn’t keep track of what I was doing while I was actually knitting the thing, I just did what I saw in my head and this was how it turned out. I’m doing my best to try and make it into an accurate tutorial, though. Right now I’m kind of pissed off at the Spinnerin yarn company because they didn’t bother to note any kind of yardage or meterage on the yarn label, just that this particular line happens to weigh 550 grams per skein. Oh well, I’ll just have to estimate on that. Meanwhile, my restless, fidgety hands have worked up an entrelac clutch bag using the remains of the SWS I used to make Anna’s beanie hat. I think this particular item will be for Sara w/o and ‘H’ because I realized a few days ago that I haven’t made anything for her yet. I might be able to post pictures of it the next time I get a chance to use my home computer, the one here has a broken USB port. And now, I am looking for a new project to keep me busy… 

Mr. Darcy: How are you this evening, my dear?

Elizabeth: Very well. Only I wish you wouldn’t call me ‘my dear.’

Mr. Darcy: Why?

Elizabeth: Because it’s what my father calls my mother whenever he’s cross about something.

Mr. Darcy: Well, what endearments am I allowed?

Elizabeth: Well, let me think…’Lizzy’ for everyday, ‘my pearl’ for Sundays, and ‘Goddess Divine,’ but only on very special occasions.

Mr. Darcy: And what am I to call you when I’m cross? ‘Mrs. Darcy?’

Elizabeth: No, you may only call me ‘Mrs. Darcy’ when you are completely, perfectly, and incandescently happy.

Mr. Darcy: And how are you this evening…..Mrs. Darcy?

-Mr. Darcy in Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice

This is a peek of the notorious Mrs. Darcy cardigan blocking. I really hope this works! I’ve never made anything really worth serious blocking like this before, and and I’m using instructions from a book, but it says that the fabric will, over about 24 hours, become exactly the shape you want it to be. I am finding myself liking this sweater more and more, especially since I’m done with the actual construction of it. Hopefully I’ll have enough time tomorrow afternoon to post some FO (finished object) pictures.

I should have known this would happen. I knitted crazily for the last week and then around Sunday afternoon when I finished the first sleeve and decided to sew it on before I proceeded to the second, my work slowed down exponentially. Above, you’ll see an almost finished cardigan, all of the seams sewn except for a last, very crucial piece. And on the top of it, you’ll see a sad residue of loops hanging from a needle that hopefully will someday be a sleeve. The ribbing portion on the sleeves is even more cumbersome than the back–6 1/2 inches instead of 3, which even though it’s not as wide, still takes awhile. I have 11 rows done out of 36, and then another expanse of stockinette until the sleeve cap shaping (which worked out wonderfully for the first one, by the way!) I’m thinking of maybe doing a crab-stitch crochet edging around the bottom hem of the sweater because it keeps curling up, which is frustrating when you want it to lay straight on your waist instead of having a roll of fabric around the bottom of your sweater. That’s all for now, please wish me luck on this final stretch!

This dashing young lad just happens to be my baby brother, Paul.

He is six months old as of yesterday.

Both of them translate to “the back is finished!”

That’s right, the biggest and definitely most tedious piece is off of my needles and now pinned to the rug in the sunroom here to show its actual shape rather than just a rolled-up mass of knitted fabric. I stayed up late last night determined to get it finished, and now I can start on the left front, which shouldn’t take me too long. This is coming together faster than I expected, guys! Also since I have had no naming input whatsoever, I have decided to dub my cardigan-in-process Mrs. Darcy (as in formerly Miss Elizabeth Bennet, not Mr. Fitzwilliam). I know a certain person (ahem you know who you are) may be disgusted by my choice, but I also wanted to let that person know that I am currently reading Emma right now, so I can form my own opinion about Mr. Knightley vs. Mr. Darcy, hopefully unbiased by previous disagreements. I decided on the name because I thought my design could have the potential to have the elegance of the clothes they wore in that era (at least I hope so) and I am picking new buttons for my sweater on account that one of my set of three has sadly gone missing, and the choice of buttons could add to that theme. I’m also using vintage-ish yarn, which on a very unrelated note is of a color that I am liking more and more. It almost looks like melted butter (none of the photos on here do the hue full justice) but I wish the actual fabric was that soft.

I posted the title as both French and Spanish because I’m trying to decide which of those to take next year at NHS. I really would like to take French because it seems like a really interesting language to learn, but I also know (and much reinforced by the people required to sign my forecasting sheet) that Spanish would be way more practical and have heard repeatedly from them that if you know Spanish, you can get almost any job in this region of the country. Livvy and Anna, what are you guys thinking of taking?

I’ve finished the ribbing on the back, which even though it’s only 3 inches, feels like a major accomplishment to me. It took so long, 17 rows of 68 stitches, and having to switch the yarn from front to back and vice versa every single freaking stitch. Now it’s just smooth sailing for 8 inches of mindless stockinette, and then I get to start the armhole shaping! I’m still trying to figure out what to call it by the way…

Lately, I’ve been working on designing a sweater for myself. I had seen a really cute cardigan in a catalogue for a store I don’t usually buy things from, and ever since then I’ve been curious on how to make it.

Here is my design, along with my inspiration and the sleeve cap shaping that I calculated using Jenna Wilson’s article on the math of it. It was pretty complicated, but somehow I managed to get the chart in the top right, and hopefully it’ll turn out alright.

This is my progress so far: the right front of the sweater (one of the two smallest pieces, so it doesn’t matter much) and the beginning of the back. I also laid one of the buttons in a buttonhole to try and show you it, but the photo doesn’t do justice to the pretty little flower designs engraved on it. I’m using this really old wooly yarn that my grandma gave me. She said she had bought it a while ago and didn’t really like it, and there were 12 full skeins in the bag! So I said sure, I’ll take it. Yarn for a whole sweater costs too much to pass this up. It is a little scratchy, but maybe a few washes will take care of that. It’s called Spinnerin Alpine (has anybody ever heard of it before? I’ve never seen it in any of the yarn shops I’ve been to) and it says it’s made in Switzerland. It also smells like an attic, so maybe it is pretty old. Oh well, I like it anyway. I’m looking for a name for the cardigan, too, so ideas are welcome!

This is the blog where I hope to regularly document my addiction to yarn and needles.