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Thursday, April 21, 2011

Done for Easter!!

This may be a first so mark this date.... well maybe not a first but I don't do it very often. What am I talking about, you ask? Finishing a project on time, actually two days to spare. The In the Green Sweater that I started on March 23rd, yes of this year, is finished, completely, even sewn together (sometimes things will sit in wait to be sewn together because I dread it soooo much)


In the Green Sweater pattern from Creative Knitting Magazine July 2008

I am very pleased with the finished project.  This pattern has taught me more than I expected.  I like to learn new things but I was surprised that one simple pattern could teach me so much.

I learned the pattern stitch, wildflower knot, is a simple but very nice stitch result.
At first it reminded me of the bauble stitch but not near as puffy. Then as the pattern continues through the sweater it almost looks like a cable stitch from a distance.  Just a very pleasing effect indeed. 

Also I learned to crochet backwards.  Well that is what you do  but it is called reverse single crochet.  I had never heard of or seen this before but what a beautiful result.  It is the finish stitch on the neckline.


Reverse single crochet neck finish
It has a beaded or rope look to it.  I will definitely be using this stitch again. 

You may notice that the pattern has longer sleeves than my sweater.  I did alter the sleeves.  I knew when I started that I wanted the sleeves to be shorter so I did not follow the pattern sleeve directions.  Instead I just followed the armhole shaping directions after I had knit in ribbing and pattern stitch for the length I wanted the sleeve to be.

The only draw back to this sweater is that it is very heavy when finished.  I don't know what I expected but I swear it is heavier than the skeins of yarn that made it.  Is that possible???  That isn't a problem for most wearings of it but my first wearing was going to be for Easter Sunday and with the glorious HOT (90 degree) weather we are having hear in FL I might be a little warmish if I step out of the air-conditioning.


I learned one more thing from this project, not from the pattern itself but when it came time to sew it all together I went for help.  I have never enjoyed the hand sewing part of finishing a garment of any kind (one of the reasons that I never got into quilting).  It is was because I always made a mess of it.  I do many things well but hand sewing isn't one of them.  So I went for help this time, to my Tips and Tricks page and watched the video Seaming a set-in Sleeve.  It helped so much that I am never going to let something sit unfinished again just because I don't want to sew it together.

I really feel this is a simple pattern, very easy that anyone with the basics of knitting could do.  But it was also such a learning experience for me even though I consider myself an experienced knitter.  I learned that I can finish a project in a timely manor if I just apply myself, and I learned that one can always learn something new if we keep an open mind.

TTFN 

                                                     >^..^<


1 comment:

  1. THe sweater is absolutely stunning ! ILove the color. Your work is incredibly even. So so lovely!

    ReplyDelete