More Happy Knits!

First off, those socks of the last post...not so happy. They really sag. The leg was knit with increasing tension setting (looser knitting) as you go towards the ankle. That totally went against my intuition. I like the socks that I 'designed' myself better. But I still love that yarn.

Okay, on to the next projects. Whenever I perform with the concert band, my feet get cold. Don't know if it's from sweating, or from my blood going to more important parts of my body, or what. I've wanted to knit some black socks for awhile to wear in concert, but the thought of knitting in black....it couldn't be lacy, and many patterns just wouldn't show up. But I went through my Interweave "Favorite Socks" and found that I had the actual sock yarn for this pattern, "Undulating Ribs". I started off with the recommended needle size, but as I went down the leg, I kept switching to smaller needles. I also found out that some of my needles aren't really the size that is etched on them.

I made them nice and tall so I wouldn't have to worry about my legs showing if my pants rode up, LOL.It's really hard to get a picture of the pattern; the flash is too intense up close. I made them two at a time, cuff down; sometimes magic loop, sometimes 2 circulars depending on what needle length I had in the different sizes. I also noticed at one point that I had changed from it being an 8 row pattern, to doing the change row, then 8 plain rows. But, by doing them both at the same time, they are at least both the same, LOL.

My other concert dress issue is being cold during warm-up/prep, but hot during concert. I have a white shawl, but it's not a warm one. I'd been wanting to knit a shrug, but I've had a hard time finding a pattern I like. I've done a LOT of research, LOL. I wanted one that was significantly cut away at the front, not a shrunken sweater. If I knit it cuff to cuff, I didn't want a pattern that would create horizontal lines across my back. But cuff to cuff is the easiest way to knit this, in the style I wanted. If I chose a tuck pattern, or something, I'd have to make sure it looked the same in both directions. And then there is the issue of matching gauge to the yarn I had, etc. It seemed like I'd never get a shrug I liked.

Then I remember about a shrug pattern 'generator' on www.btyarns.com. Those links don't seem to work anymore, but I found the pattern now--you just have to do the work yourself! http://helengs.blogspot.ca/2015/07/the-purple-shrug.html
 The picture with the pattern is not very good; and there weren't very many on Ravelry. And I wasn't sure about the sizing, except that I wanted to wear it over my band shirt. I swatched, washed it, and put in the numbers. I knit it up, thinking it'd just be a test piece. The number of rows in the inc/dec sleeve portions did not add up right, but only by 2 rows. I used eyelet increases, so for the decreases, I had to move the sts over to leave one open for the eyelet, and do two decreases. The pattern called to inc every 5 rows X times, then every 6 rows Y times, but on the way down the other sleeve, it was written dec every 5 rows, then every 6 rows. I switched those around so the every 6 rows was first. I started and ended on waste yarn as I had a vision for a ruffle cuff, it it all worked out.

I basted it together and tried it on. And golly, wouldn't you know, it fit perfectly! I don't really like the parts you have to sew together, but it's kind of hidden next to the underarm.

Using the ribber, I set out to make a ruffled cuff. OMG. I felt like a total knitting retard. I could do NOTHING right anymore with my machine. I won't bore you here; some of you read my tale in the Yahoo group. It's not as ruffly as I was hoping; perhaps a full needle rib instead of 1x1?

I'm not fond of the rolled top and back edge, but I can live with that as it's the fastest way.

I can really see knitting more of these in other colours! Maybe a little longer sleeves too.

Anyway, it's nice to have a finished result that I can wear in public and like!!