How I Spent my Wednesday

I had hoped to show the pink striped sweater today, but it still needs THREE ends woven in, and the collar steamed. So, I'll show why it's not quite finished!

The kids have been asking to make a scarf or something on the knitting machines. They were all empty on Wednesday morning, and I just had no more excuses, LOL. Meg wanted pink and purple, and we settled on a cone of purple (I think it was Newry) and the giant cone of Patons Lacette. Meg picked a fair isle pattern, and I got started with some ribbing at the bottom. I had intended to keep some stitches on the edges in ribbing, but couldn't figure how to do that with the ribber carriage. Meg had wanted the circles in purple but I forgot to move the purple to the #2 feeder, but she's flexible, LOL. The pattern side isn't too fuzzy because the pink is only single/double sts, so the fuzziness of the Lacette doesn't come through. But the backside...I love the evenness of the floats, the fuzziness, the subtle appearance of the pattern...

I ended with stockinette stitch in purple, then hand sewed the two ends to the back side for hems. The edges of course had a significant amount of curling, but I was really pleased with how the 25% mohair in the Lacette responded to steam! It was totally flat, but now there is some soft rolling--not the tight edge rolling of fresh stockinette, but I don't think ribbing on the edges would have done much. Edges like that, or in garter stitch, etc, tend to flip inwards and create their own problems.

The scarf is the length it is for a reason, LOL. Meg started off trying to knit it herself. She wasn't quite tall enough to get the right angle, so we did a lot together--I'd put my hand over hers on the side that is pushing, after pausing at the start of the row so she could pull the edge needle out to D. Then Meg went off to do something while I knitted away. Then she came back and wanted my attention. I turned to her but kept knitting. All of a sudden, it all jumped off, leaving only a few purple strands on the machine!!!! I got it back on and it was time for lunch. Meg said it was okay the length it was. After she went to school, I ripped back till I had all the stitches on the same row, and took a good look . I figured out where on the punchcard I was, reset it (without opening the manual!) and kept on knitting for a few more inches.

It was great to bring it to school when I went to pick her up! I love how easy it was, and it looks great. I have a kit to make a scarf for the Indianapolis Superbowl/Winter festival next year, and I was planning to make it on the machine. It's 100% wool/alpaca, I think, so hopefully steam will be enough.