Saturday, January 26, 2008

One FO, Seven to Go



The Baby Surprise Jacket is done. The dratted i-cord border really slowed me down - I just don't enjoy doing it, and I didn't like the way it looked going up the button band so I had to rip it back three times. I ended up picking up three stitches and skipping the fourth all the way up, around the neckline, and back down; and then down around the hem I picked up one-to-one so it would gather in a little bit.



As for the sleeves, I always think the BSJ looks a little skimpy on the length so I added 12 rounds of K1P1 ribbing to both lengthen the sleeves and give a pulled-in look to echo the hem.



The yarn is Patons Decor with Plymouth Encore i-cord. Did I ever mention how little I like acrylic yarn? Even with the wool blend, it sucks. It doesn't splice well, you can't weave the ends in without them threatening to come untucked, and sometimes it squeaks. However, it washes well, and I do like the color.



As for progress on my other projects, I'm working away on the Clapotis; it's almost halfway done, and I really love the dropstitch rows. They're superfun. The Anais is cranking away slowly; I've only done a couple of rows a day since I posted last. The tomten has one shortrow now and is back to straight garter stitch for a while; everything else is still in the same state of undone-ness as it was before. And after all of that, I had to seriously resist casting on a new project today. I don't know what's wrong with me! My knitting ADD is at an all-time high. I gave myself a serious talking-to - just because I finished one thing doesn't mean I should start another, and I shouldn't even contemplate a yarn purchase of any kind until I'm done with some of my UFOs.

8 comments:

Unknown said...

The baby surprise looks very nice. I love the colors in it. When I made some, I loved the niftiness of the pattern, but I also found it kind of fiddly--less so with the second one.

Anonymous said...

I like the addition to the arm length. Tried making the BSJ, but kept getting mixed up on the decreases. Can you tell me if you keep moving the marker a stitch over? Thanks.

Windansea said...

Thanks jane! I did find it fiddly too - now that I've done it once I think I could do a much easier second one, but I'm not that motivated by it. I like the FBS better!

Windansea said...

Hi anonymous, I actually found it easier to look at where the decrease fell in the lower row, and to then line up the next decrease directly over that. The markers kept getting in the way because somehow they were always in the middle of the stitches I was decreasing!

Tracy Batchelder said...

The color is gorgeous! It reminds me of the beach too. The acrylic content will be greatly appreciated on laundry day.

DonnaDB said...

I also like the way your BSJ turned out. Did you lengthen the sleeves by doing a provisional cast on, or did you use another method? Thanks!

Cactusneedles said...

Great colors! Also, I've mentioned you for the "you make my day" award! Thanks for all your great work!!!

Windansea said...

Thank you all so much - donna, I just picked stitches up around the finished sleeve and added a ribbed cuff. If I ever knit this again, I think I will cast on for extra sleeve length at the beginning.