Tuesday, April 21, 2009

Knitting project AKA Frustration

I decided to make a sweater out of some lovely wool/silk yarn that I bought on sale last year. It looks a bit too bright in this picture, but is really a lovely rusty orange. I was knitting it at Seans basketball game, his mom loved it and the color is similar to the school colors - so it quickly became hers. Which is great with me, I love to make things for other people. So far it's going fairly well, I've only had to rip it out once when I thought it was too small (she wants it big). I am working on the sleeves and since one of my frustrations is matching the sleeves to each other, I decided to knit them both on one needle. It's actually working fairly well! I'll show you the finished product - which should be ready in a few weeks. My only concern with this sweater is that it's pretty plain. I was thinking of adding a pouch pocket, or some brown (same yarn type) embroidery - what do you think?

The back

Sleeves under construction

I also decided to make a little dress for Isabella, my 2.5 year old great-niece. I had this lovely tencel/cotton yarn which seemed perfect (it's actually pinker than in this picture, don't want you to think I have an orange fetish). First I started it without the white trim - got halfway thru the back and didn't like the way it looked so ripped it out. I also thought that it was coming out too loose, so I went to a smaller size needle - got halfway thru the back again and realized it was going to be WAY too small. Ripped it out again.



Isabella at Passover Dinner - love those curls!


Started again last night with a nice white edging, and size 8 needles. It looks like it might work, so I'm continuing on. I called my niece last night for Isabella's measurements and we were laughing as we discussed "chest - 15 - hips - 15" - seems silly to measure a baby but she is tall so I want to make this long enough for her to wear for a year or so.


Back under construction


I hope it comes out nice. They are spending the summer in Italy, at her husbands country house - and all his relatives will be there. I'd love to have Isabella wear a knitted summer dress that her American Aunt made for her.

Have a good day everyone! It's raining here but I guess we "need" it and they promise summer temps this weekend. DH signed me up for a mountain biking class that he took last year - so I will be doing that on Saturday. I'm hoping I can keep up!

11 comments:

caseytoussaint said...

What beautiful work you do! I really admire your workmanship - I've never been able to knit or so or anything!

sukipoet said...

Well, you are persistant for sure, riping it out so many times and starting over. both items look wonderful. I do love hand knit things and cant do it myself so i doubly admire these. Nix the brown from my pov. Have fun.

Lynn Cohen said...

I applaud your perseverence Mim. I am sure these works will come out perfectly and the people you made them for will love them. Of course my knitting is never ever perfect and I call the imperfections bits of me...I never rip out!! I patch holes! LOL sort of like my art quilts!!! No rules. LOL I share this simply to let you know there are more than one way to do this knitting bit. Sweet sweet little grand niece you have too.

Teri said...

When you put your heart in something, you REALLY put it in. They are going to be beautiful and much appreciated with all the love you are knitting into them.

ArtistUnplugged said...

Looking really good, takes patience to get it like you want...good for you! Your great niece is adorable! I am playing catch up so just read your new desk post...that looks like it will work well! I think a soft warm green would look great on the walls.

switch said...

haha..when I first saw your sweater pic on my tiny screen I thought it was a big, thick slab of lox!

I like the simplicity of it, as is.

beautiful.

have you tried needle felting? I just gathered the supplies and am having fun with it...I think you might like it.

Lisa at Greenbow said...

Oh Mim, you are so talented. I must say though that I like plain sweaters that I can wear big jewlery with. Just a thought. Your Great Niece will be the talk of the gatherings in her knitted dress. So fashionable.

ElizT said...

Makes me tired just to read about it.

soulbrush said...

what a cutie pie she is...aaaawwwww. love the knitting, no brown, just a pouch. show us when it's done. luverly!

studio lolo said...

I wish I could knit and sew. I love the color! I agree, no brown. Just the same color pocket perhaps?
Nice nice nice!
And that Isabella is beautiful!

kj said...

kj bypasses mim's excellent knitting and goes right to the weather report:

summer temps this weekend????!!!!

YAHOO! YIPEE!

now that that's out of the way, mim, those hands of yours are multi-talented. do you know of web's in my neck of the woods?

ps when your mountain biking, i will be pansy planting.

:)