It looked like it might be larger than what I needed. I measured and yep – too big.

So it sat. And sat. And sat.

Then I realized that the design looks very similar to a new favorite cardi that I bought for work (mine is in black).  That was just the push I need to finally rip out the 9 inches and start again with a smaller size. I’m doing a combo of 2 sizes smaller at the hips and one size smaller at the bust. My sizing issues were caused by my not knowing my current measurements. I thought I knew but the weight loss changed my measurements even more than I thought.

Obviously not a bad problem to have.

Two good things have happened with the redo:

• I figured out a better way to knit the coin cables.  Much tidier.
• The reknitted rows are shorter since I’m working it two sizes smaller.

There’s been a ton of new designs and projects out in the past couple weeks.  Here are a few of my new faves:

• Monika made some of the most gorgeous handspun I’ve ever seen.  She combined several small samples of various fibers in shades of pink, red, yellow, orange and almost-black.  This almost makes me want to try spinning.
• A Noble Cowl – A cowl with a pretty lace pattern.  What makes it notable is that it’s designed to be folded over a pinned with your favorite shawl pin.  A great way to add a little bling.
• Replier – an oversized cowl (more like a shoulder warmer) with deep smocking stitches for cozy warmth.  Fancy hooks and eyes fasten it around your neck.
• Treillage – another fastened cowl, this one with deep, cushy cables.

I did start my Color Affection but decided the shape wasn’t right for me.  I just don’t use half-circle shawls.  As much as I love the Citron I made a couple years ago – the only time I use it is around the house when I’m really cold.  Triangle and oblong shapes work better for me – 95% of the time I’m wearing them wrapped around my neck like a scarf.

Instead, I’m considering two Color-Affection-gone-triangle shawls:

• Zephyr Cove by Romi Hill
• Cameo by Paulina Popiolek

Some days I think “Zephyr Cove is it!” and other days “How could I not do Cameo?”.  Analysis Paralysis.  Long time readers will recall I go through bouts of this.  St. Brigid – need I say more.

But that hasn’t stopped me from casting on.  A lot.

First up – Honey Cowl – in some deep stash Pigeonroof Studios merino silk.  Great depth of color and easy train knitting.

And then we have the lovely Pogona – in 2 skeins of MadTosh Tosh Merino Light – Black Currant colorway.  My plan is to make it larger so I can take it with me to restaurants or at the office.  I was an a mad hunt for this colorway and found it at Whit Knits.  Awesome customer service.  I ordered just before Hurricane Sandy and she contacted me to ask when I’d like it shipped, including offering me the option to cancel the order (nowayiwantmyyarn!) if I was affected.  I searched a lot of online shops before finding Whit Knits but it won’t be my last time ordering from them.  And bonus – they have a fabulous stock of Madeline Tosh yarns.

And then finally, I started a Sempervivum for my mom out of some more deep stash Cormo in a very light fingering weight.  Again, I want to make it as big as possible so I’m modifying the pattern to be top-down.  So far so good but I have a long way to go.

You’d be correct if you observed a noticeable dearth of socks.  I’m on a shawl/cowl kick but give it a few days and I’m sure I’ll wax poetic about the sock knitting.

Knitters – we are a fickle bunch.

I knit the sock as tall as I can comfortably wear and I still didn’t get to the white part of the transition.  You can see a little white at the very top.

I also made a few mods

• I cast on 12 sts per needle with Judy’s Magic Cast On.  I worked incs every rnd until 20 sts, and then every other rnd until 28.  Then I worked plain st st until the toe measured 2″.
• The socks were written for bigger needles but I like my socks knitted tightly so I added 4 sts on the sole.  I did 2 rnds of incs and placed each in 1 st out from the center of the sole.
• Then, I followed the heel instructions for the high instep (where it just so happens you have 4 extra sts).
• Once I knitted a few reps on the leg I could see that the sock would stretch a lot as it got further up my leg.  So I increased the lace stitch pattern from 7 sts to 9 sts.  I put together a couple charts in case anyone wants to do this mod in the future (see below).
• Then, I did a k2 p1 rib at the top.  K2 p1 rib is my favorite sock ribbing.  I set the ribbing up so the 2 knit sts flowed from the 2 decs on rnd 9.
• And finally, I did Jeny’s Surprisingly Stretchy Bind Off.  It was my first time using this bind off and I love it!  Stretchy and it doesn’t flare when not being stretched.  That’s always been my peeve with other toe-up bind offs – they stretch, but when they’re relaxed they flare.

Here are the charts I used to increase from 7 sts to 9 sts.  I did this at 4.5 reps.  You can do it at any point on rnd 5.

Setup chart (5 rnds, starting at rnd 5)

New chart (10 rnds starting at rnd 1)

I considered several options, and finally chose Coupling by Deb Barnhill in Gypsy Girl Transitions in the Viola Bouquet colorway.

I chose this pattern for a few reasons

• I like both knitting and wearing socks with lace
• This pattern looked like it would work well with the transitions yarn
• The pattern is written for toe-up – especially great for using up most of the skein. They come in 200 yard hanks so I probably won’t use up the entire skein per sock.

I’ve been enjoying knitting the pattern and am already past the heel flap on the first sock. I love the look and am crossing my fingers that the yarn will wear well. I’ve pulled a few pills off the yarn already and it is 100% merino so we’ll see.

For now I’m just enjoying another WIP.

In true fashion, I chose and re-chose the project.  Then, last Tuesday, Bonne Marie Burns came out with a new cardi – Elisbeth – and I fell hard.

I saw it on Wednesday and wanted to cast on right. now.  But I waited a day just to make sure the euphoria didn’t pass.  It didn’t.

Here I am with one full repeat of the cables done.  It’s bottom up, seamless construction.  The sleeves are picked up at the armholes and knit down.  There are options for both short sleeves and long sleeves.  Right now I’m thinking short, but I have plenty of yarn for long.

The yarn is Berroco Vintage in Crimson (5154).  It’s such an easy-to-knit yarn.

As for the cables – yum!  Bonne Marie planned the cables out to repeat over the same number of rows, making it easy to keep track.  I did have a bit of trouble executing that small cable flanking the main cable.  If you look at the first repeat you’ll notice that the cable doesn’t pull in as much as future repeats do.  And surprisingly, this is a cable that I really need a cable needle for.  I usually cable without a cable needle, but there’s some decent calisthenics going on with this cable.  I love the look though.

And speaking of love – I’m loving this sweater knitting too.  I still have a bit of anxiety over sizing given my slow weight loss, but I’ve (mostly) come to terms with the fact that this may only last two seasons.  As for now, I’m hoping one of those seasons will include wearing it on the fairgrounds at Rhinebeck 2012.

That’s 10 hanks of Berroco Ultra Alpaca (bought 3? 4? years ago) for Paul and 8 hanks of Berroco Vintage for me.

I cast on for Paul’s sweater last weekend – Dylan Goes Electric from IK Summer 2005.  The first hank knit up quickly and I’m already on hank two.  I have no illusions – at some point this project will become the bane of my knitting, so I’m taking advantage of the new-knit excitement.

And once that newness fades, I have some Berroco Vintage (in first pic above) at the ready for me.

It’s been a long time since I last posted but I have been collecting links.  Here are some links from a few weeks ago.

Link love:

• If you like Color Affection, check out daisyknits’ version (love the grey/yellow/pink combo!)- and make sure you read her notes on how she made the edges work better for her.
• Andi finished her self-striping socks.  Handdyed, even stripes.  Love em!
• And Jesse finished her rainbow striped Felici socks.  Yes, I am on a self-striping stalking bender.
• Julia Trice’s Mexican Wedding shawl (below) has a great decorative edging knitted lengthways of the shawl.  It would work great as a scarf too – and wow, that red!