I’ve been flying under the radar the last few days, but getting some progress made on both Oregon and Eris. Marina kind of inspired me when she asked about the zipper for Oregon, so I knitted up all the bands this weekend. That means Oregon is almost a fait accomplis!Â
Eris is my take along. I am over halfway done with Sleeve Number One. I bought a new pattern off the internet this weekend and if I find the right yarn, I’ll share it.Â
In response to Betsy who asked about the hem shaping on Eris:
I may not have described what we are doing very clearly, but Sally and I opted to do a hem similar to that of the pullover version, but on BOTH sides. When you look at the pullover on the Girl From Auntie site it looks like both sides are shaped, but really only the right side is.
I have seen examples of the Eris Cardigan knitted up and the fronts seem to split at the tummy and I did not want to emphasize mine! I put the cabled corner shaping at both side “seams.” The pictures in my previous post show both sides of my cardigan. The fronts will be straight across. I will use a 2-way zipper* so I can open it from the bottom a little bit if I want. Because I chose to put the cables on both sides, I did not do the waist shaping. Mine will have a boxier fit.Â
*And about that zipper: I am just about ready to place my order — I don’t know the exact length yet. I get my custom zippers from Zipperstop. They have a ton of colors and many zipper styles. They cut to any length for $1 extra. They do not have a soft green, but the olive I ordered for something else looks like it will work. I’m using the plastic teeth because they match the zipper tape and will be less visible.Â
Back to knitting, you low lifes! Bloggiversary — is that even a real word? Too much celebrating and not enough knitting. What kind of a knitting blog is this, anyway?!!??Â
Okay, Okay!! I have been knitting, really I have! I have deemed Eris suitable for survival and completion. It looks okay, the hem no longer rolls and I think it will fit. So, I will work on the front I-cord edging and get the sleeves started. They will go so fast and all the hard finishing stuff is already done. Except for the zipper, which is putsy, but not horrible.
Here’s a close up of the overlapping cabled corners — after blocking, I think that’s as good as they are going to look.Â
I have also been playing around again with the Woman’s Continental — remember GiGi and her fabulous hairstyle?
I had already started the sleeves (one up to the raglan shaping and the other half way there). Then comes the fun part with the front bands and the collar, etc.Â
The front band has a form of brioche stitch, which I attempted to swatch — I had to “SOS” Surly to help me figure it out. I could not get it to work, no matter what I tried. The irony is, when Idonis was knitting this, I figured it out for her (?!!??)! How many brain cells have died since then? Can dementia be far behind? Surly said, “It’s easy. It works for me. Here’s what I did.” And, voila, it worked. It is easy and looks cute. What are sisters for?
We’re glad you enjoyed the contest — thanks again to all for the well wishes and support. Luv ya.
Well, Susan’s Eris is actually starting to look like a sweater. Mine is looking more like a bolero or a very impractical shrug with no sleeves. Here it is in all its “glory.”
This is a closeup of where I have divided for the sleeves so you can see the provisional cast on. Once I finish the body, I will pick up the sleeve stitches (which are on a holder), undo the crocheted provisional cast on, and knit up the twelve stitches I cast on. That way, there will be no underarm seam (just as with The Blue Shimmer). If the picture is confusing, my thumb is resting on the cord of my circular needle.
I’m way behind Susan with my Eris, in part because I got distracted by that red silk Sundara yarn I wrote about the other day. Once I recovered from the trauma of my lost cast on (thank you for all the sympathy), I thought long and hard about whether I wanted to put the whole project away for a little while or get it started to have as a second project. I was also spinning wildly on what size needle to use — I kept trying to do swatches and getting bizarrely inconsistent results. I decided to put it away for another day and concentrate on Eris. Then I made one small mistake. As part of my excessive worrying about needle size, I googled “Sundara silk” and “shawl” and found this:
It’s stunning and I was. Stunned that is. It’s the Icarus Shawl from Interweave knits, which I’ve already knit in Kidsilk Haze. Brook, whose blog entries on this shawl (including more photographs) can be found here, knit this beauty in the exact same color I had purchased. Well, one look at her Icarus and I was doomed. I had to play with my yarn.
I’m making the Three-Cornered Shawl from the Victorian Lace book. I don’t have an image handy; it’s on page 136 for those of you who have the book. The pattern calls for a backward loop cast on. I didn’t do it. Not only had I done it once, and not particularly liked the results, but I had come across some other knitters’ complaints about it. I swatched to make sure that the pattern would work with a different cast on and then decided to use a cable cast on (which I kept relatively relaxed because I didn’t want a tight edge). It looks fine. The backward loop probably gives a more invisible, delicate edge, but in the context of the whole shawl I don’t think it matters.
I’ve done the four-row beginning (Chart A), Chart B, and have just barely started the first repeat of Chart C. The pattern difficulty is categorized as “experienced.” It’s really not a hard pattern, though (apart from that cast on). The lace repeats themselves are small and fairly obvious — that is, they line up over each other nicely so that it is not hard to figure out where you are or whether you’ve miscounted. I initially put in markers to separate the repeats (just to make sure I had the initial counting correct when I set up the repeats), but I removed them after Chart A. Not only was it annoying to have so many markers, but — and this may be why they listed it as being for experienced knitters — the markers need to be moved fairly regularly as the number of stitches changes. Still, it’s a simple pattern with no lace patterning done on the wrong side rows (which makes it more of a lace fabric than a true knitted lace).
I have very little to show of it, but here is what I have:
I’m not sure that my shawl will be as exquisite as hers, but I’m hoping. If I hadn’t already knit Icarus, I’d probably be knitting it in this right this moment.
P.S. Don’t forget to enter our Anniversary Contest if you haven’t already. We are taking entries for another week. Details can be found by clicking on the link at the top of the sidebar (to the right).
I am definitely not enthralled by my cabled corners on Eris. They started out okay — I was pleased with my short rows (after three tries!). I used nonaKnits instructions, which are very nicely written and easy to follow. Here is a picture of the back of my Japanese Short Rows:
Why is it so “hairy?” I used thread instead of safety pins, because I couldn’t find enough pins. Anyway, I was happy with the way the short row shaping ‘shaped up.’ I’m not so sure about the cabled corners. The knitting seems coarse, like the yarn should be finer and knit to a tighter gauge.
I still need to add my 5-stitch applied i-cord edging. I prefer to do it afterward so it is smoother and I can adjust it to fit.  I found with the Rogue Hoodie that I preferred doing the i-cord edge after (click here for picture). I also realized that I should have done the front corners first because the front edging needs to overlap the back and mine is set up wrong — oops. Not to worry! I’ll fudge with grafting.
I continued onward and completed the I-cord edging across the lower back hem:
And the hem as a whole — albeit, a bit washed out in color:
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I’m still not sure what I think about this project. The hem wants to roll in a funny way. I did a light steam before I picked up my edge sts but it still rolls. I hope that wet blocking solves the problem — wet blocking certainly cures a lot of what ails my knitting 😉 !Â
PS — I completed the shirt-tail hem shaping on the right front and then tried the lil puppy on — I realized that in an effort to de-emphasize my tummy, I am now emphasizing my fat ass hips!! Ruh roh! 🙁
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I finished the collar and even remembered to take a slightly out-of-focus picture of it before picking up the stitches for the body. Please don’t judge the poor little collar too harshly — this is “raw” unblocked knitting.
The pin you see in the middle marks where my provisional cast on was. I think it will look better once it’s blocked and fussed with, but I don’t think the transition looks too bad. I know I will prefer how it looks half-a-stitch off than how it would look with a seam.
In an effort to catch up with my sister, I’ve done a fair amount of knitting today. I’ve picked up all of the stitches for the body and will finish the short row section tonight (before my obligatory row of the grey behemoth).
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From Susan: Should I get pissy that Surly’s looks better or just keep knitting away? I guess I’ll have to keep knitting, as it is the one thing that keeps me sane…
I am working diligently on my two projects. I take Eris with me so I can work on mindless stockinette — I have about four inches past the underarm. This is one of those projects that will be a bit of a crapshoot — it LOOKS like it will fit:
The beauty of top down knitting!
I have also been knitting on Oregon. I work on it at home and now have about 9″ done on the second sleeve — woo hoo!! I would post a picture of it, but an old one will do:
We’ll pretend! I’m not quite this far yet, but you get the idea ;) I actually am really enjoying the sleeve and I NEVER enjoy doing sleeves!!
I am (of course) daydreaming about the next BIG THING, which will be the Large Collar Bohus. That is what keeps me plugging — thinking about the NEXT one!
It’s so hard to take good photographs of knitted garments. Susan and I would each like to have a half-mannequin, so that we could get decent pictures. If we lived closer, we could invest in a really good one and share it. But we don’t, and I haven’t had the time to look around to see if I can find one. So, in order to show you photographs of the finished Berry Cluster Pullover, I tried:
1. Hanging it up. It looks okay, but not great.
2. Draping it over a chair. Just no.
3. I flirted, ever so briefly, with modeling it myself. It fits nicely, but I just wasn’t of a mood. So, I asked my twenty-year-old daughter if she would model it for me. She said yes, but I knew the fit would not be quite right. She’s very slender, and her shoulders aren’t as broad as mine. (I said shoulders. Shoulders, people.) It fits me better than it fits her, but I don’t have the cute stomach. So it’s a tradeoff. (And I should have had her change into a smoother under garment. See, we need a mannequin.)
Here is a detail of the hem so you can see the pearls.
In other knitting news, I did start Eris. I have half of the collar knitted. Like Susan, I started with a provisional cast on (the white row you see at the wide end) and my next step will be to pick up those stitches and start knitting in the opposite direction.
I’m knitting my Eris using Ultra Alpaca, which I described here (you’ll need to scroll down a little bit). I think this yarn will be perfect for this project and I am loving how it knits up. It looks rather sad here but I’ve stretched with my fingers and I know it will look much better once it’s been blocked.
Alison — I know you’re concerned about the lightness of the cash soft you’re using. I think you’ll be okay; I might worry a little whether that yarn will pill because it is so soft. That’s the one little concern I would have and some of that depends upon how hard you are on your sweaters.
As for the grey behemoth — my Feather & Fan shawl — I’m still plugging along. Twelve rows left. It will get finished soon.
PS — For Wendy O:
And from the book:
Sorry about Meredith, Kim — she lived! I told you they would never kill off the show’s namesake. My daughter and I were both disappointed with the writing the last few shows.  Shondra must be paying too much attention to a possible spin off with Addison. I’ll give them another chance, though….
I’ve been working on Eris. Here is the back. The picture is from my scanner so the color is more accurate.
I am 2″ past the point where you divide the body from the sleeves — woo hoo! AND, with the beauty of top down knitting, I tried on the little puppy and it appears to fit.Â
Sally and I are making a few alterations to the pattern. One of these can be seen here. Jenna had a built-in stockinette edge along BOTH edges of the collar. I left the one on the inner collar off so I could pick up later and do an applied i-cord edge. The advantage is that you can guarantee that the edge will be the exact size you need, and after trying it on, I will need to tighten up that edge quite a bit*. I did this in the Rogue Hoodie as well, because I had seen too many of them (on blogs) that had a floppy edge along the hood. Doing the collar this way would interfere with the cabled detail at the center fronts — I opted to finish the hem like the pullover so as not to accentuate my tummy. Let’s face it. I do not need a big arrow pointing out the fact that I have a too-big tummy. I prefer camo, thank you very much. Sally does not have this problem, but does prefer the look of the pullover anyway.
I went to knitting last night and had a blast. What a crew! After a week of computer torture training, I needed a break. We have a “celebrity” that joins our group on occasion and has been there the last couple of Thursdays: it’s author Monica Ferris. She has written a number of books, but several are knitting-related murder mysteries that take place in a fictional knitting shop in Excelsior, Minnesota. She has mentioned some of our knitting peeps in her books, so it’s kind of fun.
*Jenna does include short rows to make the inner edge smaller.
PS — to Connie: Sally is planning to start hers today.
Honest, she said I could start!! I needed a stockinette project and I had to get past the collar to get to the stockinette portion! I really wasn’t trying to leave Sally in my wake.  This has happened before (in both directions) so I should have known better…
I have made some progress on my Eris: I did rip out the body once and started over, but it is progressing okay now. I did not like the way my short rows OR my increases were looking, so that’s why I started over. I think I’m now doing Japanese short rows (or at least what I call Japanese short rows!). And I am doing the “yarnover make ones” that I developed for Sunrise Circle. I think it works better because the increased sts are only 2 sts apart — they pulled up the other sts too much and did not look very nice. I’ll show a picture when I have a bit more progress.
I have been enduring “special computer training” the past two days. We start promptly at 7 am for four days straight. My friend, Susan, and I are taking it at the same time. One day I’m face down and the next day she is. Tomorrow we’ll probably BOTH be comatose. It is really a grind. I have not been able to knit much because I am so exhausted when I get home.Â
RE: Eris — In response to Wendy: I would call this sweater advanced, because of the elaborate cabling, short rows and unusual construction. I have read several blogs where they said they started this project, but not so many that finished! That could be said of a lot of projects, but I do consider it a red flag. Sally and I have decided not to be deterred by the success or lack thereof of others — we’re not scared off by extreme knitting, baby!! Let ‘er roll! 😉
PS to Wendy O — I think Rogue seemed easier because its construction is more straight forward — at least until you get to the hood itself. There are some interesting things going on there! It was easier to get started so that’s why I ended up doing the Rogue for my Knitting Olympics Challenge last year (I finished it in 12 days — no cleaning, cooking or housework of any kind was goin’ on during the “Olympics,” let me tell you). The hood has some fantastic cabling and if you are intimidated by grafting, you could do a 3-needle bind off.Â
The instructions for Eris are 40 pages — though that includes both a pullover and cardigan version — and her charts are done in large print. I am doing the short row shaping where the cable section attaches to the body and the directions are 5 pages long! She is VERY detailed, to the point that it seems excessive. To her credit, she says she is detailed to help avoid confusion.
Hello, everyone. The weekend is winding down and so am I.Â
Sally and I have been toying with the idea of starting a new project together. The timing has been tough because we are already hammering away at other things, BUT Sally said I could go ahead and start. We are doing an Eris Cardigan Mini-Knitalong. We are calling it a Knitalong because we are starting it together, but it’s “mini” because it’s just the two of us.  If you want to knit along with us and would like us to post pictures and you want to write updates in the comments, that’s fantastic! However, we just don’t want to manage a true “knitalong.”Â
About the Project:
Eris is the fraternal twin of the Rogue Hoodie. I made Rogue as my Winter Olympics project. At that time I thought I would do Eris, but got stopped in my tracks when I tried to get started. I had yarn issues and “getting started” issues, so I switched to Rogue. Now that I am committed to Eris, I see why I got stuck!Â
You start by knitting the collar and then pick up around the outside edge and knit the rest of the raglan sweater from the top down. I figured that once I got the collar done, the rest would be fairly mindless stockinette — you guessed it: my mindless take-along knitting!!
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Of course the color is not very true — it is a very soft pale green in Cascade 220. The gauge is 5.5 sts and 8 rows per inch on the collar and 5 sts/7 rows per inch on the body. You start by casting on at the center back and work the right half first. Then you are supposed to pick up sts at the back and work the left half. Sally and I could not figure out why she did not use a provisional cast on, so i did. I think it looks pretty invisible in this close up:
Yes, the sts are a half stitch off where there is a transition from knit to purl, but I think that is less noticeable than picking up into a cast on edge.Â
It is very organic, asymmetrical cabling — quite attractive I think. Once this dries, I’ll pick up the sts around the collar and hope for the best as far as the rest of the sweater goes. It could be one of those strange, impossible projects. Only time will tell.
I spent most of my day at the Mall of America hobnobbing with crafters of the Red Heart Yarn variety. The Craft Yarn Council of America hosted their own Knit Out event this weekend. It is designed to get people interested in knitting, crocheting, and buying Red Heart and Lion Brand Yarn. That said, it was fun and I got some freebies: bamboo knitting needles, a nice crochet hook, a knitting needle gauge and many free patterns — some of which were kind of cute. Lily Chin was there and other known authors. She was hawking a crocheting book, so I passed that right by. I also ran into a few knitting peeps. My older daughter saw it as an excellent excuse to do some shopping and she made the most of it 😉 ! Â
A new week starts tomorrow: Happy Monday! If you have it off for Pres’ Day, I am very jealous!
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