Labor Of Elephantine Love

Backstory

Pattern: Offset Wraplan with elephant chart from Rowan's Zoo Vest, size 3/6 mos [gauge was off a bit so I knit a size up]
Yarn: Elle Elite DK in Natural, Denim and Forest
Needles: Knitpicks Options size 4
Exposition: I can't tell you how much I love how this turned out. I can't wait to see it on the new baby!

The Elle Elite DK is a great yarn and stood up to a lot of frogging. I wish I would have read the care label a little more carefully as it is not machine dryable. They'll just have to remember to dry it flat. If they dry it and it shrinks, I guess Poppy will have a new sweater, right?

I followed the sweater pattern as written with the exception of casting on provisionally so I wouldn't have to pick up stitches around the collar. And the only instructional problem I ran into was that the collar's raglan decreases were off a stitch or two. So I just lined them up with arm decreases. I also tightened up the elephant chart due to space issues...he's more compact than the original pattern.

I really love the look of the mistake rib edging. It almost looks like grass that our elephant buddy is standing on. I still haven't blocked yet, so that's the reason the stitches are still a little wonky. Since this was a top down raglan, knitting the chart from top to bottom was a bit of a challenge, but I think I got it right [for the most part, and if I didn't would I tell you?].

As for buttons, I really had it in my mind to find some kind of thematic buttons. I wanted something circus or maybe leaf related. My search left me sadly disappointed. I did come across some leaf buttons, but they were either the wrong type leaf, the wrong color or the wrong feel. I though I would at least find a round button with a leaf motif, but no luck...and I definitely didn't find any circus related buttons. I was pretty crestfallen. So during an outing last weekend, I pretty much gave up. I bought some plain, round ivory colored buttons at Joann's. Since we were in Santa Monica, we decided to drop in to Wildfiber in a last ditch effort and...

Jackpot!

We found the cutest little plastic mice buttons! At first we thought the blue was a bit too bright, but against the green, it's a little calmer [but just enough to stand out]. Aren't they the cutest thing evah? It just sends the adorability factor over the edge! I wanna weep at the cuteness!!!

So, it's finally done! I hope the challenge this sweater has been isn't a reflection on the recipient.

Am I A Bad Gifter?

Thanks for all the compliments on the Zoo Wraplan. I finished up the knitting yesterday and am so pleased with the resulting sweater. I'm going to sew the buttons on tonight and give it a block and wait for the new baby to arrive.

Now, I fully intended on giving this to my sister-in-law's sister, but since I've completed it, I really want to give it to my sister-in-law instead. Is that bad? I will still knit sils a sweater for her new baby, which arrived last Thursday...but this one...after all my hard work, frogging-ripping-frogging and many hard-won stitches...I kinda want it to go to my new niece or nephew. Is that bad?!?!? I'm feeling a little guilty, but...ugh!

I can't wait for you guys to see it. It is seriously the best thing I've ever made.

Now I just have to start yet another baby sweater.

A Well Deserved Sigh Of Relief

It's Autumn! And it's finally beginning to cool down in SoCal. We might even get some rain tomorrow! I'm too excited about that. Sweating in October is just not cool with me.

I bought these Peeps for my friend. Upon closer inspection, I realized that it's the same shape as the Easter Bunny Peeps...there are just colored orange with a Jack O' Lantern face on them. Funny.

Personally, I don't like Peeps. I respect them as food stuffs, but they just don't do it for me.


I'm happy to report that I made great progress on the Zoo Wraplan. I finished the elephant! I'm amazed and delighted at how cute it is. The green leaf he's holding doesn't pop as much as I would like, but that's okay. I'll live with it.

The stitches are a little wonky, but I'm confident they'll relax and act right with some blocking.

It's so cute, I can't stand it! I really want to make another, but maybe I'll chart a different animal. Maybe a tiger or a lion. Wouldn't that be so cute?

My only concern is the floats on the inside. If it were for me, I really wouldn't care, but since it's a gift, I want it to look nice [and as neat as I could get it this time around]. So, I was considering buying a little bit of felt and sewing it on the inside. What do you think? Does it really matter? Am I being too concerned about perfection and looks?

I appreciate your feedback.

Now just the bands and sleeves and it's done! I'm hoping to have it finished this weekend. Totally doable.

And for those of you in Orange County, I heard this morning that the art exhibit Slow Dancing is taking place right now at the Performing Arts Center. It's a free event and totally worth the price of admission. Check it out if you can.

A Few Small Victories

Front #1 of the Cabled Coat is complete! Three Cheers! I'm pretty confident I can get front #2 completed in a super short amount of time, now that I've worked out all the kinks. That may have to wait because...

Wha!?! MAIL!?!?! For me?

My yarn from Little Knits arrived today and tonight when I get home I will resume work on the Zoo Wraplan. I'm excited to get back to working on it. You may have noticed that there's some brown yarn there too. Well, the Zoo Wraplan has inspired me to explore colorwork a little more, so I'm going to do a little experimentation. I found a hat pattern that I can use...although I'm still considering the practicality of and amount of fiber needed for the yarn mohawk.

The Cuteness Will Persevere!

Last night I looked at my progress and decided that I wasn't happy with it. I was trying to avoid cutting the yarn into pieces in order to work the natural color on both sides of the design. And the method I was using to do that resulted in crappy looking fabric. So during the 3 hour Heroes "event", I frogged back, cut strands of each color and went back to knitting.

A few false starts later, I think it looks much better. I'm sure it looks the same as the other picture, but trust me...it's much better. And the fabric isn't as dense and heavy as it was. I'm hoping to be done with the body tonight...just in time to figure out if I have enough natural yarn to make the sleeves.

It's great to be me, isn't it?

Take 1. Take 2. Take 3.

Thank you, thank you for all the encouragement with the Offset Zoo Wraplan. What I have in my head is so cute...I'm hoping the execution reflects it. It hasn't been smooth sailing thus far.

Take 1: I decided that the sweater will be natural with a blue elephant eating green leaves. The border will also be green. So Friday night, I cast on with the green yarn. I read the instructions a few times, not in depth as we were going out, and kept feeling something was amiss. All night it kept bugging me. So Saturday, when I had a moment to really look at it, I saw that the border is added afterward. So I frogged the green and recast with the natural yarn.

Take 2: Once I realized I would need to pick up stitches around the neck for the border, I decided to provisional cast on. And I was off and running. Until got to joining the arm. Once again, my left-handedness has twarted my progress. As you can see [or maybe not] the sweater opening is on the opposite side compared to the picture. I thought about just leaving it, but the fact that my stitch count was off lead me to believe restarting was the best option.

Take 3: Finally, I'm getting it all right. The sweater opening is on the right side. The stitch count is correct. Then I was about to start the elephant chart. Using the existing chart with my gauge, the elephant would wrap almost entirely around to midback. Somehow I didn't want it going back that far, so I recharted. Now his bottom will be right at the side. I'm sure both would be cute...we'll see how it looks once I get a little farther. I was also having issues with the color changes. I'm trying to keep it from being too bulky and and trying to figure out the best method. I think I may frog this back and try again. You can see in the picture where the yarn is carried in the back [across the top of the blue section]...the stitches look twisted. Cuteness will prevail!!!!

And in Stash Enhancement news...
Y'all know I can't resist $2 yarn. Well, I had been getting emails that a yarn store was going out of business and the remaining yarn was $2-5 a ball. So Saturday we drove out to a strange place called Westlake Village and checked it out. Thank god GF was there to keep me in check. I only wound up spending $32...and only $18 of that was for yarn intended for me.

I got 9 balls of Ella Rae Classic in Raspberry. There was another color that both GF and I preferred, but there was only 6 balls...and I needed at least 7. What am I going to make with this lovely yarn? Why, Wisteria! Such a beautiful sweater and only $18 to make?!?! I'm in 7th Heaven!!!

3 balls of Ella Rae Classic in Denim. GF liked this color, so I told her I would knit her a hat and a scarf. We saw a great neckwarmer at the Diesel store, so I'm going to try to copy that.

4 balls of Douceur et Soie. I'm not fan of mohair. Nor am I a fan of lace. So, this is yarn will be gifted to my sister, who enjoys both. Well, I'm not so sure about the mohair part. And since she reads this blog, it won't be a surprise gifty. GF had found some boucle yarn in a pretty blue color and thought it would be nice for my sister, but the yarn gave me the painful knitting vibe...so when I saw this, I thought it would be a better fit. So, happy Fall Solstice, sis!

And with that, I'm officially on a yarn diet.