Summertime Tunic

Summertime Tunic, Interweave Knits (Its a PDF)

Size: 33.5
Needles: Size 6 for body, size 4 for ribbing
Yarn: Valley Yarns Southwick, 7 skeins (probably a little less)
Color: Margari
Cast on: 4/11/08; Cast off: 4/25/08 - For a total of two weeks start to finish!


I love this pattern! And I looooove this sweater! The stockinette can get tiresome if you get bored easily, but I just watched some good TV/movies and knit while distracted. It flew off the needles. I hate the 1 x 1 ribbing on small needles, but after I got past that I was good to go. There was no seaming (bonus!) and whipstitching the casing down was a breeze. Love it, adore it, will wear it always. I'm glad I did the 33.5 even though that is crazily below what I would typically wear, so take heed if you are considering this pattern, it does run quite big. Its still a little big on me, which I don't mind.

So what am I doing now that this little beauty is done? Rusted Root. Oh yeah baby, Zephyr Style ROCKS! Think I can do it in two weeks?

What? Stop laughing! ;)

Finished!

Caitlin is finished, minus blocking and seaming under the arms.



Its too hot now for me to worry about doing it this instant. But I will.

Why no head? Well. Because I needed a shower. Badly. And I couldn't bear to show a pic on here that is that bad. That being said, I put it on Ravelry. My logic is flawed I know.



Meanwhile.....


I started the Summertime Tunic!

I'm so much farther than this now, matter of fact I am about 15 rows from splitting the front and back.

I'm sad though, cause I'm cruising through this and my knitting partner (Kristin, of Caitlin KAL), is not cruising through it quite as quickly. I kinda feel bad for whipping through it.

But, then there is Nikki (Knitting Student, FPS!!!!) who is through the ribbing! She started on THURSDAY. THURSDAY PEOPLE!!!! So, I can't slow down. Or she will catch me and beat me! The student cannot beat the teacher.

See, this competition thing works out well for me ;)

Oh yeah....my mom said the sweater is "baby poop green." Can you slap your mom?

100 Things

100 Things

Everyone seems to have this on their blog so I figured I’d put it up. Its kinda neat, makes you really think of random stuff you don’t usually think about yourself. Wonder if I can get to 100?

1. I’m a Christian.

2. I laid in bed last night thinking of what I’d put on this list. Now my mind is blank.

3. I love roller coasters.

4. I type 110 words per minute.

5. My favorite color is purple and always has been. I am also fond of green.

6. I have given birth to four children. Three girls and one boy.

7. I am the baby of the family. I have three brothers and a sister.

8. I am pretty spoiled. But I don’t think I’m a brat.

9. I still remember my first real boyfriend’s phone number. I’d never try to call him though.

10. This is obvious, but I love to knit.

11. I used to love to swim when I was little. I was even on the swim team. Now, you couldn’t pay me to get in a pool.

12. I am horrible with money. If I have it, typically I spend it.

13. I think my husband is the best looking guy I have ever dated, even if his Facebook picture is embarrassing.

14. I check Ravelry way too often.

15. I have a dog named Bella.

16. Yarn is Kellie like crack is to crack addicts.

17. I probably have more yarn that I could ever knit. That doesn’t stop me from buying more.

18. Unless its sock yarn, I won’t buy yarn unless I know exactly what I am going to use it for.

19. I hated high school. Now I’d do anything to go back and do it again.

20. My dad died when I was ten. And I miss him. A lot.

21. There are songs that make me cry every time I hear them. Even if I only hear a little bit.

22. I love to sing.

23. I used to be a worship leader.

24. My best friend for a few years was my ex-pastor and his wife. I really miss them.

25. I wish my old church hadn’t changed.

26. I don’t read the bible as much as I used to. And I intend to change that.

27. I try to be a good friend, but probably fail miserably. But my friends are so cool, they would never tell me if I did.

28. I worked as a teacher in the daycare at my old church. I wasn’t very good at it.

29. I’m still breastfeeding Wyatt, and have no intention of stopping any time soon.

30. I used to co-sleep and wish I still did.

31. I love to cook, but rarely do because I’ve gotten so lazy.

32. I’m Irish and I hope people can tell.

33. I want to be a Forensic Psychologist.

34. Patricia Cornwell is my favorite writer.

35. I want to learn sign language really badly.

36. I’m apparently OCD because I will want to arrange this list so that no subject occurs twice in a row. But I am too lazy to do it. So it will just bother me forever that I didn't.

37. I love to organize, but my house is a disaster organizationally.

38. I am a horrible housekeeper, but I have gotten better in the past few months.

39. I think that guys who stutter are hot. It that politically incorrect to admit?

40. I hate politics but I am obsessed with the elections this year.

41. “An Inconvenient Truth” scared the hell out of me.

42. I will buy something just because they donate to breast cancer research.

43. I worry about what the world will be like when my kids are older.

44. I think dogs are annoying most times.

45. We own chickens and I love them.

46. I have three tattoos. I’m thinking of covering one of them because I don’t like it so much. It was a whim.

47. It makes me sad that Chris can’t wear his wedding ring at work. And I know it shouldn’t bother me.

48. I have way more guilt about things that I should have about past things in my life.

49. I say I am sorry to everything and it drives my family nuts.

50. Chris thinks I am way more talented than I am, but I would never let him know he is wrong.

51. I love The Princess Bride.

52. I wish I knew how to be a better mom. I’d like to get it perfect, even though it is unreasonable to want to.

53. I want to learn how to ballroom dance.

54. I love Prince.

55. I have been on a cruise and would love to go on another one.

56. I got married in Gatlinburg, Tennessee.

57. I’m way too much of a pleaser.

58. I love the Food Network, even though I don’t make a whole bunch of things I see.

59. I make a mean meatloaf.

60. I’m not a fan of smoking.

61. I hate to do dishes.

62. I love to vacuum.

63. I am scared to death of the dentist. I have no reason, I just am.

64. Even though I get burnt out on it, I really do like my job.

65. I had a crush on my middle school science teacher. He still teaches there.

66. I lived in Pennsylvania from 10-16 years old. I want to go back.

67. I love the snow.

68. I am not a big fan of the beach.

69. I hate thunderstorms. They scare me really bad.

70. I love cows.

71. The only peas I will eat are Leseur peas.

72. I mix my peas in my mashed potatoes, and that is the only way I will eat them.

73. I have to have toast with my eggs or I won’t eat them.

74. I love chicken wings.

75. I’m lactose intolerant.

76. I think it is adorable that Wyatt’s hair has so much red in it.

77. I think it is crazy that I have been driving a mini van since I was 22 years old.

78. I love celebrity gossip.

79. I use to have hair down past my bottom and sometimes wish I still did.

80. I have had to dye my hair since I was in my early 20s.

81. I love Barry Manilow.

82. The thought of speaking in public makes me sick.

83. If I am at a get together with more than two people that I don’t know, I can’t stand it and have to leave.

84. I was afraid to tell my mom I was pregnant all four times.

85. I love Dr. Pepper.

86. There are very few pictures of me which I would consider "good."

87. I want a completely flat stomach, but I am in no way, shape, or form considering exercising to get it.

88. I am (or was) a pretty good roller skater. I still have my skates.

89. I used to be able to bowl. But last time I went, my ex-husband whipped me so bad I'm considering never bowling again.

90. Typically, I do not find British comedy at all humorous, in fact I find it completely annoying most times. And I realize I am in a minority with that fact.

91. I just spelled "humorous" wrong in that I spelled it as "humerus" which is a bone. Bet you can't tell I work in the medical field.

92. I can do many crafts, but don't find myself to be particularly good at any of them.

93. I have very low self esteem, and think I am probably bad at most things.

94. My hands are always cold.

95. I think Pulp Fiction was pointless and stupid.

96. Rarely do I put ice in my drinks at home. I tolerate it when I go out, but usually drink it fast because the ice melting into my drink really irritates me.

97. I only drank water when I was pregnant.

98. I think orange juice with pulp in it is disgusting.

99. I hate beer, but love wine.

100. I miss my friend Brian from high school. We were always together back then, but I'm afraid to get in touch with him because what if he doesn't like me now that we are older?

Short row heel, check

I managed to make it through my blind knitting session without a single problem. (knock on wood)

And I think it is safe to say that I very well may like it a lot more than I like a heel flap. I enjoyed doing it, I figured out the wrap and turns pretty easily, and it looks wonderful!!

See?


I'm still trying out this new camera. It is definitely not as good as my other one. Or actually, I definitely haven't sat down and tried to figure it out so my pics will be the best they can be LOL Laziness.






Here is the entire sock, as it stands just finishing up the heel.

I love this yarn! I wasn't exactly jumping up and down about a yarn that stripes, but it has grown on me and I am 100% in love.

More knitting for me!! Maybe I can finish this pair up shortly, in between working on my Monkeys that I am plugging along on as well. So many WIPs, so little time.

Update on Caitlin progress next time! WOOHOOO!

Just keep knitting!

Geez. Sometimes I make this knitting thing really freaking difficult on myself.

My Rockin' Sock Club first installment socks have been on my needles for some time now. I stopped knitting cause of my elbow so they just sat. I decided to pick them up to see how I could manage with knitting them. I got all the way to the heel, which is a short row heel, read the instructions, and immediately commenced to freaking out.

I ran to Rav, searched for pattern errata because certainly it had to be wrong. All signs pointed to "just blind knit the pattern, it isn't wrong." DO WHAT??????? I can't blind knit! I have to KNOW what I'm doing!!!! How can I knit something that doesn't make sense? Why does it tell me to knit over 39 stitches but on the first row I only knit 35 of them then do a W&T?? What in the world?????? And oh hey, what the heck is a wrap and turn anyway?

Crap. Time to figure out how the heck to do a wrap and turn. I couldn't find it on knittinghelp.com. Ok, maybe I didn't look hard enough, but it wasn't out there with a big bold sign saying KELLIE LOOK RIGHT HERE!! THIS IS WHAT YOU ARE LOOKING FOR OH IMPATIENT ONE!!!! But alas, despite myself, I found it somewhere. No clue where. Didn't believe it was just put the yarn to the front (or back if purling), slip the next stitch, put the yarn back in the back and turn. That can't be a wrap and turn. That wasn't a wrap. That was a strangling of a stitch. It should be called strangle and turn if that is what you are supposed to do. Ok so it appears as if this is really a wrap and turn so I can handle that.

But really, this pattern has to have an error. I can't be working a heel over 39 stitches but only knit 35 of them in the first row. It makes no sense. I went to the Rockin' Sock Club Blog. And I read their questions on heel help.

Suddenly, in the midst of scouring for information, as if slammed in the head with a 2 x 4, I thought to myself. DING DING DING...I think I get it. I'll just blind knit and see what happens! (Yeah, ok. So I'm slow.)

Then I did something, which impressed even myself. I put in a lifeline. Couldn't believe it, but I did. I am not a fan of ripping back, especially in the round, so I put in a lifeline *just in case* everyone was wrong and the blind knitting didn't work out.

But oh hey. It turns out that the pattern wasn't wrong. You just gotta blind knit and it will all make sense.

Yep. I'm rolling my eyes too. Its knitting people, not rocket science. I just try to make it seem that way.

Caitlin - the sleeve

The thing that drew me to Caitlin was the colorwork on the arms. Its so beautiful!!! I was so excited to begin it. I did have a couple of false starts at first. I don't know why it was so hard for me to grasp the concept of how to do the colorwork in the round. I had to rip it out three times. All because I was double-knitting. Now I have never had the desire to learn how to double-knit, so it is pretty funny that I learned totally by accident. I can say two things about double-knitting. A) Its not as hard as it might appear when you are watching someone do it (a la Knitty Gritty) and B) I still don't want to ever do it. I was merrily knitting along thinking to myself, its really weird that this isn't ribbing like it should, I'm only seeing one color on the front and the other color on the other side, and man did I make a mistake in picking this pattern because these arms are going to be SO hot because this fabric is turning out really bulky. It was after I ripped out (for the third time, did I mention that?) that I realized I was doing it completely wrong and finally got the hang of it. After I got into it, goodness gracious did I love it all over again. Here is what it looked like when I finally got a little bit into the pattern.



I started out doing this magic loop method. I just wasn't willing to pull out the DPN's, and I wanted to try out magic loop to see how I liked it. I really enjoyed it at first. It was easier than DPNs I think, and similar to doing it on two circs. It just still seemed to be taking me longer than I had hoped.



I finally made it through the colorwork, with some minor problems with reading the colored chart. Some of the colors are just so similar, unless you knit in a brightly lit spot, it is easy to screw up the chart. I'm kinda sad, because I missed some of the pretty red down in the middle of the pattern, but I didn't get sad enough to rip it out and fix it. So I just noted on the chart what colors I had actually used so I could duplicate my error on the second sleeve. I will maybe toss in a bit of extra red in the yolk maybe, but I'm not completely sold on that idea either. But here is what it looked like almost to the end of the 50 some rows of colorwork.


Not too shabby I don't think. Goodness the ends I have to weave in. We won't speak of that again.

I really like the way it turned out. The colors are very me, with the purples and greens.

Of course, then the great fall of 2008 happened and my knitting came to a screeching halt.

My friend Kristin did her sleeves in the round on 12" circulars, which is a FANTASTIC idea. I swear, that woman is like a knitting goddess or something. When I tried to pick this back up to knit again (because I realized that I was becoming quite cranky and that the Ravatar that my friend Deb had that said "I knit so I don't kill people" is actually quite close to the truth for me), I found that the magic loop was killing my elbow. And DPN's were just not an option. Those really would have hurt me. I had to find a way to keep my right arm still and do all the motion with my left hand. I ordered myself four pairs of 12" circs. Yes, I only needed ONE pair for this sweater. But you know, a girl can never have too many small circumference circs I am finding. Kristin told me this, but I failed to listen immediately. I now know that what she says is probably true. So I ordered some in size 0 11", size 1 11", size 6 12", and size 7 12". I got them in yesterday and put the sleeve on them today. Again, I owe Kristin dinner. This sleeve is literally flying off the needles. I am probably 3/4 of the way done with it at this point, and in fact I can hold my right arm completely still and make my left arm do all of the work. We won't talk about the knot that I now have in my left shoulder. Its a small price to pay for sanity.