Almost there

Yesterday I checked my pm's on Ravelry to find a great surprise...one of my testers had finished! Yay!!! I know for those of you who write patterns all the time this is probably nothing but I was excited nonetheless. It is a pretty basic pattern but I was worried that what I thought was basic would end up being wonky. I'm glad to know that I'm not as entirely demented as I had previously thought. The testing process has been an interesting first. I have learned a few things. First and foremost, put everything up front for your testers. For example, I gave them the list of techniques they would need to know, I also discussed that I couldn't pay them for their help as this would be a free pattern. One thing I forgot to mention, however was a time frame. I wished that I had done that but since I didn't I thought it better that I not add that in all of a sudden and so I wait. Patience is another thing that I have learned. I think it a great thing that my testers have different abilities because then I get the whole spectrum of problems that may arise. I consider myself a moderately advanced beginner so seeing what other people think and how they interpret my explanations was very helpful. Gauge is another thing I didn't consider too much but now I see that it does make a difference even with an oversized hat. My gauge was apparently really tight because some of the problems with sizing or holes etc. didn't seem to affect my finished project as much as it did to my testers. They have been a great help in my own learning process and I thank them. Kudos to Chra and SLOrnamentals on Ravelry.

Quick Baby Gift

It is nearing the end of May and I realized that I have a baby gift due in June. So I ran off to Ravelry to find a quick gift for a girl. I thought about trying Blossom which is a wrap dress by Melissa Wastney but for some reason the sizing wasn't coming out right. It seemed very small even though I used bigger yarn and a bigger needle and used the largest size the pattern had. Though I didn't go through the whole pattern, it said it was knit in one piece and I only CO 72 sts for the bottom. I will probably try that pattern again when I have more time to think about the pattern and make the necessary adjustments. As for now, I just wanted to do a mindless project that I could complete easily with the hopes that it would be useful. I decided on a seamless kimono by Jacki Kelly which I got off Ravelry and it turned out to be very simple. I added ruffled sleeves and a ruffled edge on the bottom only because I didn't feel like doing a garter stitch edging. I really need to expand my horizons and get a book on edgings. I had eyed a book at my LCS but I didn't buy it. I hadn't figured on needing it. But now I am changing my tune. The Kimono was easy enough that I just wrote down some notes from the pattern and went to work. I am not so sure about the ruffles, I have never done ruffles before so they might have turned out more "ruffley" than I had intended but overall I guess it is okay. The only problem I had with the pattern was I had one too many eyelet holes for the I cord. I used Bernat Soy Naturals in Celery and Rice. I did two toned because I ran out of yarn and I got them on clearance.

Another FO

FO seems almost vulgar to use but I have completed my Starsky Jr finally. It sat on the back burner for quite some time. This took less than 4 skeins of Bernat softee chunky which was a thicker yarn than the project called for. I didn't do any adjustments to the pattern to compensate. Overall it worked. If I were to do it again I would make the neckline deeper in the back because the collar comes up too close and I have to situate the sweater just right to make it look right. I think my seaming skills could use some help but that's only because the shoulders weren't quite right. I made one mod and that was to not make the sleeves folded up. I made them a bit long so DD would have room to grow. The length was fine. The actual color of the sweater, though you wouldn't know from the pictures, is navy blue...or dark blue as the yarn label says. I have only buttons left to find and sew on to it but other than that it is complete. Hooray! I have a pattern to write up for Austin and then start on my design project for a jacket. I'm really excited about the jacket. I have in mind what I am going to do and I just need to find yarn and then do it. I have not written my own patterns before so this will be interesting. But thanks to the wonderful peeps at Ravelry I will have willing volunteers to test it out to see if my mind is completely wonky. As far a the Starsky Jr project went, it was fairly simple considering the fact that it was only my second sweater to date. It was also my first attempt at blocking and I think it went horribly. I don't think I took the time to really understand the concept of blocking because we were on our way out of town. I think I'll need more practice. But at the very least...it's done.

Starsky Jr

I have begun a new WIP this week...two days ago in fact. I recently found that my DD's school has posted the dress code requirements which include sweaters or cardigans. I was fearful that the cardigan in question would look somewhat like it did on a certain television icon who used puppets in his show had I found one at say...Target. Though there is nothing wrong with simple cardi's I preferred to find something more...ummm...feminine in it's construction. Though I am not the one wearing it, I do hope my DD appreciates that I did not want to dress her like an old man that I used to watch on TV when I was a child. Even though fashion recycles itself, some things are better left to those who wore them when they wore them. No offense Mr Hammer. So off to Ravelry to find a cute pattern for a sweater or cardi. My DD decided to go with the Starsky Jr cardi because, frankly, the model in the picture was green which happens to be DD's fav color though my FO will not be green. Alas, the color of choice has been a very bland and mundane navy blue. Oh well, hopefully the style and construction will make up for the lack of vibrancy. I began my WIP on wednesday night. I chose Bernat's softee chunky because it was cheap ($1.87/skein) and the LCS had it in dark blue which I figured was close enough. Plus I could wash it without having to do a special load for delicates (which I never have enough to equate a load). I am currently 3/4 of the way through my 1st skein and about 9.5 inches on the back. So far, so good I guess. I have noticed a few mistakes but they are not noticeable unless you really pay attention to the pattern. I hope nobody does. I don't think the pattern called for chunky yarn so we'll see how this works out considering the fact that thus far I have never swatched anything. I should change that. Someday. I am using a US 7 needle even though the yarn recommends a US 10. Will post later to see how it affects sizing.