Samus Cardigan Knitalong

Please remove me ...

2006-12-03T11:16:00.000-05:00

HELP!!!

I need to update one of my blogs to beta blogger.
I can't update any of my blogs to beta blogger because I am a team member for this team blog and team blogs cannot yet be updated to beta blogger.

PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE remove me as a contributor to this blog.

I have sent several messages to the gmail account listed ... but it seems to be as abandoned as this blog.

Finished at Last

2006-03-15T17:26:00.000-05:00

Except for the zipper. I have to be in the mood to get that done. I knitted the body three times and sleeves twice. It does fit this time. The i-cord is all attached. There are some ends yet to weave in, and the grosgrain ribbon is sewn on. Just have to wait until it is cool enough to wear it. Maybe we will have that "one more cold snap before Easter."

Still knitting...but getting closer

2006-02-28T17:21:00.000-05:00

I hoped to finish Samus for the Knitting Olympics, but I am not on the podium. However, I did well: the body is finished, and I've cast on for the first sleeve. Unfortunately, I am worried that I may run out of yarn. I'm using Elann's Highland wool that I bought a few years ago, so there's no chance that they will have the same dye lot. I've got 3-4 skeins left.

Third time's the charm

2006-02-26T11:37:00.000-05:00

I have finished Samus once, sleeves, seaming and all. (See my January 1 post.) Then I ripped it out, as it was WAY too big. I knitted the body again, on smaller needles, using size small--it was too small. Now I am almost done with the third attempt on the body! I only re-did the sleeves twice. It seems to be just right this time. I will not think about the zipper yet, though I did get another, shorter one in a color closer to the yarn.

If Meghan's done, I'm done too

2006-02-23T16:08:00.000-05:00

Samus on
Originally uploaded by Sophie_vf.

I've bound off and declared victory, as a friend of mine would say.

I am still trying to find grosgrain to stablize the front edge, and although I rummaged through my zipper stash (I sew, too) I couldn't find one the right color or length that separated.

So here I am holding it closed :) More details are here.

I don't know why it took so long to knit this (I think I started in October), because I really enjoyed working on it everytime I picked it up. Maybe because it was a large-ish project that I only worked on while watching TV.

yes Meghan, I'd love to see a pic! Doesn't the front edge roll when you wear it without a zipper?

Samus done?

2006-02-22T00:18:00.000-05:00

I see I haven't posted in quite a while so it's time to confess that I finished my Samus and have worn it at least 5 times - in fact I'm wearing it now. However, I still haven't broken down and installed the zipper. So does it count as an FO if the plan is still to put the zipper in at some point? Does everyone just want pictures to jump start their engines for this project again? Let me know and I'll post them if you want.
Otherwise if there is someone who is willing to hold my hand through the zipper process that would be great. I inspired a lady from the local SnB group to want to make Samus now too, but she is even more apprehensive about the zipper part than I am. Any inspirational thoughts or pointers for me?

Meghan

2006-01-28T21:15:00.000-05:00

Unfortunately Samus has hit the "Frog pond" for me. I just wasn't happy with the way it was looking and I found the Wool of the Andes was a wee bit too itchy for me. Good luck to everyone else.

:-(

Progress is being made

2006-01-25T02:20:00.000-05:00

I recently picked Samus up again and decided that she had lingered long enough. Last night I knit up to the shaping and tonight I finished the right front and started on the back. Wish me luck fellow KAL-gers I'm going back in!

Blocking Samus

2006-01-01T17:17:00.000-05:00

Well, I finished the second sleeve of Samus a few minutes ago, and it is now blocking. This is the best of about 25 shots, in various contortions, such as holding the camera over my head. Most of it is here, anyway. Yeah, I am looking forward to the I-cord edging. Another learning experience. Still not sure about the zipper, as I don't have one yet.

Some progress

2006-01-01T14:12:00.000-05:00

Look Andrea! It's part of a Samus!
Originally uploaded by Sophie_vf.

I finally finished the body. I did add some waist shaping, taken from Knitty's Rosedale, which is looking a bit puckered right now. I hope it will block out. I really hate sewing seams, even short ones like the shoulder seams, so I had better do it right away, even before casting on for the sleeve braids. I'm looking forward to that - the cables are a lot of fun.

Finally Samus

2005-12-13T09:39:00.000-05:00

Samus has been finished for a week now. I am lacking in photography skills. It could be the color of this yarn. I gave up, toss and click.
I am really happy with this sweater. It is a very well written pattern. Thank you Brynne for sharing your design. I just love the cable detail. My sister will be the lucky recipient, she will love it. This pattern has found a home in my Favorite Binder waiting to be knit again. I want one too!
Thank you all for your input along the way. I was able to use many of the hints and suggestions.
Hope everyone else is pleased with their sweater also.

Almost Done....

2005-12-13T07:04:00.000-05:00

I'm in the home stretch!!! Forgive the bad lighting and photo in general, but here is actual proof I am down to the edging. It is slow going, each sleeve cuff took 30-45 minutes, and the sheer length of the edging on the rest of the body is multiplying that time by ALOT. But I have a lot of time On Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday nights at work to hopefully finish up entirely so it can be worn at my family Christmas Saturday. Cross your fingers for me! Here are a couple more close-ups just to help fill out the sparse content around here lately.

Next up - the zipper. Heaven help me. lol

Finally getting back to it!

2005-12-12T11:44:00.000-05:00

I finally finished the never-ending-blanket for my parent's Christmas gift (12 months, 24 skeins, 359,000 stitches.....)
So, I had to fly to Long Island & back yesterday, about an hour flight, and I took the waistband braid that i'd done 2 repeats on. But I found a mistake, ripped back about 10 rows, then when I'd redone those, I realized I'd started on the wrong row! Another trip to the frog pond, much confusion and when we'd landed, all I'd done was get those 10 rows right, plus maybe 10 more!
Oh, well, at least I'm back to working on it!

First sleeve

2005-12-10T17:32:00.000-05:00

I finished the body of Samus last night, and went to a meeting of North GA Stitch and Bitch this morning, where I finished the braid section for the first sleeve. At least the stockinette is not as daunting now.

At last! it's done

2005-12-05T12:58:00.000-05:00

At last! it's done
Originally uploaded by Sophie_vf.

Hi all! I am finally jumping in on the knitalong now that I have finished the waistband and am ready to pick up stitches. This is in Paton's Classic Merino, Rich Red. I've never used this yarn before, and so far it's OK, but it's not love at first knit. Still, I'm happy with the way it came out with the cables. It was also springy enough that cabling without cable needles was relatively easy. That said, I did have to work through some cable and gauge issues since the change in technique changed the gauge. All is well now - downsizing the needle to a 7 seemed to fix it.

Now to block and pick up stitches. This will be great TV knitting now that miles of stockinette lie before me :)

Machine or Hand Sew the Zipper?

2005-12-04T09:57:00.000-05:00

I finished the I cord. It took two attempts to find the correct method. The sleeves are calling me, I am ignoring them. Looking for input as to what you found worked best for the zipper. It would be faster to machine sew but curious as to what everyone else found for the best result. Thanks for your input.

I actually worked on Samus

2005-12-02T22:50:00.000-05:00

Well, after a long hiatus, I have made it to the right front shaping for Samus. Love those Clover extra large stitch holders. I thought I would never make it through all that stockinette, but it seemed to go faster than I thought it would.

Not Finished Yet

2005-12-01T08:38:00.000-05:00

I am finally working on the I Cord!!! I am avoiding inserting the sleeves which is my least favorite part of knitting a sweater. I should have forced myself to do that first.
I have been admiring all the wonderful finished and unfinished sweaters and feeling guilty mine is not done yet. I have finished other projects for Christmas presents while this one sits waiting patiently in my basket.
I have decided to give this sweater to my sister for Christmas. This way it will get finished in time.

ack!

2005-11-23T11:29:00.000-05:00

Ok so I forgot my camera cord at home so I'll have to post a pic later but...

I finished knitting the body!!!! I'm so happy! I might actually be able to get this done by Christmas.

Anyone else...

2005-11-20T09:33:00.000-05:00

have the Samus on hold? Maybe because of holiday presents? Or something else?

Mine is on hold because I need to finish a charity blanket that's due November 28th. I really want to finish it before Christmas so I can wear it on Christmas day.

As promised...here are pics of my finished Samus

2005-11-19T19:37:00.000-05:00

I sewed in the zipper last night. It really wasn't too hard...my sewing machine was acting up so only one side is sewn in by machine,the other side I sewed by hand, which wasn't as horrible as it sounds. In fact, when I am ready to put my zipper in Ribby, I will probably hand sew it in. The picture of the zipper looks a little wonky but it real life it fits together nicely. I think it was the way I was standing, because I don't notice the teeth of the zipper sticking out towards the bottom the way the picture shows it.

I am finished

2005-11-17T18:23:00.000-05:00

Well, 99% finished. I finished up the I cord and pinned in the zipper. Off to my LYS for a show and tell night and then I will sew the zipper in tomorrow night or Saturday. I will have pics for you all by the end of the weekend.

My zipper came in today from Zipperstop and it is a perfect match. Couldn't have gotten any closer if I had picked it out in person. I was worried about the colors on the monitor but I think I made a good choice.

Still Going

2005-11-17T11:41:00.000-05:00

So I’m into the miles and miles of endless stockinette. I went on a bit of a knitting hiatus because of having a murder mystery party (those things are a lot of work but so very much fun!) and now I’m back to it in force. Hopefully I can crank out the body, knit the cables for the arms, and be working on the arms during all of the Thanksgiving travel…. I can do it all in a week Right? Riiiiight.
Here’s where I’m at so far…

Second try at I cord is turning out better.

2005-11-15T20:36:00.000-05:00

I frogged the I cord I had done and started over. I had intentionally put it on the wrong side but it made the waist band flip up like a duck's tail! The second time, I only cast on 3 stitches and instead of S1, K1, psso, I am doing K2tog. And I went down 2 needle sizes. It is turing out much better:

One section around the color looks a little funky but I think some blocking or some creative duplicate stitching will take care of that.

Anybody like the wrong side of the I-Cord better?

2005-11-13T20:48:00.000-05:00

Here is a picture of the right side of the applied I cord. It is OK, but I am not thrilled with it.

Here is a picture of the wrong side of the I cord (the side that is on the inside of the sweater)

I like the wrong side better, it just looks neater. I am considering taking it off and applying it with the WS facing. Any thoughts?? Would it be to big and bumpy on the inside??