Wow...the first blog post of 2008. Okay, so it deals with 2007 projects, but I think it's important to take some time and reflect on my knitting accomplishments over the past year. The list of completed projects, though small to some, is tremendous by Serial Hobbyist standards. I even managed to learn a couple of things along the way so it doesn't get much better than that. Here goes:

• Fetching: Like many, I fell in love with Cheryl Niamath's pattern that appeared on knitty.com in late 2006. I ended up making five pairs of these gloves (most of them were knit in Debbie Bliss Cashmerino Aran), four of which were given as gifts. If you're looking for a quick and easy project, this is it


• Snowman at Midnight Stocking: I became obsessed with knitted stockings in the post-Christmas slump of 2006 thanks to the beautiful creations featured in Christmas Stockings and Knit Christmas Stockings!. Somehow I got this wild idea that I was going to spend the year knitting stockings and have them ready for use by the time December 2007 rolled around. In true Serial Hobbyist fashion, I was only able to complete one stocking: the Snowman at Midnight from Christmas Stockings.

  The Rowan yarn used for the body of the stocking is no longer available, so I used some dark blue Araucania Nature Wool from the stash -- the shades in the yarn are reminiscent of the sky on a cold, clear night. The snowman and snow bobbles were worked from scraps in the stash. The patterns called for sewing the i-cord on to the stocking, but given my aversion to sewing I found it much easier (and cleaner) to knit it on. This technique is explained here.




• Squares for the Hokie Healing Project:
  

  Thanks to Gina of the Mosaic Yarn Shop, knitters and crocheters alike were able to cope with their emotions in the aftermath of the Virginia Tech shootings by lending a helping hand. These 8"x8" squares will be used to create blankets for shooting victims and their families. At last check 8000+ squares had been received from all over the world! Read more about this project here. I was so proud to be part of such a worthwhile endeavor.



• Cable and Rib Turtleneck:
  This sweater was my first foray into cables and garment shaping. I chose to knit the Small size in Cascade 220 (Natural). Information about the pattern can be found here. I actually finished knitting this sweater in April of 2006, but the sewing aversion left it sitting on my blocking board for a year and a half. I was forced to spring into action in June of 2007 when I saw that the cat had thrown up on it! Fortunately, the stain came out (I love Shout!), but I still couldn't wrap my head around the sewing process. Enter Renee from Knits Finished. She was able to sew my pieces together to create a work of art. I love this sweater so much! Not only is it super warm, but I get this tremendous sense of satisfaction knowing that I saw this project through to completion every time I wear it.


• Pea Pod Baby Set:
  What started out as a "Welcome to the World" gift turned into a Christmas present for my friend Jackie's baby girl. Fortunately I knit the cardigan in the 12-month size and the hat in the Large size so Riley should get some use out of both pieces. The set was knit in Elann's Super Cable Aran, a 100% mercerized cotton, in Elm Green. The yarn worked well for the pattern, but it did get slippery at times. The plies split easily, so you really need to watch where you put your needles. The cardigan was finished with six 4-hole 15mm wood buttons (Natural) courtesy of M & J Trimming. I love the way this set turned out. It's simple, yet sophisticated. It's also a great introduction to lacework. I'm really glad that I have another Pea Pod Baby Set left to knit.

Those of you paying attention to this blog will notice the distinct absence of the Ariann cardigan in the list of finished projects. In spite of my best efforts it's still not done. I actually was very close to finishing, but had to rip out close to thirty rows because I hadn't worked the decreases correctly. Interestingly enough it seems that this is the section that people struggle with the most. I'm really surprised that Bonne Marie Burns hasn't posted some sort of FAQ for this project. It certainly would help to clarify things. Sooo... I'm taking Ariann into 2008 with me. This doesn't necessarily make me thrill me to the core, but I do feel that this is a worthwhile project. Let's hope it doesn't drive me crazy.

Given that I have been babbling extensively about the Ariann cardigan and the Pea Pod Baby Set, I figured that I should probably post a few pictures to convince all of you out there that I have been working away diligently these last few weeks. The pictures didn't come out as well as I'd hoped, especially in the case of the close-up shot of the Leaf Lace detail, but it's hard to photograph a piece of knitting that seems to go on forever. Okay. I've stalled long enough. Here they are:

For those of you unfamiliar with this pattern, the Ariann cardigan is made up of a 12-st repeat of 2 - mirrored 6-st sections. The eyelet pattern is easy to memorize, and is a nice introduction to lace work. It certainly gives the cardigan a level of sophistication without being too complicated. I am knitting this sweater using Selkirk wool (Light Gray). I've been pretty pleased with this wool overall as it has some nice undertones.
It will definitely make a lovely sweater, although getting it finished is a serious challenge for the Serial Hobbyist! I do feel, though, that things will go a little faster now that the sleeves are joined to the body. The downside is that I'm now stuck with a pile of heavy knitting in my lap. Oh well. There are trade offs with everything.

I'm really enjoying the Pea Pod Baby Set pattern. Generally I find knitting large areas in stockinette stitch rather boring, but the moss stitch and the lace work definitely adds interest to the piece.


I am knitting the cardigan using Elann Super Cable Aran (Elm Green). I had originally intended to use the yarn for a baby blanket, but quickly realized that the 100% mercerized cotton would work better for a garment than it would for a blanket. It is actually nice to work with, although it can get a little slippery at times. I also am forced to experiment with new types of joins as a way to avoid weaving in ends -- I typically use wool, so I always use a felted join when I switch to a new ball. I tried the Russian Join and that seemed to work, but I'll see what else is out there. I'm about halfway through the body of the cardigan at this point. I might need to put this project on hold while I work on other things. Fortunately I have time on my side: it will take the recipient about 6 months to grow into this sweater.

I've been more than a little distracted this week thanks to all the stuff that has been going on in my personal life so it hasn't been a great week for knitting.

The Good News
Sleeve #2 of the Ariann cardigan is back on the needles! Yes, after last weekend's frogging/ yarn unkinking episode everything is progressing very nicely. I'm not anticipating any more problems for the next 75 rows. I'm sure things will get interesting when it comes time to attach the sleeves to the body, though.

The Bad News
Silly me. In the midst of all of my turmoil I decided to start work on the Pea Pod Baby Set. For those not familiar with this pattern, it incorporates a little bit of lacework, so it's kind of important to pay attention to those charts. Amazing how you can miss a detail like that when you're lost in thought. To make a long story short, I had to frog through about eight 127-stitch rows once I realized my mistake. That was truly more painful than frogging Sleeve #2.