Second Bacall Sweater

I have finished the second Bacall sweater from Rowan Knitting & Crochet Magazine Number 44.

I made it for older daughter and it will go in the mail today. I sewed the band on as I knitted it (knit it?) and it did work out a bit better than sewing the whole thing on after finishing the band. This way it was exactly the size I needed.

But I know why I knit so many scarves and hats----no seams! I need lots of practice on finishing.

Knitting Lesson No. 213

Rule 213: Just go buy the yarn.

I did think I could make another ten rows or so with the little yarn I had left, but I studied it and looked at the gap and decided that it was unlikely. Really, really unlikely. And I realized that if I did make it, using up all the yarn I had left, I then wouldn't have the yarn I needed to sew the rest of the band and collar and the sleeves to the sweater.

So I gave up and went to the yarn shop for more yarn.

Rats!

Knitting Lesson No. 212

Do NOT return yarn to the yarn shop just because:

a. the pattern calls for four skeins
b. you mistakenly bought five skeins
c. you are starting the fourth skein and only need to knit the band
d. you happen to be at the yarn shop for knit night and have the sweater and yarn with you and you think-Oh, I may as well return this while I'm here because I won't need it.

Why not return the extra skein?

Because returning it will pretty much guarantee that this will happen:


Yes, I need just enough more yarn to knit, oh, maybe ten or so rows to close the gap in the collar portion of the band.

Thirty stitches times ten or so rows.

And all I have left is this:

Hmmmm.............

Maybe if I kind of s.t.r.e.t.c.h. the collar a bit when I sew it on.....

Yes.

I'm sure that will work. Sort of like blocking in advance.....

I'll let you know.

It might become Knitting Lesson No. 213.

Pret a Porter

I've finally finished the Bacall sweater I started October 2nd for younger daughter. It's en route to LA and she will have it tomorrow. I just hope it fits!

If I make this or any other sweater with a sewn-on band and collar again, I think I will try knitting it on as I go rather than what I did this time - making it and then sewing it on the sweater. Just out of curiosity...to see how that works.

The pattern calls for a brooch to hold the fronts together, but I've left finding the right one to younger daughter. She'll have fun picking one out and her taste and mine might not be the same.

Now I've started another Koigu Puckered scarf, but with a different yarn. I love the colors -pictures soon!