Sabine is OFF hold. Hoping to finish it this weekend!

I'm on the last few rows of the right sleeve on Sabine. I have to review my notes and figure out where I am on the body. It seems long enough when I tried it on, but I don't recall where I am on the pattern with respect to it's increases and decreases. It seems there are more people showing/discussing their issues with the pattern on Ravelry. Maybe theyv'e been there all along, but I'm just noticing them now. View the peeps in process/have completed Sabine for an idea of how varied the results can be on this 'little' sweater. I would have preferred to see the author of the pattern show her garment on a person as opposed to the mannequin. It may show quite a different story.

As fellow Raveler, Susan points out, there seems to be a "new math" with this sweater. I too had/have similar experiences as Susan knitting this up. Although I was getting row gauge the length was all wonky and too short. My fix was to add several rows to lengthen the body and sleeves. Most others are getting or purposely knitting to 3/4 sleeve lengths. I prefer a little below the wrist and added enough to the length to achieve this. I also added stitches so the circumference of the sleeve was a bit bigger as well as omitted the decreases that come before the cuff portion of the pattern. The result is a sleeve that does not bell out as much.

The pattern uses Filatura di Crosa’s Superior (70% cashmere, 30% silk). I find that this yarn results in a fabric that is way too "sticky" to put on. You have to re-adjust and be careful not to pull or break the lace fabric when putting on the sweater. This is just too fussy for me to deal with. I like sweaters one can just throw on and not spend 10 minutes each time adjusting the sleeves and body because it's sticking to the t-shirt underneath. It's not a kind of sweater that can go without something underneath as it's so sheer and lacy. I'm not even sure if I'll wear this when all is said and done. Sure looks good on it's hanger though.

I've been notating my pattern mods and comments in the project notes section on Ravelry and will continue to update it as I finally approach getting this baby off 'er needles!

Managed to finish ONE knitting project...Almeara Gloves is finally FINISHED!

Well, they're finally done. The knit-a-long group that I did the Jared Flood Almeara Gloves with finished theirs long ago, but I didn't get the right glove finished until last night. Oh well. I'm fairly happy with the way they turned out. I kind of want to rip out the thumbs and do them over as they are a little big around the thumbprint area and the cables look a little wonky for some reason. I modified the palm and instead of garter stitch as the pattern called for, I did stockinette. I prefer the stockinette. I also swapped around some right cables for left and/or vice versa to make the cables have a mirror effect from the left to the right. Now, to change my in progress status to finished in Ravelry!

Mindful knitting with the Dalai Lama

Well, I just picked up my three "freebie" tix for two friends and myself from another friend to go see the Dalai Lama tomorrow at UC Berkeley's Greek Theatre. I was planning on bringing my Jared Flood Almeara glove project along, but upon reading the security info on the UC site, I'm not sure if it's such a good idea. I wouldn't want my knitting to be "perceived as weapons" and I'd be pretty bummed if I had to give up my right glove to gain entrance to the event. Here's a pic of the right.

Italy earthquake: 98 year old woman knitted as she waited for rescue

This story has hit every knitting/crochet blog out there, but in case you haven't seen or heard about it here it is a few more times...

There's some question as to whether she was knitting or crocheting and some say a bit of both. It doesn't really matter, I just think it's a great story.

Huffington Post:
98 Year-Old Woman Found Alive In Italy's Earthquake Rubble

The Daily Telegraph UK:

Italy earthquake: elderly woman knitted as she waited for rescue 

YouTube:

whimsical little knits arrives in berkeley

Ysolda's hot off the press booklet of patterns arrived from Edinburgh in my mailbox today. Pretty darn fast shipping as I ordered it last week. Thank you Ysolda! I love every pattern in this book and would like to start off by knitting the little slippers pictured first. I discovered her fabulous patterns where else, but on Ravelry and there's even a Ysolda group on Ravelry too.

picture is worth a thousand words

I'm knittin' up Jared Flood's Almeara gloves and on row 31, it calls for p2tog tbl:

http://www.knittingonthenet.com/learn/learnp2togtbl.htm

Love it. So easy to see what I'm supposed to do! The pattern mentioned that Vogue had an area on their website "Techinique & Abbreviations", but I searched to no avail and don't like to lug around my stitch dictionaries in my library collection. So, I ended up using the trusty dusty Google to come up with the above. Now, onward march...