An FO! No, really!

Okay, I finished knitting this back in June, which means I've waited so long that I can scarcely remember the details. I'll do my best.

The summertime tunic is really done.

Yarn: Elann Sonata in gold colourway
Skeins: Just over six
Size: M
Needle size: 4mm
First time: Using whip stitch, adding non-yarn part (in this case, satin ribbon)

It was such an easy pattern that there is little to say about the process. I deliberately made it a size smaller than I would normally wear, figuring that the blouson tunic effect would not be especially flattering, as it would cover the few curves I have up top and completely disguise my waist. It's hard to say if this was the right call. It's definitely more of a tank than a tunic.

I'm not crazy about the placement of the straps. I don't have a single bra with straps that wide, so I have the choice of deliberately exposing the straps (is there a point where one gets too old to do that?) or going without, a dangerous proposition with any knitwear, and even more so here, where the front gapes whenever I bend over, unless I tie the straps so tight they start to pinch. Plus, there is a definitely a point where one is too old to go into the village with the ever-classy 'nips ahoy' look.

It is extremely comfortable, and I'll be sure to wear it around the house, but I seriously doubt this top will ever see it past my front door.

Progress report

Although I am, deep down, terribly lazy, I do occasionally have fits of productivity in which I finish projects I have been procrastinating on for weeks. Such was the case last night, when I finally grabbed the summertime tunic and wove in all the ends. There were a TON of ends, because the yarn was very knotty and needed to be cut far too often. It took me well over an hour, but this morning she was washed and is now christening my blocking board:


I also bought ribbon and beads for the straps, so this one should get a proper FO post soon -- only two months after I finished knitting it. I was hoping it would be done by this evening, but today turned out to be a cold, rainy day, and nothing is drying quickly in this weather.

Clapotis has been teaching me very a important lesson about hand-dyed yarn. And that lesson is: never use it again for projects that require more than one skein. The first two I used were perfectly matched. Then I started happily knitting with the third, only to discover (after knitting about three inches, of course) that it was noticeably darker than the rest. Frog frog frog. Next skein was better, but seemed to be missing most of the red tones. Snip that yarn, start a new ball. The one after was fine. The next one had a perfect blend of colours, but the overall tone was a bit darker. So now, as I enter the home stretch, I'm alternating the two balls that were only a bit off in order to produce a more even effect overall. And, once again, creating too many damn ends that I'll have to weave in.


The next time I feel productive, that is. Not now, for goodness sake.

Secret Pal Contest: All your WIPS

Secret Pal is keeping me honest and making sure that I update (somewhat) regularly. I didn't mean to disappear. Work got hectic and life got tough and all sorts of other things like that. However, the brilliant thing about a knitting blog is that it is the one place where I do not moan about my life. No troubles shall darken the door (page) of this blog! Only the knitting matters!

Now, if only I had more knitting to show. The latest secret pal contest asks us to show all our WIPs. At the moment, I have three:
You know, I really don't like earth tones quite as much as this picture would suggest. It must be time to invest in some intense red or purple yarn.

This is My Very First Sweater. It was never quite completed.
I began this one way back in December, in the first month I learned to knit. I managed to a) twist all my purl stitches due to misreading instructions and b) ran out of yarn for the hood. I'm sure it could still be saved -- it's basically just a big, shapeless hoodie -- but I'm almost scared to seam it up and discover that my first jumper is a mess. Right now, it's Shroedinger's Jumper. It could be a masterpiece, or a disaster. I like to live with the delusion that my first jumper was, in fact, a masterpiece. Or, at least, it would be if it was ever completed.

Up next is Lauren. Oh, Lauren. You have turned out to be something of a bitch.
Once again, I managed to drop some key stitches and was left with something of a mess. This wrap is proving to be my emotional litmus test. If I am in a positive mood, the knitting flies by. If I have anything else on my mind, disaster strikes. I am currently living in denial with this one. I don't want to go back and try to fix it until I am willing to accept that the whole damn thing may need to be frogged again. Right now, Lauren is in a serious time out.

Finally, there is some actual progress. I'm shocked, too. After thinking about working on Soleil for ages, I finally realised that, despite having the yarn on hand, I really wasn't that enthused about the pattern. Fortunately, Interweave Knits swept in and saved the day with the Summertime Tunic. It's a very straightforward knit, perfect mindless knitting in the round.
I'm not thrilled with the ribbing, which seems to be one of my knitting weaknesses. It never looks even, no matter how careful I think I am with the tension. However, I'm back to straight stockinette now, and I'm hoping that a bit of blocking will sort it out.

I'm already starting to look around with increasing desperation for my next pattern. I need a break from all this simple knitting with tough cotton! I think I'm about to start a shrug made with some handpainted alpaca, so hopefully there will soon be an addition to my WIP list.