Really, I Do Finish Things

The Steppe Sweater is done. I'd been putting off weaving in the ends because, hello, have you seen the Avalanche yarn? We're talking two stitches to the inch, here, people! I wasn't even sure it would fit through my darning needle. But the other night I sat myself down and did it. (Netflix helped - movie review to come when I finish processing it.)


Pattern: Steppe Sweater
Yarn: Dulaan Avalanche yarn from Ryan
Needles: US 10 KnitPicks Options
Notes: I found it really difficult to pick up stitches and work decreases with yarn this chunky. I had planned to do more striping in the sleeves, but found that having a color change round anywhere near a decrease round was too much to deal with. That said, it's a great pattern and a very quick knit, if not exactly portable. I got guage on my swatch with the tens, but the sweater came out a bit smaller than it ought to have. No matter; it will fit someone. I think the pattern could easily be adapted to a worsted weight yarn for a nice ski sweater, particularly if you added toggle buttons and loops at the neck opening.

The ladybug hat and its companion are done, and have been mailed off to Isabella. I hope she's not too big to wear the newborn cap already.

Two hats, all done

Newborn hat

Corrugated ribbing takes a very long time

Pattern: Fiber Trends Lovable Ladybug Hat; Seat-of-My-Pants-Different-Every-Time Baby Hat
Yarn: Classic Yarns' Cashsoft DK
Needles: US 5 KnitPicks Options; US 4 bamboo DPNs
Notes: I didn't love this pattern. I thought it used the hard way every single time when there were far simpler solutions. If I'd read it more carefully before I started, I could have made adjustments, but I was too eager to get started. Lesson learned, maybe. I also didn't love the yarn (I know, bitch, bitch, bitch, huh?) - it was very soft, but I think the microfiber dried my hands out if I knit with it for too long.

The Almanac baby sweater is all done but the seaming, and then it will be button-sewing time.