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Iknitarod 2012 Update

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This is my Iknitarod project (over on Ravelry, Iknitarod 2012).

http://www.garnstudio.com/lang/us/pattern.php?id=4575&lang=us

Figuring this may be the only way I’ll get this done, as it’s due for a baby shower in, oh, about a week! And yeah, I just started it.

The yarn I’m using is Knit Picks Brava in a sport weight. It’s not as orange as it appears in the picture, it’s more of a coral. this yarn is, by far, the nicest, softest acrylic I’ve worked with.

Also, I have Knit Pick’s way cool Chart Keeper to help me keep track of my designs after I get that far.

I know I should round it out and knit this puppy on my Knit Picks Harmony needles, which are my absolute favorite needles to knit with, but they are busy over on several other projects.

To the right you can see how much I got done last night – the ribbing on the sweater. Now to change over to the Size 7 needles and start flying. Should go pretty fast, little bitty knit, on big (relatively) needles.

Keep up with my progress (read, please, please, please help keep me on track…) over at the Iknitarod 2012 Group on Ravelry! I am redwingschick (penchant for hockey….)

Comments

  2. Just joined this group last night after I read the post here. First time for me doing anything like this! I’m thinking about doing a lace shawl. That is going to be a challenge for me! Who knows if I will finish it in time, but I’m going to try 🙂 Happy knitting! See you on the trail!

  3. Just joined Iknitarod today, for a similar reason, have a baby blanket I want to do! 🙂

Have you read?

Knit a Classic Aran Cardigan with this Free Knitting Pattern

Not too long ago I did a test knit for another designer that was for a cabled cardigan. It’s really cozy and nice but it just about broke me in a ton of different ways. I couldn’t get gauge, which I suppose is my own problem, but mainly I was somehow both bored and forced to pay attention at the same time. 

Because it used the same cable all over, I always had to know what row I was on, but nine out of ten of those rows, nothing in particular was going on. So I couldn’t stop paying attention, but what I needed to attend to was boring. 

It may have ruined me for knitting cabled sweaters, but maybe I just need something that’s more engaging. Like this Modern Aran Cardigan pattern from Lion Brand Yarn. 

This is a reworking of an old pattern from their archives, and you can tell that form the classic look of the cables and the oversized feel (nothing cropped about this one!). It has allover cables, but like a classic Aran sweater it’s not the same cable, so you’ll have to pay attention to what row you’re on and what cable turns happen for which cables on that row. 

Because of this, it’s considered an intermediate knitting pattern, but if you’re comfortable working from multiple charts at once it shouldn’t be a problem for you. There are three different charts and seven different cable moves. 

Also because the pattern is so big and boxy there are only two sizes available, with a finished chest measurement of either 49 or 63 inches (that’s 124.5 or 160 cm). It’s up to you to decide how much ease you would like and whether that will work for your body. 

The pattern uses worsted weight yarn (and calls for another classic, Lion Brand Fisherman’s Wool). It calls for six buttons and includes pockets to make it extra cozy. 

This one looks like a great winter project to make and to wear if you’re up for a bit of a challenge. You can grab the free pattern or buy a kit with the yarn needed direct from Lion Brand Yarn. 

[Photo: Lion Brand Yarn]