Have no anxiety at all, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, make your requests known to God. Then the peace of God that surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.
Phil 4:6-7



Wednesday, April 06, 2011

Yarning Along...

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...with Ginny at Small Things.


The sweater I was working on for Faith had stalled the last couple of weeks so I didn't participate in Ginny's Yarn Along. I ran out of yarn at the end of the second sleeve and when the skein I order came, I discovered the company had filled the order with the wrong color (sour apple green -- yuck!). Finally the right one arrived and I finished the sweater at the end of last week.

My first sweater! I love this pattern. It was the perfect first sweater because the pattern was simple to follow and with the exception of a few stitches, I knew how to do all of the steps already. Knittinghelp.com, of course, came in handy for learning the kitchener stitch and casting on stitches to a finished edge.

The pattern was this one, and I used inexpensive cotton yarn because it was my first sweater and I was afraid I would botch it and waste a lot of money in good yarn. As it turned out, I probably should have used nicer yarn, but at least now I won't feel badly if she plays outdoors in it and really uses the sweater. The sweater is a bit long, and wide around her middle, but she's a fairly skinny little girl. I probably could have finished the second sleeve with the original allotment of yarn, if I had shaved a few inches off the length, but now she can wear it this fall and winter (if her arms don't grow too much!).

I apologize that I am sharing so many pictures, but it is my first sweater! And just FYI, I did not block the sweater before I took the pictures. Because it will be washed often, I'm not sure I'll ever do that.






Explaining something to me with her hands.






I started another sweater by Knitting Pure and Simple for Doug's little niece. It's the same brand of yarn in bright, cheerful colors -- called Gumdrop (how could you not like gumdrop yarn?). This sweater is a cardigan with one button and because Doug's niece is only four, the sweater will be much smaller. I love how the sweater starts to take shape after just a few rows. Thanks, Ginny, for the recommendation.




My "yarn" is To Kill a Mockingbird, which I am reading with Joshua, my high school senior, so that we can have a little book club discussion before he writes his final English paper.



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13 comments:

  1. That's such a cute sweater pattern. Congratulations on finishing your first sweater!

    FWIW, Cotton is heavy and sags, so it will make your sweater bigger than if you used a different yarn. Something to think about when you knit more sweaters. (I learned that from reading the Yarn Harlot's book this week!) :-)

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  2. How exciting to complete your first sweater-congrats.
    I read How to Kill a Mockingbird with my senior last year and then we watched the movie,one of my favorites!

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  3. What a wonderful accomplishment and sweet pictures.

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  4. Beautiful job! Congrats on your first sweater.

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  5. Beautiful.

    I do not knit...at all. I cannot figure out how you gals knit AND read at the same time???!!!

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  6. Hi Barbara, that sweat is just lovely! I wish I knew how to knit but I sure don't. I saw your link at Jamie Jo's Lord Please Make Me a Saint Blog and came over to say hello. I really like your profile picture of a rosary. I've been praying the rosary for a couple of years now and so many graces and blessings have come from this devotion. God Bless.
    www.rosarymom.blogspot.com

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  7. Congratulations on your first sweater! It looks fantastic!! And thanks for dropping by my place today hope the sequel to FNKC is as good as the 1st!

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  8. What a fantastic job on your first sweater! This is only the beginning :)

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  9. You did such a great job on the sweater! It is so cute on Faith!

    And I like the name of that new yarn you are using. Gumdrop. How perfect for a little girl!

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  10. Cute pictures and beautiful work on the sweater! I can only knit in a straight line (long, LONG scarves!). To Kill a Mockingbird is one of my favorite reads. Maybe I should go reread it. :)

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  11. Great job on the sweater! I love the gumdrop yarn.

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  12. Congrats on your first sweater, I finished my very first this week too. Hurray for us! I'm still so excited! Your new Gumdrop yarn has the prettiest colors in it...

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  13. HI, Barbara-

    Oh, what beautiful work!
    I have realized recently that I have been missing in my life projects which are completed so that I have a finished product! I used to sew all the time, and now rarely do. And knitting has always frustrated \me, but now i am surrounded by young knitters and think I will begin again!
    Thanks for the motivation! (p.s.come visit me again-I started over!).

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I appreciate your comments -- sometimes I feel like I'm talking to myself!