I've been a slacker about posting...

I've meant repeatedly to post my progress, and somehow I just always make it to the END of the day without having accomplished that.

So, without any further ado, I present Ribby Cardi...



... in pieces.

I do need to do some sort of blocking so I can seam her up. But, I'm having trouble finding a place to accomplish that goal (and... um... it doesn't help that I'd gotten way, WAY behind on laundry, and have been having to play catch up in anticipation of our summer vacation).

Although, seriously... how much blocking do I need to do? The pieces turned out pretty uniform. The sleeves, maybe need to be blocked out a LITTLE, especially at the top, but I've lost some weight since I started the sweater, and I don't need any more ease in the rest of the pieces than what I've got. So, do I need to do a wet block with pins, or a wet block patted out, or a steam block (I suppose that might require pins, I dunno), or just forget it altogether and start seaming that sucker up?

For jenna... do you see what I was trying to describe in my comment?

On the armhole shaping...

I'm on the back part, and even though I've gotten reinforcement from someone who is my same size and just did this pattern, I'm having a really hard time believing I've got the armhole shaping on the back piece directions right. K2, ssk, do whatever, k2tog, k2...but only every other row, and 2o times. And then some other stuff. So over 40 rows of armhole shaping.

Just please, tell me I'm not crazy. As you can probably tell, I've never made a sweater or shaped an armhole before.

Cotton Yarns

Hello friends! I've been getting quite a few emails asking about using Cotton Yarns for the Ribby.

Has anyone used Cotton Twist (Berocco) ?

Any yarn you particulary liked or think would look good?

I'm making one out of ggh Samoa - but would welcome any suggestions for other yarns you all might have.

Many Thanks!

:) Bonne Marie

Finished Ribby! Woo!

I finally finished my ribby.. and for good this time! I'm committed, as I wove in all the ends and tacked the zipper down securely.. This thing ain't commin apart anytime soon!




I love my ribby.. If you want to know more details about my finishing and shortening a zipper you can look at my blog, it even includes a picture of home-made zipper stops.. I looked all over the internet for a picture of them but couldn't find them, so I posted my own! Lol.

On a day I feel more photogenic I'll probably post a picture of me wearing it..

That's all for now : )

Sleeves In The Round..

Yes.. it can be done! I just had to share this.. I'm incredibly happy having sleeves without a seam running down them.. I basically took the pattern, and subtracted two stitches from the cast on row.. then I joined the round.. and knitted the sleeve.. Then when it came time to bind off for the sleeve cap.. I started a round, and bound off 8 stitches at the end of the round, but continued binding off for 8 more stitches into the next round.. Then I started knitting flat, and all the decreases worked out and it looks just like the regular sleeve.. just no seam! Woo!



Please note: I did not follow the entire pattern for the sleeves, I didn't knit them tapered like the pattern says (I began with 62 sts and knitted them straight.) so I am not totally sure if it still works in that way.. but I would assume that if you subtract 2 stitches from everything up to the bind offs, it should work out. I did follow the pattern for the sleeve caps in their entirety though (Minus 2 bindoff stitches, for a total of 16), and I know it works out.