Gauge swatch done in prep for the May 7th start of VeryShannon’s 2014 TTTKAL. Can’t wait to get started! :)

May 7/14 Update: Short rows for front and back shirttail hems are done, work has been joined in the round and I’m off to the races!

May 12/14 Update: Needing to join a new skein at 7 1/2” in. Started winding by hand as I did the previous one however within seconds I had ended up with a horrendous 270 yard rat’s nest. Four hours of crazy making untangling later I was ready to go again. So frustrating to lose a whole evening’s worth of knitting time. :(

May 16/14 Update: ripping it all out. Major issue with gauge. 10 1/2” in and now I realize I somehow screwed up and only saw gauge listed for one needle instead of both and managed to arse it up further by acheiving the larger needle’s stitch gauge on the smaller needle. Crap. I was ever so sure I had followed directions properly.

Not sure at this point if I should start over or throw in the towel and say to heck with it. :(

May 18/14 Update: re-cast on last night. I really do want to make Plum Blossom, it’s been in my faves so long. Onwards and upwards. This time I’ll make sure I actually read the pattern properly!

May 20/14 Update: only 4 1/2” in so far. Hoping there will be an extension on the KAL, because I’m fairly certain there is absolutely no way I’ll be finished by the 28th.

Silver linings to re-starting. Knitting at the gauge specified rather than the imaginary one I conjured up has led to a much, much nicer fabric (go figure!). Also I took time to watch a video on picking up wraps on the purl side and am so much happier with the result this time around. My first set weren’t very pretty and horribly noticeable. So all in all a blessing in disguise starting over. The only downside is that I just feel terribly behind now.

May 26/14 Update chugging along slowly. Almost back to where I ripped back from. Contemplating some mods at the moment…

June 11/14 Update this is the sweater that never ends, it goes on and on my friend…

Seriously. I knit and knit and knit and it does not get any longer. It must be, because yarn is getting used up, but holy smokes. Progress is slow. My wrists are pretty bad too which means only a few rounds and I have to set it aside. I just want to get past the endless stockinette to the fun stuff at the yoke!

November 9/14 Update Moving this to hibernating for now. I’ll revisit come spring.

March 20/15 Update Going to put this back up in my WIP list. My slate should be clear project wise in a few days and I think it’s time to give it some attention again.

March 21/15 Update finished my Sunstruck shawl earlier than I though so got back to this tonight. Turns out I was further ahead than I thought and am only a few rounds away from dividing front and back for the armholes! Whoot!!!

May 14/15 Update well, I didn’t get much further on this in the last almost two months. I have no knitting mojo it seems. So, I’ve thrown my hat in the TTTKAL ring again with this and am determined to get it done once and for all. The Very Shannon group KALs are usually pretty motivating, so here’s hoping! :)

May 16/15 Update Front is finished. Started the back lace but have to rip it out. I swear this top is jinxed. Arghhhhh.

May 30/15 Update Finished the lace yoke and the neckline. I had to look up a tutorial for the provisional cast on needed for the applied i-cord edging, but it was easier than I thought and the only thing holding me back from completely finishing tonight is that fact that it’s almost midnight and my eyes are crossing from tiredness and the light is so dull that I won’t be able to see well enough to pick up the armhole stitches. I hate to put it down when I’m so close.

I did try it on this afternoon after doing the shoulders - I used a three needle bind off - and the fit is absolutely great. SO EXCITED!!!!!

June 1/15 Update: all knitting is DONE! Tomorrow I’ll tackle weaving in the ends! :)