May 1, 2017

Because my cardi version of this was sooo small (I still don’t know why!), I decided to go up to the L and aim for a cozy sweatshirt version.

Finished the hem color work and plan to get the body knit by Sunday.

May 4, 2017

Day 4 and I’m at 7.5”, decreases for waist shaping are done.

May 5, 2017

I did the increase rounds and knit to about 10”. I have a busy day ahead on Saturday , but it will end at our friends’ lean to and fire pit, so I should get in some good straightforward knitting time! On track to start sleeves on Monday!

May 7, 2017

Last night (well, technically, this morning, 1:15 a.m.) I reached 14”. I wonder if I should knit one more inch. I’ll think on it while I knit the sleeves.

I dug out my dpns for the sleeves and will aim to get both cast on and cuffs done tonight. If I make good progress on end-of-semester grading.

May 7, 2017

I thought I would get both sleeves cast on and cuffs done, but grading was a beast. I cast on one, didn’t finish the cuff. Still on track, though.

May 9, 2017

Last night I took a break from grading to finish the color work on cuff 1 and I knit 1/6 increase repeats. I’m making size M sleeves, and once I join the sleeves & body, I’ll decrease to size M. I have smallish shoulders, and I don’t want a loose fit there.

I’m estimating that I should have sleeve 1 done on Thursday and sleeve 2 on Sunday.

May 10, 2017

I was on fire with Sleeve 1 last night! Since I did a lot of grading during the day, I had more evening time to knit. I got through all of the increase rounds and the sleeve measures just under 12”. I’m glad I’m making the M sleeve--I love the way it fits pre-blocking. I think I can finish sleeve 1 today and make good progress on sleeve 2. Dare I hope I can join the body and sleeves on Sunday??? Stay tuned!

May 11, 2017

I finished Sleeve 1 last night but was too tired to start Sleeve 2. I’ll work on it tonight!

May 12, 2017

Last night I cast on Sleeve 2 and knit 4.5”.

May 13, 2017

We went out last night, so I knit when I got home, but I only had one set of increases in me…9 rounds knit. Tonight I’ll aim for finishing increases and possibly the sleeve.

May 14, 2017

I finished the Sleeve 2 increases and a few inches beyond last night. This afternoon I completed Sleeve 2!

I’ll join the sleeves and body later today, and I’ll also need to do some thinking and figuring out. I want to knit the remainder of the sweater in size M as I like the shoulder/neck fit on my cardi in that size. I also want to add some short rows to the back to raise the neck a wee bit.

This tutorial from Interweave may help with the short rows. And here’s how to do German short rows.

May 15, 2017

Last night I did the join. Decided against using the size M for the rest of it. Knit about 1.5” of the 3” before decreases. Today should be my last day of grading--plan if I get it all done is to knit through at least half of the decrease section.

May 16, 2017

Last night I knit the first decrease. I decided to stop and consider the short rows today to avoid a late-night mess up.

May 17, 2017

I followed budaknit (person)’s short row noteslink text and at 12:30 a.m., as the last episode of Anne with an E ended, I panicked and thought I the short rows were in the wrong place. In the light of morning, though and with the sweater stretched out on the table, I think it’s all going to be just fine. I have one more round & decrease before I start the colorwork.

May 18, 2017

Last night I finished the decrease round and started color work, getting 1/3 done with the chart. This morning, I sat in the car while waiting for Neal at an appointment. It was in the 80s early in the day--not the best lopi-knitting weather! But I got another 1/3 of color work done. It’s our 10th anniversary, in the mid-90s now, and poor N is wiped out from the last few days. So we’re laying low on the celebrations…and I may just finish up the knitting today!

May 19, 2017

I finished the knitting last night! It was so hot, well into the night, but I persisted knitting lopi. I have to weave in ends and join the underarms…and then blocking magic! I’m going to order the yellow I want for the pop color.

May 20, 2017

Last night I wove in all the ends. I kitchner stitched one underarm only to discover I did it with right sides facing when it ought to be wrong sides. So I un-did the kitchner stitching. Will try again tonight or tomorrow. This baby will be blocking by Monday!

May 21, 2017

I grafted the underarms. Tomorrow I’ll block, and when my yellow yarn arrives, I’ll duplicate stitch the motif centers. Still, I’m calling this done!