My phase of serial monogamy seems to have officially ended. It was nice while it lasted, but now instead of completing any knitting projects, I just keep casting on new ones! There are currently five sweaters and two hats on my needles. One sweater and both hats are officially registered with Wool Protective Services as orphans at this point, but that leaves four active sweaters:
1) The black Linen Quill cardigan is the longest I’ve ever taken to complete a simple top-down sweater. In my defense, other sweaters with hard deadlines have pulled me away from it. But this continues to be the sweater I most urgently need. So in Stockinette Situations for the foreseeable future, this is the one I’ll reach for.
Current status: body is complete and one sleeve barely started; needs sleeves, pocket and button band
2) The purple Lettlopi pullover that was the basis of the new Improv pattern and revised tutorial would be the quickest one to finish, and it would be nice to have a photo to post and something to cross off! But it’s the least pressing in terms of being even remotely wearable, much less needed. Motivation will come blowing in around Thanksgiving.
Current status: body nearly complete; needs a second sleeve, another pass at whipstitching the neckband down, and some seams
3) The long-awaited Channel Cardigan in Clever Camel is finally on the needles! This is the one I simply want the most desperately — and I can’t stop fantasizing about somehow having it for my travels in early October — but I know it’s going to be a long road and I’ll have to be patient.
Current status: just half of one sleeve, with a dropped ply in the fisherman’s rib to be dealt with
4) My Top-Down Knitalong sweater in Shibui Pebble is a joy to knit and I know I’ll absolutely love wearing it, but I expect to be working on it for awhile!
Current status: yoke is just past the neck join, long ways to go
On the sewing front, rather than making those 5 things I said I wanted to complete before summer ends, I apparently decided to make 3 of 1 thing! I’ll post those FOs soon, but the other 4 pieces remain in the queue!
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PREVIOUSLY in Queue Check: July 2016
Thanks for saying it’s o.k. to have lots of sweaters/projects on the needles at once!! After a lot of one-sweater-at-a time I decided to do the same thing last year and ended up with 6 new sweaters for this upcoming season!! I will tackle your top down Improv. The only top-down sweater I did left me with way to much extra material under the arms. I frogged the sleeves this week and will do it my way this time!! Love your cable!
I have several projects going at once as well…depending on my mood, I can work on Lacy Leafy brioche scarf (which I started over 5 times, no kidding, until I finally got the hang of it); Storm Mountain, which is a lot of stockinette and good for TV watching; St. Brigid by Alice Starmore which is almost 2 years in the making and really barely started, and a blanket kit from Knit Picks that I’ll get back to some day. But…of course I bought some more amazing, gorgeous yarn when we were in Cambria, CA a few weeks ago, and I’m itching to cast on the pattern I found, a short sleeved tunic to wear over shirts this winter…it’ll knit up quickly, it’s bulky weight…why not?
Brigid where in cambria did you buy yarn ??
Question to all that have multiple projects going-How do you keep good track of where you are at on each? I restarted the Alice Hoodie http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/alice-hoodie
and even with my notes I felt it took a long while to get back in place. Any tips?
journal details where I leave off seems to work and I try to stop at what seems like a logical place to restart.
For me, I alway make a copy of the pattern I’m working on so that I can make necessary notes along the way in the margins pertaining to any changes or information I might need later. When I am making notes I try to be as detailed as I can. Nothing more frustrating then coming back later and realizing that the notes I made now make little to no sense! If I am going to set a project aside, I never remove the highlighter tape I used on the last row of my chart. This way I can easily go back and double check my placement by checking that row. And, one last thing, I then store the complete project in a good bag or container with everything I need to complete later. This sometime means I might have needles tied up for a period of time, but I never have to second guess myself on what I used or figure our where the supplies I need are.
To be honest I try to avoid having a lot of projects set aside, but it’s inevitable that from time to time that is going to happen as life, or more pressing projects come along.
I live on the road 24/7/365 in an RV, traveling the countryside. Being a total computer/software geek, I knew instantly to put my book, movie, music, and knitting library on my system. It makes living in small quarters bearable, and leaves much more space to other necessities, like clothing, food and kitchen equipment.
Like Sheri, I ALWAYS make a copy of patterns I’m working on, too. However, I copy the patterns to a Word doc, hack it into single lines of knitting, add bold color to make increases, decreases, end of row stitch counts and other notable actions stand out.
Next, the Word doc is copied to Excel where the REAL MAGIC happens. Since I work best with charts, I learned that I work much like Japanese knitters with their ‘patterns’, which are charts. I enter gauge information, including stitches or rows as both ‘inches’ and ‘per stitch/row’ measurements. Then I do the same with MY gauge and put that information next door to the patterns gauge information, and link MY gauge information to the ORIGINAL pattern information. Then I literally create a ‘chart’ of the pattern. The wonderful thing about this is that I can change (sometimes drastically) the gauge of the pattern.
I, as most people do, have fitting problems; broad shoulders, large bust measurement, short waist and slender arms. These can all be addressed easily as I work row by row creating my ‘Japanese Chart’. BINGO! My corrected ‘gauge’ information is changed to fit ME… or whomever I knit for.
There are some patterns available that come in only one size, as the designer did not take the time to work out the other sizes. NO PROBLEM THERE!
This chart creation is an excellent way to find errata BEFORE the mistake is actually worked. No more tinking or frogging! By the time the chart is complete, I KNOW the pattern very well.
When using my ‘Japanese Chart’ to knit from, I can easily place a ‘start here’ note and any other information I may need. I am also able to add important notes to the pattern for future reference.
All this work sounds excessive, however, IT WORKS EXCELLENTLY FOR ME in my small quarters. It also makes knitting as snap for me… remember, I work best from charts.
If any of you are interested in learning this technique, I will be happy to share with you. Write to me at Ducky_711 at yahoo dot com
Have a wonderful day, KNITTING!
MJ, the SKEINdinavian
They are all looking good ! I’m in the opposite situation, nothing on my needles and unable to decide what to start, with only a slender lace scarf to block. But so much lovely yarn in my stash… What to do, what to do?
For me, I alway make a copy of the pattern I’m working on so that I can make necessary notes along the way in the margins pertaining to any changes or information I might need later. When I am making notes I try to be as detailed as I can. Nothing more frustrating then coming back later and realizing that the notes I made now make little to no sense! If I am going to set a project aside, I never remove the highlighter tape I used on the last row of my chart. This way I can easily go back and double check my placement by checking that row. And, one last thing, I then store the complete project in a good bag or container with everything I need to complete later. This sometime means I might have needles tied up for a period of time, but I never have to second guess myself on what I used or figure our where the supplies I need are.
To be honest I try to avoid having a lot of projects set aside, but it’s inevitable that from time to time that is going to happen as life, or more pressing projects come along.
Never done queue checks per se and not sure I am happy I did…..I am into serial madness, 2 summer projects and 6 fall projects all on needles, all sweaters of various yarns and styles. Then one winter project, remaking my fathers old salish sweater. Add in all the xmas knitting and I think I overbooked myself?? Especially since I have a full time job, a husband and family at home, books to read, a dog to walk, bike to ride, mountains to hike, a world to save, friends to have coffee with and at least 4 sewing projects in phases. Breathe……Do I win a prize for what now seems like an attentive issue or am I insane? thanks tho really… I love your blog:) Feel like I am sharing to overcome all this casting on!!?? Hardest comment I have ever posted. Hit the button…. now
Knitting is a hobby! Do whatever makes you happy. If you have an abundance of ideas, it is ok to have many projects going. I find too many projects makes me more anxious, so I am trying to pare back – I am sure there is a complex psychology behind all of this, but I try not to over think my own situation. Do what works and no guilt!
Sorry, posted in wrong feed :)
CFG, think you should have posted a PEE WARNING on your comment!
I used to be just like you… total serial madness, anxiety, LOST, frustration at my inability to complete time sensitive projects, overwhelmed by having all my needles tied up on incomplete projects, the resulting inability to cast on new projects due to needles being unavailable and finally having everything on needles jammed into cramped quarters, which makes knit fabric look awful once approached again.
I finally put my foot down, hard. I allow myself three projects at a time and work on them daily. The stress is gone, completion of projects has improved and I am a much happier knitter now that I am free to DROOL over my new designs or others patterns.
BREATHE! You are NOT insane, just out of control. I say ‘yes’ to the prize, but only for your bravery to post the hardest comment you ever have. Thank you for hitting the button!
Have a great day, KNITTING, working, raising a family and trying to have a life.
MJ, the SKEINdinavian
This did make me laugh! My son’s jacket has kept being interrupted by urgent new baby projects this summer – and then I found myself at midnight pondering a UK substitute for Brooklyn Tweed Quarry, while my rational brain said, ‘Finish this one first!’ But oh! Marylebone…
Love the color of you Channel camel cardigan. Do you mind sharing the color?
It’s the Naked (undyed) — natural baby camel color!
Karen-what is your fav circular set and do you have double sets of needles and lengths?
I use Dreamz interchangeables, and I do have multiple sets of the tips of I use most often. (I’ve lost some and ordered replacements and extras.) But when working in the round, I also often use the working size needle on the right end of the needle only, and a smaller one on the end that’s really just a stitch holder, so that makes my tips go farther.
Currently every cord I own is somehow in use! Need to get some more.
We actually talked at my knitting group today about multiple projects on needles unfinished, of course. The consensus is that it feels so good to cast on something new and it is also nice to have a choice day to day what to knit on. What the heck – it’s all knitting!!!
Yeah, last week was a total hell week for me, which means all that got knitted was one of the black stockinette sleeves. This week will hopefully be more knit-friendly!
I used a sewn technique like this one https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ML-Ea7DAl0Q to secure my collar with minimal bulk and it helps keep it nice and even! I just use the back purl bump of the first stitch picked up.
That’s how I did it, and I swear I kept it nice and loose, but the lopi is so easy to break, and it did as soon as I pulled it over my head. I’m thinking of trying EZ’s sewn bindoff (my fave) but catching that stitch on the neck edge each time I go into the two sts from right to left. If you know what I mean?
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