Mid-month Progress

See? I can too put in more than one post in a month. Can't promise to keep it up very many months into the year; but I'm going to shoot for two posts a month to show my progress/lack there of.

Jan 17th - progress to date.

1 sweater out of 12 finished.

Herbology Sweater #2 - (three month expected to complete): I have cast-on and knit the sleeves 2aat; and they are both at the 18" mark. I've managed to try them on as I go and they were starting to get a little snug; but a couple of the increases added a little more quickly fixed that right quick. They fit PERFECTLY. The sleeve cap starts at 18 1/2".... I had one of the sleeves on my arm and I asked aloud, hmmm... another half inch, does that seem right? And "a" popped off a "half an inch? That sounds perfect mom.". LOL. Had almost forgotten he was watching movies with me and I really didn't expect an answer at all, let alone an answer from an 8 yr old who has no idea whether or not I need another half inch or not. But, yes. I agree. Another half inch is going to be just perfect. I should be able to get to the sleeve caps by the end of the week, which will get me to 33% a week before the end of the month. Which is great progress.

Pick Up Sweater #3- (expected to finish before end of month): I cast-on and knit both sleeves 2aat; when you reach the armpit, you stop knitting in the round and knit flat until the flat part from each sleeve reaches the middle of your back (looks a bit like s shrug at this point). You then graft (kitchener) the center line. Then from arm to arm along the back - you pick up and knit down the back for the length you want. Pattern calls for stockinette; and I saw two versions where they did a pair of cables down the center of the back. I chose to do a single, but slightly more complicated cable down the center of the back (loving it so far). I'm about four inches down the back panel (which is probably 8" total on the back). Once you finish the back - you turn around and pick up stitches along the side of the back; along the arm/neck and back down the other side and knit a garter stitch border. It's not exactly a "front" so to speak as much as a wide-open cardigan. And no seaming (which is pretty awesome). So, I'm going to call myself about 50% done. Its taking a bit longer than I expected to make this; but then again, I've also been working two sweaters at a time, so I would anticipate that's part of the issue.

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Challenges:

I really wanted to make the Herbology sweater sleeves first so I could reassure myself that the pattern as written would fit (and it mostly does). The Pick Up Sweater is designed to be knit sleeves first. OMB, do I hate knitting sleeves. I'd get so frustrated and irritated for the sheer fact that they took me WEEKS to do. Which is really ridiculous because it's supposed to take that long.

Secondly, I feel like I'm getting next to nothing done. Which is also ridiculous. I'm getting a ton of knitting done. It's just that I'm so used to whipping out a half dozen hats in a couple of weeks. And these two sweaters seem to be taking forever. I have a couple of smaller projects to work on when I can't spend any more time on the sweaters; and they are starting to mount up as well. I was hoping that a) they would be portable so I could take them to cub scouts, doctor appointments, etc (and they are and have been great for that) and b) that working on them would help me feel like I'm finishing something (not working quite as well on this front). I have finished a charity hat and scarf (which will work as well for samples for class I'm teaching in March)... am working on a pair of super-fast gloves for myself... and a baby blanket for charity (a bit slow-go, but it's brainless). I should be able to look on my accomplishments with pride; but instead I just feel a bit "frustrated" that I don't have more to show for my efforts. Sigh. Here's hoping that I finish Pick it Up Sweater ASAP and that the February sweater goes faster so I'm less frustrated by slow progress.