Tilter Dusted

A little Tilted Duster update. Some probably thought this might be a long forgotten project. Alas no. After I finished my Knitty Thermal a couple weeks ago, I knew I needed to progress one step further with another sweater project before allowing myself to cast-on for the Gathered Pullover. The last time I mentioned the Duster, I had finished all the upper body pieces and was about an inch into the ribbing on the sleeves. Now the sleeves are finished!

Even though I started the Gathered Pullover on April 1st, I didn't give up on my Duster. This past Saturday I stripped the sheets off my bed and blocked all the pieces. It was late in the day when I did this, so I put off the seaming until Sunday.

On Sunday I gathered my wits and set myself to the seaming (no chocolate involved). I was so engrossed in this, that when my sister called me I told her I had to call her back. I was on a roll and didn't want to stop. Who knows when I would have gotten back to it?!?!?! Ok, yes I know I would have immediately picked it back up, but ya know, I gotta be a little dramatic.

I found picking up the skirt stitches a little more difficult that I thought it would be. I read the directions several times before commencing so I knew the amount I was to have. I believe I pulled out and picked back up all stitches at least five times. I was sooooo proud of myself when I finally had the correct amount.

Of course though, I had a teensy eensey problem. I picked up the wrong amount of stitches. Arrrggghh. After struggling and perservering with picking these stitches up the first time, I had to rip out and start all over. I picked up the amount of stitches for the collar not the skirt. Big difference between 130 stitches (collar) and 182 stitches (skirt). Good news is that it only took me two tries this time.

Here is my Tilted Duster in all it's glory! I have been dutifully working on it since Sunday afternoon. I had made some amazing progress on my Gathered Pullover by then, that I didn't mind putting it to the side to work on this. As of last night I have about five inches completed on the skirt.

My goal is to complete this sweater and my pullover in the next couple of weeks. Believe it or not, I really don't have much left to do on them so hopefully it won't be a problem.

It's Love

Today I finally had the chance to get aquainted with my new sewing machine! I am totally in love with it. I didn't know what I had been missing with a computerized sewing machine. I think it's awesome that I don't even have to use to foot peddle. I am going to have so much fun!

I ended up placing a fabric order over at Fabric.com the other day because I had a little project in mind that I wanted to do. Something to jump start me back into sewing after all these years. Fabric.com is awesome. I got my order in 3 days. I ordered 2 fabrics. One is just a simple burgandy cotton broadcloth and the other is Amy Butler's Lotus Temple Garland Clay. I'm not going to tell ya'll what I am making. You will just have to pop on back by and see for yourself what it is.

When I posted about geting my new baby, Kim had commented that she had bought something and wasn't sure why she did at the time. Then when she saw my post She realized why, and gifted it to me.

At lunch on Thursday she gave me the Amy Butler Gum Drop Pillows pattern. This was something I had been considering purchasing the other day, but decided to hold off at the time.

Thank you so much Kim. I am so thrilled to have this pattern. I had been wanting to get an ottoman so I could prop my feet up when I am knitting on my couch. Now I can! The Gum Drop Ottoman is definitely on my sewing list now.

So besides my over excitement of getting ready to sew a project any day now, I did devote time to my knitting projects. Since I currently don't need any of the chart patterns for Juno Regina right now, I have been brining it to work this week. I've made excellent progress as this picture shows. Believe it or not I am over 13 inches into the 42 inches.

Tilted Duster has the back and both front pieces completed. I started the sleeves Wednesday night. I am happy that I will be able to knit both at the same time since they aren't in the round. I be devoting some of my knitting time this weekend to finishing up my Thermal sleeve. I am so close to finishing that baby!

Weekend Knitting

This is what my weekend knitting amounted to for me. I finished the back of the Tilted Duster and have started the right front (not in picture). Juno Regina is now in the "Lets knit the same two rows for 42 inches" stage. I stuck to my 10 rows a night (some nights I did a little more) and am 4" into the 42. Lastly I made huge progress on my Thermal sleeve. I finished the increases and am just now knitting to my desired 18.5". Almost there with it. It should be done in the next few days.

No, I didn't play with my new toy this weekend. Soon though!

A Little Tilt

Here is my latest endeavour. The Interweave Knits "Tilted Duster" (Fall 07). I was surfing Ravelry last week and spotted this queued on a members list and immediately became intrigued. Usually when this happens I know I am going to be knitting it.

So I called out to my peeps, Shameka and Kim, to see if either one of them had the magazine because somehow, I missed this one in the store. They both came to the rescue, but it was Shamaka who I got the magazine from the fastest. Perks of working with her.

The yarn called for in this pattern is Berroco Peruvia. I was looking on one of my favorite online yarn stores (www.jimmybeanswool.com) to see the color choices and cost. I was going to wait to purchase the yarn but I had a free shipping coupon that was about to expire and I just couldn't let that happen. My colorway choice was Caliente. It is hot hot hot. I felt like I wanted a red to make me feel all alive! I think if you enlarge the picture you'll be able to see the pink heather of this yarn.

On Sunday I did my gauge swatch to make sure I had the proper needles for the project. It was perfecto!

I've been busy on other knitting fronts so I don't feel bad for starting the sweater back last night. This will be my portable knitting until I get to the skirt. Don't worry. There are some FOs that will be making an appearance soon and good progress on another project. Stay tuned!