Favorite Things Monday: A Milestone

June 4, 2007

Just when I thought I couldn’t go any longer, I finished the body of the Baby Dale. Behold.

Here are the 34 ends that I wove in tonight (which doesn’t count the 16 (?) that I did in the early virtuous days of this project.

Now that you’ve feasted on the glory, let’s talk about pain.

1) The bottom edge really wants to flip, and it’s totally my fault. After the garter edge, I accidentally added two rows of green before I changed needle size. Those two rows are actively biting me in the ass right now. ouch! But see that orange grosgrain ribbon? Let’s see who’s biting whose ass when I’m driving a sewing needle in and out of said edge. Just sayin. [thanks to the wonderful old lady at Windsor Button who suggested it.]

2) When I cast off for the front neck edge, my stitch count was off. After serious gnashing of teeth, I decided there must be 5 center steek stitches. I only had 4. So I grabbed a stitch from the bottom of the steek column and laddered all the way up. Now I have a SteekRidge Mountain from the tension of the floats. Whatev’. I’m gonna cut it anyway, right? [ ... right? ... ]

3) So I drop-kicked it into the Eucalan bath. A full soaking. A towel squeeze. And we have 19″ long by 14 3/4″ wide. Good lord!!

With a little shaking and puffing and stroking and sweet talking, I coaxed it back to 17 3/4″, which is still much longer than the 15″ it measured prior to the bath.

Mind you, I realized my gauge was off weeks ago, but I was running the right size for 24 month. So I followed the instructions for the 24 month size instead: 15″ long and 14 3/4″ wide. When I finished the body, it was right on the money. Did it really grow by 2 3/4″ after the bath??

In any case, it’s done. A big chunk of this sweater is done. I’ve reached a major milestone in this project, and in my first true stranded colorwork. I’ve done it in the round. I’ve done it back and forth. I’ve done it on the train and on a bus and on plane*. I’ve done it here and there. Hell, I’ve done it everywhere. And I do like colorwork, Sam I Am.

*not really on a plane, but I couldn’t resist the rhyme.

Entry Filed under: Favorite Things Monday, Give It Up, Knitting, Sweaters. .

19 Comments Add your own

1. mote | June 5, 2007 at 12:26 am

amazing work! I’m glad to hear you figured out a solution to your difficulties with the neckline… this is going to be gorgeous when it’s all said and done. =)
2. PainterWoman | June 5, 2007 at 2:30 am

Gorgeous! And the best thing about itty bitty babies is that THEY change shape all the time and look disproportional. I HAVE knit on planes, but not color work, and not on busses or trains. WAY TO GO!
3. maryse | June 5, 2007 at 6:12 am

you’re amazing…really.

i’ve knit on planes, trains, buses, cars, not on a bicycle though. i’ve knit on boats too.
4. Chris Q | June 5, 2007 at 8:45 am

muy bonita! good work. I’ll have to remember the ribbon trick too.
5. Rhonda the Stitchingnut | June 5, 2007 at 9:14 am

Way to go. The bath just relaxed the stitches right? May go back into shape a little more once it’s dry. And a little steam blocking at the bottom will help keep it flatter until you’ve got the gross ribbon on and then I’ll stay put. Great idea! I love the colors. Now the sleeves right? Are you saving the cutting for last? You’re not still thinking of doing it on the train are you? If you do, have someone taking the pictures for you and I want to see the look on your face as you’re cutting, tehe.
6. elanknits | June 5, 2007 at 10:27 am

Love the colours, good luke with the steeking, it’s one my to do list but I haven’t yet.
7. Cheryl | June 5, 2007 at 11:45 am

Wow, what a project! It looks so great! I’d love to knit a baby Dale someday.
8. joy | June 5, 2007 at 11:47 am

what to say? there is one lucky child in the world to receive this!
9. Kat | June 5, 2007 at 12:14 pm

Congratulations! I just love the colors you choose.
10. Lisa | June 5, 2007 at 1:23 pm

I am so in awe! I have done color work once before on argyle socks but never like this. You are simply amazing!

I have also never done a steek, so I will be curious to see how this turns out….please keep us posted.

I wait with baited breath to see the FO….
11. Beth S. | June 5, 2007 at 1:47 pm

Awesome shade of orange you’ve got there! That’s a very good idea… kid clothes take a lot of abuse, so it’ll make the sweater a bit sturdier as well as camouflaging the bendy hem.

And don’t worry one bit about the size. Whatever the final dimensions of the sweater, at some point in her development it will fit the baby!
12. Sparkles | June 5, 2007 at 4:00 pm

Wow, looking good woman! I, too, cannot wait for the steeking pics…have yet to jump out of that plane myself…
13. Kathode Ray Tube | June 5, 2007 at 4:34 pm

It looks luscious. Congrats of coming up with a great solution to the steek stitches and the rolling. I guess you could call this the toughlove approach to a Baby Dale!
14. Ruth | June 5, 2007 at 10:30 pm

The sweater is gorgeous … as the other have said, there’s no such thing as “too big”when it comes to children. She’ll wear it eventually (and look cute as the dickens wearing it when it’s just a smidge too big).

My eyes lit up when I saw the quote from “Green Eggs and Ham” … Young’un and I were reading that just today, while we were waiting for my OB appointment. I love that book.
15. Kimberly from Some Bunny's Love | June 6, 2007 at 12:48 am

Totally gorgeous work! If I remember correctly, The Yarn Harlot has a little snippet in which she added 6 more balls to a sweater project. You can imagine what happened after its soak… I am so glad yours did not end up the same way.
Bunny hugs,
=:8
16. pamelawynne | June 6, 2007 at 1:27 pm

Oh, the orange ribbon is perfect! And baby knits can never be too big — they’ll just grow into em.
17. Ashley | June 7, 2007 at 6:50 pm

Wow wow wow! It’s looking great. and I agree with everyone who said not to worry about the extra length–just more room to grow into it, is all!
18. wenders | June 8, 2007 at 7:35 am

Whoa. I am wicked impressed. WICKED impressed. I have no idea about the growing/gauge thing, but I love the idea of the orange ribbon. I am so in to orange right now it’s a little embarrassing. Lovely work - can’t wait to see it finished!
19. Mary | June 8, 2007 at 11:27 pm

Wow this is gorgeous!

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