Feb 13 2006
Sssss
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I am a weekend ski widow. Kris took a long weekend and headed up to Pennsylvania for some skiing with his brother and uncle. I have enjoyed my few days of solitude. Staying up late reading, watching foreign films, knitting for as long as I want, and taking the dogs out on long winter wonderland walks. It really has been quite nice… Except for the spill I took on the ice this morning. (All is well, just a bruise) |
I always find it interesting that when bad weather hits the northeast corridor of the US, it makes front page news. Like it is news to have winter weather in a winter month… I do not remember seeing any headlines last week when southern California was in the 90s (in February!). That seems more like news to me - at least it is unexpected.
Before the big snow hit, I had a nice morning with my parents and my sister, Sarah, who was came home for the weekend from college. We headed down to Virginia for a few hours, and as we were driving home to Maryland, the snow started. It was good to fit those few hours in before the weather got too bad. So, it was not complete soliude!
It was a pretty snow; it seemed to stick to everything, so it made for nice photo opportunities. My town, Columbia, Maryland, got about 20" - I never got the ruler out to measure, but that seemed like a good "guesstimate".
…and the perfect way to warm up after a winter romp?
Butternut Squash and Apple Soup (with a dollop of sour cream)
This soup is amazing. And its orange. Sweet and filling yumminess.
Sunday was snowbound, and that meant catching up on the week’s TiVo, and knitting away. I made a nice comfy nest on the couch, and stayed there until I finished all of the seaming of hems, collar, and sleeves of my Hourglass.
Hourglass Sweater
Pattern: Last Minute Knitted Gifts by Joelle Hoverson
Yarn: 13 skeins of KnitPicks Andean Silk in Lettuce
Needles: Size 7 Addi Naturas; size 7 Brittany DPNs for sleeves
Started: September 7, 2005 / Finished: February 12, 2006
I feel that there is little left to say about this sweater - many knitters have made this sweater, and that is because it is a classic piece that is simple to knit. I very much enjoyed working with the yarn, and I feel like it was a success overall. I knit a size smaller than I usually would, and I am quite happy with the result - form-fitting but not scandalous. I extended the body by about 3 inches to compensate for my long torso.
I initially ordered 10 skeins from KnitPicks, as that is what was needed according to the pattern. However, as I noticed in the book errata and corrections, and saw on many blogs, this sweater’s yarn requirements can be a little spare. So, it is beneficial to buy a few extra skeins. I bought this yarn for a different project last year, and when I decided to make Hourglass instead, the dyelot was already gone. However, Dani came to my rescue! She made the same sweater last year, and had some of the same dyelot leftover. She mailed it to me and saved me from a too short sweater! Thank you so much!
I blocked the overall sweater, and heavily blocked the neckline hem once again - and yet, it still flips over. Yahaira mentioned she had problems with this too, and she suggested rehemming. I may just leave it, because it does not bother me (yet) but I don’t want it to look weird. Any thoughts one way or the other?
I have no idea why this sweater took so long to knit. I was never bored while knitting it - I love straight stockinette! I guess Socktoberfest, and my subsequent love of socks grew into an obsession… so garment knitting fell by the wayside.
I am quite pleased with the polished look of the sleeves and hem after being seamed down. I may try this technique more in the future with garments.
Remember, I was "baching" it this weekend, since my photographer was on his little trip, I had to make do with the dreaded bathroom mirror shot. Perhaps a better modeled picture for the gallery is in order…
I finished the sweater early in the day, and still had several hours to devote to socks, and a quickie stashbuster scarf.
A little trial run for the Neutrals month of Project Spectrum - I am using a variegated fingering weight mohair (no label) held together with the Cashmerino Aran knockoff from AC Moore. The mohair is adding nice color spots to the knit - little bits of black, rust, and gray mixed in with the overall beige color.
Speaking of Project Spectrum: we are worldwide and 300 strong! And for the Postcard Swap for Project Spectrum, Teresa created four great buttons to use! Make sure to check them out! Postcard swap sign up (for the month of March) is open until February 20th (a week from today!)- I will be sending you your postcard pal’s name the following day. Go ahead and start planning your postcard design now!
Hey there - the hourglass looks amazing on you the color is great! Since I’ve never done a sweater I can’t give you and suggestions about the neckline but I don’t think it looks bad flipped. Thanks for the yarn shout out in your last post!
Your sweater looks great! I had to tack down my neck hem an extra row down to keep it from flipping- it worked really well.
I’m in project spectrum, and I’d love to sign up for the postcard swap, too! I’d like a new person every month, if that’s OK. Sounds like fun! thanks!
You have done a great job on Hourglass, and I think that the flipped out look is fine. I have the same thing going on with hem of Rogue, and I quite like it!
The soup sounds delicious!
The sweater looks awesome and I really like the way the body fits! And the color also matches your soup bowls- coincidence?!;-))
Sounds like you managed to make the best of the snowbound weekend - the news yesterday kept mentioning the snowfall in Columbia MD so I wondered how you were faring. Glad to hear that the spill on the ice didn’t do too much damage.
The sweater looks great - the neckline flip adds a bit of a kick to it.
Your Hourglass sweater is wonderful - and fits you perfectly (always my biggest sweater-knitting fear - will it fit?) Yours is perfect. Love the color!
Your Hourglass looks great! The fit is perfect. I’m not sure how to fix the collar–I did a few extra decrease rows on mine, which might have prevented the rollover. I don’t know if I’d re-hem it–that was my least favorite part of the whole pattern!
Lolly, your Hourglass is GORGEOUS!!! What a perfect fit and you did such an amazing job with the hems. I love it, love it!! The color looks wonderful on you, too- I wish I could do green justice the way you do. I’ve read about others having the same problem with the neckline… I’ll be making this later this year, so I’ll be checking back to read others’s suggestions. Actually, though, I think it looks beautiful as-is.. I don’t think it looks weird at all! Your scarf looks so pretty, too, with the mohair flecks. And your soup looks delicious! Do you have Mollie Katzen’s cookbooks? Her recipes are vegetarian and she has a very similar soup which I adore. Hope your bruise is healing- yikes!- and stay warm! Much love to you and Kris…XO, c.
Hourglass is beautiful! I wouldn’t worry about the neckline. I think it looks fine.
The soup is making me hungry…
Thanks for stopping by the old blog and for the compliment on Twist!
The soup sounds awesome, yum!
Wow, your Hourglass looks great! I have yet to see one that didn’t look terrific, which means I have to shift it from the “maybe” list to the “must do” list.
Thanks for coming up with Project Spectrum, by the way. Since I signed up I can’t even tell you how differently I have been looking at color. Granted, only in the knitting context thus far, but considering that we haven’t even really started yet, I’d say that’s pretty good! *laugh*
ooo, love the sweater!! the snow was beautiful though, for a perfect weekend alone!
I absolutely agree with you about the headlines thing! I think the best answer is there is nothing else report-worthy to them. But it is just so frivolous.
Your Hourglass fits you so well. I don’t know if you have read Diana’s posts on her Hourglass (http://www.streetsandyos.com/archives/hourglass_sweater_v20/index.php) … maybe her idea can help.
If I were you, I would definitely tag along for the skiing trip … I just learned to ski when I came to the States and I love it!
Hourglass looks wonderful! The color is really pretty on you - definitely have Kris take a “whole Lolly” shot when he gets back so we get to really see you in it.
And I gotta say - I love the stashbuster scarf. The colors look great and I’ll bet it is soft and warm and perfect for the snow weather we finally got out of winter!
The sweater looks splendid and the color is a great choice too.
Sounds like an almost-perfect weekend! I love the sweater, too.
Lolly, it fits you perfectly!! So gorgeous! Looking at it now, I wouldnt rehem. Did you press it with some steam? That could help it (use a pillowcase with your iron in the steam setting). Mine’s turning a bit as well and I dont mind the look.
hey guess what! we got snow too! lol yeah I dont get why its a big news story, I guess it’s been a pretty mild winter…shouldnt that be the news?
Lovely, Lolly, just lovely! The color is beautiful and it looks like it fits perfectly. Just the thing to wear as a ski widow.
The sweater is perfect on you…the neck really doesn’t bother me either.
You ought to go get a mini tripod…they’re super portable (about 4″ tall) and perfect for modeling one’s knitting sans photographer.
The sweater is just beautiful even if you don’t change the neck flippy problem. Nobody else will know but us. The soup looks SO YUMM!!
Now about this cashmerino aran knockoff yarn…. we don’t have AC Moore here (Kansas)… what yarn is this exactly? Is it something I can find somewhere else?
Yet another Hourglass… but they all look so good! I really need to jump on the bandwagon with this one soon. And yours looks lovely–even the turning hem looks like it’s twisting on purpose.
Your hourglass sweater looks perfect, but I wouldn’t expect any less from you. Way to go! I’m so happy you got the Denyse Schmidt book. Doncha just love it?
Have a great week!
Woohooo! Congrats on finishing the hourglass. It looks fabulous, just the perfect fit! I think the neck hem is okay, but if it really bothers you, I have also trimmed hems by loosely tacking them to the row one or two rows below.
And ooh, what a beautiful mohair/cashmerino project for the project spectrum! But hey, preparing for August - now!?
Hope your bruises are healing soon.
Beautiful Hourglass, Lolly! Snowdays make perfect knitting days.
I love your hourglass sweater and its colour. Congratulations on this superb FO.
Your snow picture is just : beautiful ! (from somebody who doesn’t see snow for real very often…)
WOW! the color is great and i love the seams, great job lolly :)when i write “lolly” i always giggle a little bit b/c that is what we call a sucker in our family… the lolly is a must have candy in this house and brandon calls it a “ya-ya”…. so when i call you lolly, i think of ya ya
Wow-so much to comment on! I am glad you got snow because it is so nice to cuddle up on the couch and knit something warm. We got a few inches here and it is still snowing at the moment, but it is sticking to everything and is beautiful. Hourglass is a fantastic knit, and the color on you could not be more perfect. I personally love the rolled neckline, as I think it gives the sweater more character. The neckline is very flattering, but that goes the same for the whole sweater. I am always sorry when I don’t make my sweaters a size smaller, because I am a loose knitter and always wish they fit better. Your’s looks great, so maybe next time I will do it-there’s always some give in blocking! I like the hemmed sleeves as well, and pretty ring!
Your scarf looks like it will be another great color on you, and now that it is snowing again it will be put to good use!
Hope that bruise heals fast-I fell this weekend and thought for sure I broke something, but fortunately all that padding on my rear protected me and I am just left with a yucky bruise. Take care and enjoy the snow!
Love,
-T
p.s.thanks for the shout-out, and I am glad you liked the buttons!!
Great job Lol! I love the sweater.
Your hourglass sweater looks fab! I really want to make another one. You’re right, it is such a classic piece. I hope you enjoy wearing it! (I wear mine so much, my boyfriend tells me I should knit a new sweater before I wear a hole in it!)
Lolly dear! Watch out for that ice…you’re lucky it wasn’t worse. And btw, we must be twins this morning as I slipped & caught barely myself (albeit from rain and NOT snow) walking down the steps of our preschool. Oh boy.
We were also twins this weekend as my own “boys” went skiing and left the “girls” alone to craft (lots and lots of goodies!). It sounds like you really enjoyed that time. ;~)
YOUR SWEATER–It’s just too lovely! Wowwee! I think it turned out perfect (thanks…it makes me want to make one.). It looks smashing on you.
What are you making for your skirt? Are you using it as one of your Project Spectrum objects?
xo
Beautiful sweater. I really need to add it to my ever-growing list. Every once in awhile it’s nice to have a weekend alone when you can eat junk and knit all you want. Looks like you had good weather for staying indoors. Sorry about your fall, hope you’re ok.
It looks wonderful Lolly! Good for you for going down a size - the fit is perfect. I should take a page from you. I think I tend to make things too big. Wonderful knitting!
Neal caught me reading your blog earlier and when he saw the picture of the soup, he was inspired and made pumpkin soup with Indian spices for dinner. Mmmm!
And the sweater looks fab…I love the color, and the collar doesn’t bother me. I’d almost want to make mine bigger, like a low cowl. Hmmm…
The soup looks yummy. I’ll have to give it a try this weekend. Your sweater looks great. I think the fit is perfect and quite flattering. I figure unless you know what the pattern was intended to be most people will think that the neckline is supposed to look that way. I like it just fine.
#1 I am totally making that soup and #2 YOU LOOK GREAT IN THAT SWEATER! Hey Hottie!
Your Hourglass turned out great and looks good on you! Do you have more yarn? The tips I’ve read suggest doing several more rounds of decreases on the neck - maybe that would help?
I also learned how to pick up and knit my cast on row of the hem, so that I don’t have to go back and sew. A little weird at first, but pretty speedy after that.
Oh, darling, Hourglass looks fabulous! It looks like it fits you just right. And what a lovely color on you. A+!
I’m a little envious of your bachelorette days this weekend. Solitude is a wonderful thing.
Lolly, your sweater looks great. It fits in a flattering way without being too clingy: nice! I’ve never felt compelled to knit that pattern until I saw your version… very classic and feminine.
It looks fabulous! I know we don’t get the whole picture…but the pieces are fantastic! That colour is great…I love green. Let us know how the knit picks holds up.
You always have such pretty photos, Lauren! Thx for posting the link to that soup - sounds like something I would like! Yum! Kudos on your finished sweater too! Looks fantastic!
I love that sweater. It is so beautiful and very flattering!
That’s just plain lovely. Looks comfy and the color is fun!
The sweater looks great! As for the collar turning down, I think if you were to wear a simple little chain with a pendant on it or something, then the colour would kind of look like it’s revealing that…if that makes sense.
As for snow, we got the storm (it was a blizzard) yesterday here in New Brunswick Canada. I’m not sure how much snow we got, but it’s a lot. They were calling for between 15 and 20 cm (6-8 inches), and there was also heavy winds, blowing and drifting snow.
hourglass looks fab on you! i actually kind of like the roll at the neck edge, with the wide neck it looks good and adds a bit of flair
The sweater looks great on you! I love the green shade; i may just have to order some of that yarn!
Awesome looking hourglass! lovely color and it looks great!
Wow, I hope my hourglass turns out as well as yours! It looks so cozy and comfy - the perfect snow-day sweater. And the soup looks delicious, I may have to grab that recipe off of Epicurious!!
First of all, that picture of you in the mirror photo definitely shows a weight loss…am I right…I know they say the camera adds ten pounds..but thats hot def took off ten pounds….and second of all..no report on our lovely trip to arlington on saturday..the weekend wasn’t complete solitude! there is no solitude when sarah comes to town..MUCH LOVE SISTA!
I think your hourglass looks great, neck and all. I love that color but cannot wear it myself. I am getting very excited about PS and considering socks myself.
Congrats on finishing your Hourglass Sweater! It’s gorgeous and is so flattering on you! YAY! =)
That green is great on you! I’m going to cast on for this sweater soon. And I think the neckline looks great the way it is. Good job!
Between you and Carrieoke, I think Hourglass will be my next sweater
It looks great.
You are such a bad influence!!!! Now I wanna make myself a sweater!!!!!! And I have too many WIPs going on right now. *Gaaaaaah*
Wow you look great in that sweater! You don’t need a photographer! Great job. I also love the speckled color of your scarf. What a great color combo idea.
I kinda like those weekends to myself too - every once in a while. Looks like your knitting kept you great company. The sweater turned out great - it looks fantastic on you. And what a beautiful ring!
Wow, the Hourglass really is very figure-flattering and looks great on. Love the color too. Looks like as a ski widow, you had a very productive weekend.
stunning sweater - I like the neck line as it is. Looks like it suits the style. And it looks like it fits a treat!
Your sweater looks wonderful! That color is perfect for you.
Your hourglass - it’s marvellous! The shape. the color - beautiful!! I want to cast on mine right away (i’m also doing a green one!)!! And I gotta try that soup!
maybe a simple, littlebit tight chain of crocheting would do the trick for the neckline? Maybe I would just wear it for a while and see if the wearing itself evens it out! The sweater looks amazing anyhow, I think!
my stomach is rumbling, as i’d rather have orange soup for breakfast vs. my usual hot oatmeal.
….. hmmm …… i have not made hourglass, nor have i read everyone’s post about theirs. but, i think if you knit the hem with a smaller needle, that would help to pull it in a little more, and then tack it down to a row lower than it really reaches might pull it to the inside? oh, and knitting the turning ridge with the smaller needle ….. i just looked at the picture in the book (i have the yarn to make this, even partially made a sleeve!) and the model’s neckline flips out a bit.
now, for the neckline
what i really want to know is your view on knitpick’s shine? how was this yarn to work with, how’s it holding up? does it retain its shape? any noticable pilling?
well, lolly, your sweater is a complete success. you look fabulous in it! i think this silhouette might become your new favorite. it’s very flattering on you!
p.s. and try some steam on a swatch … steam it into submission.
The hourglass looks great on you! You’ve convinced me, I need to make and need the book. I don’t think the neckline looks too bad either.
your hourglass looks great! i am gonna have to break down and make this sweater. i don’t think i’ve seen one yet that i didn’t love.
That soup looks yummy!!! I love the way hourglass fits you and I have to say that I actually like the way the neck line falls back. Very very pretty!
Hey Lolly, Sign me up for project spectrum and the postcard swap (I can´t resist a postcard swap) but I have no idea what to make/knit yet… Your Hourglass looks great!! I want to knit that sweater, I just hve to find a yarn…
LOVE IT! You look fabulous dahling…absolutely fabu!
mmmm…can’t wait to see it!
I love your hourglass sweater! It looks great on you too.
Your sweater looks great - and it’s a good color for you, too. They put the snowstorms on the front page to show the rest of us what we’re missing!
You (and your new sweater) are just ADORABLE!
I love the picture of you looking out the window - during the winter, I’ve put my knitting chair in the bay window of my living room and often have that very same posture -
Glad to hear you came through the storm OK!
I love straight stockinette, too! That stitch was one of the biggest reasons why I wanted to learn to knit. I think it was years of crocheting that made me want to knit something that I could wear without having to have a camisole or other layer underneath.
By the way, is it too late to sign up for Project Spectrum?
I love your hourglass sweater. Dani having the same yarn left was pure Karma! The sleeves are beautiful. I’m glad you are enjoying your weekend bach’ing it-very productive and didn’t injure yourself.
BTW, the soup looks very tempting! I have a pumpkin but no apple juice but I think the soup would still be good. Thanks:)
I would suggest threading a 1/4″ flat elastic through the collar. If you make the elastic ring the size you ACTUALLY want the collar to be instead of the expanded size it seems to WANT to be, it should just help to hold it up.
Lolly - The sweater looks great. It is very figure friendly. I live in Northern Maryland and we got 18 inches of snow. Be careful on the ice.
I MUST make that soup! It is lonely when they go play by themselves, but it makes having them home so much sweeter!
hourglass looks cozy! i’m sure it will be one of your favorites. and is it REALLY true that you love stockinette! i don’t think i’ve ever heard anyone make such a statement!
Gorgeous as always, Lolly dear. I’m sure someone already said this, but I’m sure decreasing on the hem’s ws would help with the floppage, or even ripping and doing the ws in ribbing.
The recipe looks great- sounds like a Barefoot Contessa one.
The sweater and the soup look amazing. I bought that book a while back as a gift for my niece, I may just have to buy msyelf a copy, there’s really a lot of nice patterns in it.
I so wish we had all that snow, ABner would have fun in it.
Wow! Your Hourglass looks fantastic! Great color choice…
Sounds like a beautiful few days! The stash buster socks are cool! Hourglass looks great, too, and the snow… nice … me want snow!
Your Hourglass came out great, I kinda like the neck with the little flip in it. Great color!
Amanda
Your sweater looks wonderful, rolling collar and all. It doesn’t look awkward to me.
Your weather looks magical. Do you know my daughters haven’t seen snow? Sad isn’t it.
Amy
I think it looks fine just the way it is! That’s the sweater I plan to knit next, if I ever finish the cardigan.
I have been in a not so good knitting mood since ruining a simple shrug. I have the book that “hourglass” is in and have wondered if it might be an easy knit. Something to inspire me to get going again. I don’t mind stockinette stitch. Your sweater looks great and I might just do it.
Oh no! All alone! But sounds like you made the most of it. You had the kind of weekend that I’ve been craving! Sounded lovely!
Beautiful hour glass sweater! It turned out prefect… just as i predicted!
Lol’, Love the sweater and the way it looks on you! It’s a good fit. Yes, it was a nice day on Saturday with you and Sarah. My shawl is coming along nicely and the cowl as well. I’m not quite the fast knitter that you are but I am enjoying the process. XXOO
Lolly, your Hourglass looks awesome! The fit and color are just perfect on you. I had to start making things smaller too in order to get them to fit right. I’m sorry but I don’t have any tips for you on why the neck is flipping though.
Happy Wednesday!
Lolly
I LOVE straight knitting too. I thought it was shameful to admit…not now. you have set me free!
Can’t wait for postcard along. I AM prepping!
Oh! I’m jealous! I love random weekends all to myself! However, by the time the DH comes back, I am nice and happy to see him.
The Hourglass looks so good on you! It is such a great, classic sweater.
Your sweater looks terrific! (yay green!) How nice to have solitude for a weekend of knitting. How I envy your situation. Just you, knitting, movies and tivo with a snow crazed world out your window! that’s the best knitting time, with snow on the ground.
I love your sweater! The color is great. One of my SnB gals is knitting it with the same yarn and color as yours and I’m envious every time she pulls it out of her bag. It looks so nice on you- the size seems perfect. It’s so flattering on everyone that I might just have to make it myself. Unlike you, though, I don’t love stockinette.
omg, i LOVE it! you look great! the colour is gorgeous!
and yeah, the nyc blizzard even was on the news over here… you’d think we’d have enough snow of our own in this country. (fortunately not in bergen.) send soup!
I love your hourglass!!! I really like the color, and the collar.
Sorry to hear about your fall : (
You look fabulous in that sweater. It’s a great color on you!
Love the Hourglass. Everyone’s knitting it and they all look so great.
Hey, I keep forgetting to leave a comment, but I would like to be in the postcard swap. Can it be a card instead of a postcard? Maybe you already said that and I missed it. Hmm.
Also, your hourglass sweater turned out beautifully. I’ll definitely have to knit that up now. Well, after my Olympic knit is done.
Reguarding Project Spectrum, a challenge I’ve set for myself is that I’ll knit one pair of socks per month based around the colors of that particular month.
Yeah, I’ve never understood the NE snow storms making news like they do. I guess it’s where a lot of people live. When Chicago gets snow it’s not a big deal, but if NYC does, it’s headline news.
Love the sweater. Very cute.
And the soup looks fabulous, I love Butternut Squash anything. Yum.
I signed up for Postcrossing but have yet to get my postcard out. I’ll be better with the Project Spectrum cards.
Beautiful job on the sweater! It looks great on you, perfect fit and color!
It so funny how no matter WHAT color family you choose to knit something in, it ALWAYS looks FAB on you! Wow is that a GORGEOUS color for your hourglass! I’ve been admiring it as you have been knitting it but the color looked really vivid in these pictures.
Hopefully the weekend as a ski widow wasn’t too long.
Lauren, your hourglass sweater looks great on you! Congrats on another FO! Sounds like a fabulous weekend…ahhh….I could use some alone time ; )
Congrats on the sweater, Lolly; it looks great and great on you! Boy, did the snow not stick around… Oh well. I don’t mind so much because we didn’t even get a snow day out of it, so there!
Hi! I really like the colour you chose for your hourglass sweater. I’m finishng mine, and I have exactly the same problem with the necklne. I’ll try a small elastic thread…
Nothin’ like a gorgeous FO on a sunny day to make you smile! Beautiful job Lolly - you wear it well
Do you think we will have enough Green Steam left to make it to the MAY sprectrum? (cough) Do I HAVE to buy more yarn?!
Your Hourglass sweater turned out really nice! Loving the lettuce color and longer length on the sleeves you did.
[...] When I am making something, I try to take in all of my surroundings, almost as if I am knitting these memories into the item. Where I was, what I was thinking, the weather outside… all of this is knit into the piece. The sweater that I made on our Alabama roadtrip, the scarf that I finished while watching a whole season of Carnivale on DVD, the sweater I finished during a blizzard… and the pair of socks that traveled with me… [...]
[...] Six months ago this was a near-perfect fit… no so much anymore. [...]