FO: Desperation Tea Cosy

I started the second sleeve of my Henley Perfected, and just as I was finishing the 60th row of stockinette, I realized that I hadn't switched to the larger needle when I was supposed to, some 55 rows back. Ugh. There's been a lot of knitting going on in the past few weeks, and very little of it has been retained.

So I figured I needed a small, quick project to refocus my mind and hopefully shake off the bout of bad knitting that's been plaguing me this month. Here's my aptly named Desperation Tea Cosy:



Project: Cashmere Tea Cozy, from Last Minute Knitted Gifts

Yarn: Elann Peruvian Highland Wool, grape, 1.4 skeins

Needle: 5.0 mm bamboo straight

It hasn't seen action yet, but I imagine it will function just fine as a tea cozy. It could easily do double duty as a beanie too; I stuck it on my head for fun, and aside from the dorkiness of the gathered ends, it fits very well!

So simple, yet so easily confused

I've been knitting away at the sleeve cap on my Henley Perfected, a few rows a day over the past week, and getting progressively concerned over the size of the cap. Self, I say, there is absolutely something wrong. This sleeve cap is nearly the length of the damn sleeve. I must have read and re-read those pattern instructions 14 or 15 times, and it was only on the last read-through that I actually got it right. I'm too irritated with myself to post what I read versus what is actually written; suffice it to say, I ripped back SIXTY ROWS tonight and reknit the sleeve cap.



I'm glad I've gotten all of this practice on the sleeve, because even though it's a very simple leaf lace pattern, I've still managed to royally screw it up in at least two places.

Cast on: Henley Perfected

I've been looking for a relatively loose pullover to wear over a camisole with jeans, and I think I've found it: Henley Perfected from the Winter 2007 edition of Interweave Knits.



I was reasonably sure that I would get gauge with the yarn and the needle, so I started with a sleeve. That way, I could measure after 3 or 4 inches of knitting, ensure that I was on the right track, and not spend any precious knitting time on a gauge swatch. Luckily my very small gamble has paid off; my unwashed gauge is spot on, and this is a superwash wool that shouldn't shrink or grow significantly.

The yarn is Lorna's Laces Shepherd Sport in a semi-solid cranberry. I'm knitting the 39" size, which should give me about 2" of positive ease at the bust, and I'll have to make adjustments for a smaller waist and hip measurement.

Hopefully I can get it done before summer hits. I think this will be a good three-season garment, and it would be nice to be able to wear it a few times before the fall.

FO: Kaylee Blue

Project: Kaylee by Monkey Toes (pattern not currently available)

Yarn: Opal 6-ply, shades of blue

Needle: 2.25 mm (US size 1) 32" fixed circular

I knit 12 pattern repeats in total, and went with 12 rows of 2x2 ribbing for the cuff. On the first sock I bound off in the ribbing pattern, and the second sock was a sewn bind-off. I have trouble getting the first sock on, so the stretchier sewn bind-off is definitely the better choice for me.

These are super comfy socks with a bit of heft to them, and the lace provides some ventilation without sacrificing any warmth. I really like the pairing of the self-patterning yarn with the simple lace.