When the Yarn Fights Back

I am so grumpy.  My Pretty Purple Owls Sweater project has battled me again.  This is my second time making the Owls sweater, so you would think it would go nice and easy.  But no.  First it was the sizing problem due to my lack of gauging and excitement to start without doing proper measurements.  Now, I just finished solving another crisis.  At the underarms, the pattern calls for putting 4 stitches aside on each arm and on each side of the body.  In my excitement to get the arms attached, I skipped one of those sets of stitches on an arm.  And I didn't realize that until I was 4 rows past it, and just starting the Owls chart.  Instead of moving on to the nifty part I had been waiting for, I spent my day tinking back and undoing my mistake.  So far with this project, I've learned two valuable lessons.  1.  Gauge.  I need to check it.  At the very least I need to pay closer attention to it on larger projects.  Hats, cowls, and smaller things, I'm entirely OK with ripping out and re-doing.  But large garments are an different story.  And 2.  I need to pay more attention at pattern transitions, and maybe not work on complicated bits around midnight.  But despite all these issues, it is so far coming along nicely, as you can see.

Sleeves added, this time with all of the underarm stitches in proper places.

Finally mastered the Two-at-a-time Magic Loop method.  Did both sleeves simultaneously!

In better news, I finished my Traveling Woman Shawl!  After a little over a month of efforts, it is finally off the needles!  I only had one minor crisis with this project.  While blocking it, I stretched out the fabric near one end and realized a stitch had slipped off and was not included in the bind-off.  It was now threatening to pop out and undo even more stitches.  I was able to use a piece of scrap yarn left over to loop the stitch back through a few loops and then tightly secure it.  I can only find the mistake spot by finding the yarn ends that had to be weaved in from it.  I'm so thrilled it is done, and it is light enough that it can even get some summer use.  I'm going to Washington state at the end of the month, so it will definitely get some use there.  Here it is!

Depending on the light, it will show up more blueish than purple.  I love that the colors seem to shift around!

It has about a 5'6" wingspan.

Such a cozy little shawl!  It will also work as a winter scarf if it's wrapped around a few times.

I also have a few little projects I'm starting up.  Because I obviously need half a dozen things to work on simultaneously...right?  My excuse is that since I'll be on vacation for a week, I need multiple things to work on while on the plane, in the car, or sitting around talking with family.  And I need variety so I don't get bored.  The first thing I have is the Reindeer Tracks Cowl in Misti Alpaca Baby Me Boo, an alpaca/merino/bamboo blend yarn.  It is soo soft, and it is very colorful as well.  I've never used yarn that has varied thickness, so it is taking a bit of getting used to.  But overall I like it.  Here's my progress so far.  All of five rows in.

Love love love the colors!

I'm also starting yet another stretchy Grrlfriend Market Bag.  This one will be a gift for my Mother-in-Law's birthday coming up next month.  They are so simple to make, but are super handy to have.  This will be my 6th one!

The solid orange/red will be for the bottom, top border, and the handle.  The multicolor will be for the stretchy body of the bag.

That's about it for my current knitting updates.  Are there any knitting/crafting related things you would like to read about?  Or questions you want answered?  Techniques to be demonstrated?  Cat outfits to be designed for and modeled by our beasts?  Let me know and I can include them on future posts!