Made it!

Yesterday saw me complete the February Lady Sweater for my Olympic challenge - I knew I wanted something that would come to top hip length - the challenges were to see if I had enough yarn and how much the pattern would grow when I washed it.

I enjoy knitting lace but Gull Lace makes my wrists hurt and after a arthritis flare in the middle of the games I knew it would be touch and go to see if I could make it.

The yarn I was using was from a cone and still had a lot of grease in it, the smell was very strong and I found I could only knit it in short bursts or sitting outdoors (you get some funny looks knitting outside in February in the UK!)

Its been washed and rinsed at least 5 times and the yarn now feels much softer. As soon as it's dry I'll take photos. I'm happy with the hand made buttons that I bought at Brighton and the fact that I've added more button holes. I think I may even have achieved the desired length - can't wait to try it on.

I'd rashly promised I would also enter the Ravelympics WIP Wrestling and stated I would complete Damson - not the original version but one enlarged by using Aran weight yarn. It seemed like a good idea when I started it in August but I couldn't face working on it after Kate died and it's been languishing in the pile ever since.

As this was my project for Team I Knit I worked on it on Thursdays (knit night) and wouldn't allow myself to do any more until I finished the FLS. In all of my calculations the thing I had forgotten was how much larger it would be and how never-ending those last rows would feel. I scraped in under the finish line just before midnight on Sunday.

This one still needs washing and blocking but will have to wait until the sweater is dry.

What's next on the needles? Some plain and simple, mindless garter stitch to sooth my frazzled nerves - I do not like knitting to deadlines!!!

Posted by Yvonne at March 1, 2010 11:42 PM