The pattern, called Incan Pullover, is from Knit Simple magazines Spring/Summer 2008 issue. The designer, Cathy Carron, is known for her top-down designs.  There are two versions of the sweater in the magazine.  The first, pattern #10,  is made using cotton yarn and the second, pattern #11,  is made using a worsted weight yarn.  I used pattern #11 and made the sweater in size Large.

The sweater was made using 7 skeins of purple and 3 skeins of cream yarns.  I admit I didn't do a gauge swatch prior to starting the project and knit the sweater using size 0 40" circular needles. The result is a sweater that looks and feels more like a poncho than an actual pullover sweater.  The lack of waist shaping causes the sweater to ride up across my shoulders and towards the front of my body as I move.  I find myself having to re-adjust the sweater towards the back of my body.  These problems could be due to my knitting in the wrong gauge or using silk yarn rather than the required worsted weight yarn.  If I made this sweater again I would make it in a size Medium. 

The sweater was meant to be wore in the late spring.  However, I underestimated the amount of time it would take to work on the pullover.  I started knitting the sweater in early May while vacationing in Washington, DC and didn't finish the sweater until I got back from my summer vacation in Martha's Vineyard in early August. 

This project couldn't hold my attention.  Since I was also working on more challenging projects along with this one, it was often put to the side.  In addition, I was growing bored with continuously knitting in the round.

Once I finished knitting the sweater, I still had to sew up the seams and weave in all the strands of yarn used while knitting in intarsia around the placket, sleeves, and sides of the front and back.  It was a daunting task that I avoided as much as possible. 

Nevertheless, as the cooler temperatures appoached, I realized that this pullover is perfect to wear with a pair of jeans on the weekends. I decided to dedicate my time to finishing the seams and weaving in the ends.  I love it because it is casual and easy to wear. 

 You're the best, Lydia!

I decided to make Grumperina's Jaywalker pattern my first "challenging" pattern because the finished socks appear more complicated to knit than they actually are. In fact, it's actually quite similar to knitting a basic pair of socks. The first round is knit and the second round uses double decreasing (DD) and knitting through the front and back stitches (K-f/b) in order to increase and decrease stitches at various intervals throughout the round. The two rounds are repeated and eventually create an interesting zigzag pattern.

I purchased one skein of variegated Noro sock yarn at The Point in New York City to make the socks. I really enjoyed knitting the zigzag pattern. I loved seeing how it evolved using variegated yarn. Since it was such an easy pattern to remember, I worked on the socks while traveling to and from work.

As I was knitting, I started thinking about how the pattern would look if it were knit continuously in the round as a skirt for Lydia. I eventually put the socks to the side and decided to try my luck instead at a Jaywalker skirt for Lydia. I used a stash of red Louet Gem Sport Weight yarn for the skirt. I picked this yarn because it is machine washable and had been sitting in my yarn basket for over a year.

Since the skirt was an experiment I decided to cast on 128 stitches using size 0 circular needles. I worked straight in K2, P2 for 1". I then purled all the stitches on the following row. This purl row formed a turning ridge for the waistband elastic casing that would be sewn in later.  I placed a marker at the end of the next row and joined in the round. I knit another K2, P2 for 1".

At this point, I started the Jaywalker zigzag pattern.  I knit all the stitches for Round 1.  For Round 2, since I cast on more stitches than required for the sock pattern, I knit 13 stitches between the K-f/b and the DD. As a result, Round 2 looked like this -- K2, K-f/b, K13, DD, K13, K-f/b.  I repeated Round 2 four times around. 

About 2" from the K2, P2 ribbing, I switched to size 1 needles.  I continued increasing needle sizes every 1 1/2-to-2" in order to get the skirt to gradually widen to an A-line shape.  The last set of needles I used were a size 5. I cast off on Round 1.

I sewed the ribbing section down on the reverse side of the skirt.  I placed a 1" elastic band inside the waistband casing.   I blocked the sweater to measure 11" in length and 9" in width at the center-most point of the skirt.  I wound up using about 3/4 skein of yarn for the project.    

Overall, it is a lovely skirt and I am surprised at how nicely it turned out.  The main problem is that it is too small for Lydia in the waist.  I think it would have fit her when she was a year old, not now that she's almost two.  The next time I make the skirt I will cast on more stitches and make the ribbing at least 2" longer.  I had a difficult time getting the 1" elastic band inside the waistband casing.  In addition, I will use larger size needles immediately after working the ribbing section in order to widen the hip area of the skirt.

I got the correct gauge of 16 stitches and 22 rows for a 4" square using size 3 knitting needles.  I checked for pattern erratas prior to starting the project and found one issue involving binding off stitches at the very end of the sleeve cap shaping. However, this errata had nothing to do with the actual width of the sleeve. So I couldn't understand what happened. 

When a project doesn't come out the way I had hoped, I usually blame myself.  I assume it didn't turn out well because I didn't use the yarn the pattern called for, I didn't do a gauge swatch, or I didn't read the directions thoroughly.  However, with the Canopy Cardigan, I did everything right, though I did use a different yarn than the pattern called for. The pattern called for Ornaghi Filati Tibet wool. I used Paton Tweed yarn instead. It never occured to me that the project itself may be flawed. 

I knitted the body of the sweater in size 46" and it turned out nicely. I expected the sleeves, using the same sizing, to be correct as well. But unfortunately, they are not, which I learned the hard way,  Now I am going to have to re-do the sleeve in the next size up, which is size 50". Naturally, this does nothing for my vanity, having to go up another size.

I'm frustrated by the problem, and still do not understand why it happened.  I even considered contacting the designer, but didn't want her to be insulted by my questions.  I really want the cardigan to turn out well. I even bought a new pair of pants to wear with it. I will start working on the new sleeve very soon, and hope to wear the cardigan before the weather gets too warm.

To alleviate my miserable mood, I started making some Spring/Summer outfits for my daughter Lydia. The first outfit is this Monica ruffled tank top by Christine Schwender I found on Knitty. I used two skeins of Lion Brand Cotton-Ease yarn in the colors azalia and pink.  I knit the first three rows of the body of the sweater as well as the bottom and top portions of the ruffles in moss stitch. I then knit the rest of the tank top in stockinette stitch.  Although other knitters on Ravelry made the Monica pattern in the round using circular needles, I chose to work the front and back separately and seam the two sides together at the end.  The finishing work involved in sewing the front and back together, including the ruffles, was minimal.    

Knitting the tank top in the bright-colored yarn definitely cheered me up. It was fun thinking about how Lydia would look in the ruffled top.  I even learned how to use three needles at the same time when I had to attach the pink ruffles to the body of the top. 

The top was very easy.  I was able to make it while commuting to and from work on the train.  I finished the project in one week.  The only issue I have with the pattern is that the straps are too long. The top keeps falling farther and farther down Lydia's chest the more she moves around in it.  I will need to shorten the straps by hand-sewing them up higher along the back of the sweater.     

My next Spring/Summer projects will be a cotton hat and skirt for Lydia and a tunic top for myself.   

The pattern is made from the top-down, which I love.  I used five skeins of Alchemy Temple yarn in a color called Hush. It's knit in two pieces.

I modified the pattern a bit because I found the directions confusing at times.  They had been translated from Danish to English. Also, no graph was provided, which made it difficult to incorporate additional stitches in-between the lace pattern.  I unraveled the pattern several times and re-started when the lace was not lining up correctly.

I was unraveling the project for the last time when I came to the yoke section, which was worked in garter stitch.  I remembered that with the February Baby Sweater I increased stitches using "Make 1" throughout the yoke section while knitting garter stitch rows.  I decided to do the same with Lydia's dress.  I picked up the stitches I hadn't unraveled and continued working the garter stitch rows.  I increased stitches at various points until I had the 83 needed to complete the back which also worked for the front.  I was then able to work the lace pattern throughout the dress.   

Despite the initial frustrations, this was definitely a fun project to work on. The eight stitch lace pattern was easy to remember which made it ideal to work on while commuting to and from work. 

The vest I'm designing is still in the preliminary stages.  I've made sketches and jotted down ideas, but haven't really started testing it yet with yarn and needles. I'm a little nervous about jumping into the realm of knitting design.  In the past, knitting was just a hobby, something I worked on from time-to-time. However, as my skills improve and I learn new techniques, I feel the designer in me starting to emerge.

The toddler vest I am creating will be seamless, easy, and fast. The pattern will be worked sideways in one-piece rather than from the bottom-up or top-down like most patterns.  Knitters will cast on at the right front edge and work around to the back and eventually bind off at the left front edge. The pattern will be made using reverse stockinette stitch.

Elizabeth Zimmermann's Knitter's Almanac and Shawls and Scarves: The Best of Knitter's Magazine were the first books to inspire me to design. Using Zimmermann's instructions as a guide, I expanded on her ideas and suggestions to create my own toddler version of the February Baby Sweater and a blanket based on the July Pi Shawl pattern.  The blanket is still a work in progress. 

Like every knitter, I look forward to starting projects.  There are so many choices in terms of yarns, patterns, and designs on the internet, knitting magazines, and in books.  As a result, I often start projects but cannot quite finish them. I once tried to knit a blanket, pants for Lydia, Norwegian mittens, a pullover sweater, and a cabled hat simultaneously.  I would knit a few rows of one project, put it down, then knit a few rows of another, and then switch again.  As expected, I never made any real progress.

This Koolhas Hat for my husband Walter is almost done.  I'm at the point where I should start decreasing stitches at the crown.  I haven't finished because I decided to knit the My So-Called Scarf and the February Lady Sweater for my sister and aunt.

For this Green Gable sweater tee by Zephyr Style, all I need to do is finish the right sleeve.  However, the project is still sitting in my knitting bag because I decided to make Mason-Dixon Knitting's Blu jeans for Lydia instead.   

I recall being so excited about knitting this top-down Custom-Fit Raglan Sweater for Lydia. I was able to use any weight of yarn and design my own sweater using the fill-in-the-blank sheet designer Pamela Costello provided.  I am almost finished the body of the sweater and just need to knit the sleeves. This pattern was too easy.  It involved knitting stockinette stitch in the round with some increases and decreases of stitches at various points.  I think I was getting bored with the pattern and something more challenging appealed to me.

For these Elizabeth Zimmermann Norwegian mittens, I began right before I was scheduled to leave on a trip to Atlanta. By the time I got back, I didn't feel like working on the project anymore.  I found them to be too time-consuming.   

I started these Norwegian socks, also by Elizabeth Zimmermann, in January 2007.  This was the first time I ever made Norwegian socks, and judging from the first finished sock, I can see why I didn't finish the second one. It didn't turn out very well.  I remember having problems figuring out how to decrease and at the same time continue the design while using double pointed needles.

There were some knitting projects that I could tell after working on them for a few rows that I wasn't going to finish them.  For example, I chose Justine Turner's Bella dress for Lydia because it reminded me of patchwork quilting, which I enjoy.  However, after changing yarns at various points in the pattern, I realized I was not going to have the patience to complete the dress. 

I often feel guilty seeing these unfinished projects lying in a basket or a plastic bin. I had such high hopes when I started working on them. In time, I'm sure I will return to some them with much of the same enthusiasm I had when I first started. The nice thing about creating something is that there are no deadlines.  You don't have to finish a project until you want to. The yarn, the needles, and the pattern will be there for you when you are ready.  

I thought it would be fitting to post my recently completed Barack Obama intarsia pattern on President's Day. This was my first time knitting an intarsia design and it took about 3 months to finish.  As I mentioned previously, it was challenging since it was so time-consuming.  However, it was well worth the effort because I think it turned out beautifully. I plan to frame it and hang it in our living room.

As I was working on this project, based on Shepard Fairey's famous 2008 campaign poster, I wanted to know more about the artist and what inspired him. I found out that Fairey was born in Charleston, South Carolina in 1970 and currently works and resides in Los Angeles, CA. He is known for his guerrilla-style artwork in which he places his posters and stickers on buildings and signs. 

As a way to show his endorsement of the Obama campaign through his art, Fairey used this April 2006 photo of Obama during his Senatorial campaign. The photo was taken by Mannie Garcia while on assignment for The Associated Press.

There has been a bit of controversy surrounding the artwork. In January 2009, The Associated Press claimed they own the photo and its use required permission. The AP has demanded payment from Fairey for the use of their photo.  However, The New York Times reported that the following month Fairley filed a lawsuit against the AP claiming protection under" the fair-use exceptions to copyright law, which allow limited use of copyrighted materials for purposes like criticism or comment."  Lawyers for both sides are in discussions seeking an agreement. It will be interesting to see what happens since this iconic image symbolized Obama's historic campaign.

I found a great website called Obamicon.me where you can create images similar to Shepard Fairey's poster using your webcam or uploading photos for free. Here is a picture of then Senator Obama converted using the site. You can place any text you choose at the bottom of the image.

Another great site is Knit Pro which converts your digital images to PDF graph charts which can be used for your needlepoint, knitting, and cross-stitch projects. 

The following month, while scanning Ravelry patterns, I came across Amy King's Canopy Cardigan. I noticed that another Ravelry knitter had used the the same brown Paton Shetland Tweed yarn to make the cardigan and it turned out beautifully. I decided to make the cardigan too. I'm at the half way point in the project.

What I find interesting about the pattern is its construction. Rather than knit the left and right fronts and the back and sleeves separately, the left front and entire back are knit in one piece, and the right front is knit separately and then sewn to the back using Kitchener stitch. In addition, there is a easy leaf motif pattern along the front and sleeves of the sweater. Here is how it looks so far.

Although the pattern suggested using Ornaghi Filati Tibet yarn, I got the correct gauge using size 3 needles. I enjoy working on this sweater and look forward to wearing it. I will post my progress on the cardigan as I go along.  

 This is the Canopy Cardigan pattern from Knitscene's Fall 2008 magazine.