Nothing on the Calendar

I love this kind of day! Every morning I sit down with my little steno notebook to list out the stuff I've got to do, which includes reminding myself of the appointments listed on the calendar. But the day is blank! Yippee! Why is it that having just one single item with a time attached to it can cause so much worry? You know the thinking: I can't go do XYZ at 10:00 because I need to be ABC at 11:30. I'm making my plans now...

Neck Shaping

I've reached the point in the Curry Sweater where I've got to start thinking about the neck shaping (disclaimer: I had actually decided on the general shaping when I set the armhole steeks--you really can't put it off by the time you get to the arm pits! But I hadn't worked out the details). J wants a conservative crew neck. So I measured his favorite undershirt to get the width of the back neck measurement and the depth of the neck hole measurement. I measured from the seam where the hem meets the garment (because I will be adding an equally deep border around the neck) and determined that 8" wide by 3.5" drop would suit him well.

Here's the high tech way I make my calculations:

(You might notice that I intend to use the Shoulder Shaping in the Round on this sweater, which shifts some calculations a bit. One advantage to this shaping is that you don't need to create as large an armhole as a normal drop-shoulder sweater would require.)

Here's my little trick for setting up for just about any kind of shaping. I may have mentioned (whined?) before that I do not enjoy measuring or counting while I am knitting. And I really dislike carting around a pattern. OK, I guess it's true that I rather harp on the subject. So here's what I do to make my knitting more portable, thoughtless, and pattern free:

First, I calculate the shaping requirements. In this case the base of the neck will be 5" wide and I will decrease 1.5" on either side. The first .75" will be decreased every row; the second .75" will be a more moderate every-other-row decrease.

Step two: Multiply all these numbers by your gauge.

Step three: Mark the front center stitch.

Step four: Place markers on either side of the base stitches.

Step five: On the right side only of the neck base stitches, place markers at .75" and 1.5" from the base stitches.

Step six: Knit along merrily. Put your base stitches on a string holder and establish your steek. For the next rounds just keep decreasing one on either side of the base until you reach your first marker. When that happens, remove the marker and start decreasing every other round--until you reach the second marker! You see, it's so easy--no pushing your glasses down your nose to peer at those stitches to try to count them, no carting around a piece of paper and a pencil, which are NEVER at hand when you want to mark that you've decreased, no trying to remember if you intended to decrease 7 or 8. At this point, you can measure to make sure your calculations worked out as well in reality as they did on paper, but this method has never failed me.

I'm moving as quickly as I can so I can document the crocheted steek...

Shadow News

Shadow is feeling very under the weather these days--in fact, he is now wearing a post-apocalyptic plastic neckpiece/fashion statement in an attempt to keep him from chewing his legs and tail off, poor fellow. Here he is (pre-collar), hiding under my desk in his preferred not-feeling-so-hot position.

But we have a perky addition to the family:

I have got to warn any fledgling spinners out there--do not, under any circumstances, try out a high-quality, double-treadle spinning wheel when you have been getting along pretty well with something you bought second-hand from a friend. Trust me. The feelings of envy, entitlement, and lust will quickly eat away at your soul until you must give in.

Learn from my story.

Comments

[marti]

i hope shadow is feeling better, but he sure looks cute anyway!

[Deb]

But it's such a PRETTY wheel! I do love the way those Schachts look. . .

[Katie]

Yeah, baby! beautiful new Schacht!!

[Lori]

ooh a Schacht, I love mine, and I tried about 7 or 8 different wheels before I decided.

[Rose]

I hope your Shadow feels better soon. I just got a Schacht DT too. I love it. Had to have it. Great wheel and I tried everyone I could get my hands on and that was just my wheel. I swear it spoke to me.

[Greg]

I've decided that Janine really is my twin sister. A knitting fiend and now three spinning wheels.

[June]

Shoot, I must have missed when you discussed this. Are you making set in sleeves knit in the round? Knowing you, it can't just be cutting the armscye out of a straight tube. Please, where can I find out more?

I learn so much from you - keep it up! Thank you!

[Aarlene]

Gosh, you're so SMAHT! I hate being pattern dependent too but I can never remember what I think I will remember if I don't haul the pattern around with me. And hauling it around greatly increases the risks it will be lost or tore up.
All I know is something bugs me and then I come here and you show me how to keep it from doing that.
Whoo hooo!

[Laurie]

All I can see learning from that picture is how desirable that object of affection can be.

[Rachael]

Pretty, pretty baby... oh, little Schacht, don't you want to come over and play? And oh, little Shadow, poor thing. Kisses to his head from me.

[Aarlene]

Over on KBTH there's been talk, (LOL I've always wanted to say that to someone) about your shoulder shaping. Pictures of SSIP would be helpful so I was wondering if we could get anyone to take some of their next shoulder shaping. Or if someone already has and would like to share?
If not I might have climb over MT UFO to do a vest for this.

[Cathy]

Poor Shadow - I hope he feels better soon. Okay, I missed what your other spinning wheel(s) are... so spill it. And am paying close attention to your shoulder shaping. Not that I am shaping any shoulders, you understand, but when I do, I know where to come for enlightenment.