KnitMe

Sailors Rib

I love it when this happens - two major projects that have been going on for months get done at almost the same time. Do you know what that MEANS??? It means I can start two new things at once. Heaven!

Here is the second finished product of the past week.

The pattern is designed by Nancy Bush and can be found in the Best of Knitters Arans and Celtics book. It's a well written pattern and a design that is beautiful without being over-elaborate for a guy to wear. I made the largest size, which measures approximately 46 inches around, and used 9 or 10 balls of Galway (can't tell which until I go back to the stash and see how many are left). The pattern was simple enough to be quickly memorized, so I was able to knit on this at traffic lights, at lunchtime, during Emily's baths, while playing Emily's version of hide-and-seek, anywhere and everywhere.

The main center pattern consists of an OXO cable, with a 3-stitch baby cable and a 6-stitch rope cable on each side.

On either side of the center pattern is a sort of basketweave/rib cross that's quite attractive.

In addition to the nice collar finishing I picked up from Vanessa and wrote about previously, I also decided it was time I learned to do proper seams, so with coaching and moral support from Angela and Vanessa I tried mattress stitch for the side and sleeve seams and for setting in the sleeves. I'm sure it isn't as good as it could be, but it's way better than any other finishing job I ever did.

This is the side seam:

This is the sleeve seam - isn't it cool how the increases match so nicely when you can see your seaming as you do it?

I'm inordinately proud of this because it's probably the closest to perfect of anything I've ever knitted. Not that it doesn't have a couple of small flaws - but there are no out-and-out mistakes (the pattern was simple enough that I could catch them within a couple of rows and correct them without ripping), and the finishing is the best I've ever done. Knitting something for a gift is a real spur to perfectionism!

Vital statistics: Plymouth Galway, size 6 needles, started February 22nd and completed May 24th, for a birthday the first weekend in June...ssh don't tell...

Now, I think I will be casting on for the lace cardigan from Dale 109, and also for Siberian Winter. Both of these are Fibertraditions knit-alongs - people are doing a variety of lace cardigans, and people are doing a variety of shawls in garnet laceweight yarn from Lisa Souza. Both of these will be LONG projects so it's a good thing that I have the Wool Peddlers shawl now as my work knitting and should have some progress to show on that one in short order.

Posted by Prudence at May 26, 2004 11:16 AM