hourglass knitalong

2nd Hourglass

2006-07-13T08:39:00.000-07:00

I loved this sweater so much, I'm knitting one for my step-mother. I'm still knitting the body of the sweater so the pictures aren't too exciting yet. I'm knitting this sweater with Blue Sky Alpaca cotton yarn. I love this stuff, it's soft and thick, but not too thick. The yarn color is 606 Shell, which my step-mom loves. I've knit this sweater before (see the Cast Off album) so it's knitting up quickly. I'm skipping the hems on this sweater so the edges will roll up instead of be flat and square.

Lisa

Another Finished HG

2006-07-06T10:30:00.000-07:00

I've been meaning to post this for awhile. I finished up my hourglass sweater several months ago, and got to wear it a couple of times before summer kicked in. I used Noro Cash Iroha #84, and I loved the pattern and the yarn. I will definitely be making this sweater again, but probably with a different yarn.

Time for a break?

2006-06-21T09:50:00.000-07:00

There have been no new posts on the knitalong for quite a while now - I'm guessing most of us are happily wearing our completed Hourglasses and have moved on to other things. Therefore I am proposing that we close the knitalong.

We can keep the blog up as a reference for others, but not allow any new posts or any new members. What do other people think?

Fin!

2006-04-06T11:38:00.000-07:00

Wahoo! My Hourglass Sweater is finally finished!

Sadly, the neck does feel like it’s going to stretch and fall off my shoulders. I can’t complain — I was warned by many a knitter to knit a few extra rows to make the neck smaller, but when I tried it on, it just didn’t feel as wide as it did once I’d finished. Any advice for how to keep the neck a smaller size without frogging and adding rows? I wove a thread through it, but I’m not sure how much that’ll help.

Cross posted here.

Two-Thirds or One-Half?

2006-03-02T08:20:00.000-08:00

Hi! My name is Emily, and I've been working on the hourglass sweater for the Knitting Olympics too. I didn't finish it, but got pretty far:

So my question to you is, do you think I'm 2/3 of the way finished? Or more like 1/2 way? Because if I'm 2/3 finished then I will qualify for a silver metal. Either way I love this sweater and can't wait to wear it. Thanks for all of your discussions of the pattern on this blog. They have been helpful.

Did I forget to show you my progress???

2006-02-20T12:43:00.000-08:00

I am knitting with Elisabeth Lavold Silky Wool and as much as I think I will like the end product, I am not exactly fond of the yarn. I find that I am plucking out lots of vegetable matter or something and it is quite annoying. Also, I had to go up a needle size to get gauge for this sweater and I won't be sure of the fabric until I wear it in my chilly house :) I am not using a 12 inch circular needle, I am doing the magic loop method and knitting both sleeves at the same time. If you have any questions, please email me at: knittinpal@gmail.com or visit my blog at http://purlsofhope.blogspot.com

Good luck everyone!

blogging for dummies

2006-02-17T21:09:00.000-08:00

hey there,

this isn't exactly a swetaer-related post, but... i'd like to put the "hourlgass knit-alog" button on my blog, but try as i might i can't find info in the help section. could someone point me in the right direction, or if it's easy, to walk me though it?

thanks so much = )

laura

Major Modification Time

2006-02-16T08:32:00.000-08:00

Okay, let's suppose that I'm a glutton for punishment and I'm about to majorly modify an hourglass sweater for my 4 yo niece. Would you do it? Here's what I want to do:
1. add a cable up the center of each sleeve, two in the front, and one on the hood.
2. add a hood.
3. steek it (which I've never done) and add a zipper in the middle, in between the two front cables.

Would you do it? Should I? I guess I'd need to take out the decrease/increase part since she's obviously not curvy.
I don't mind using another pattern, but I can't find one with all the right components, and I'm not good enough to write my own pattern from scratch. Any advice?
I'm using the indentical-to-Malabrigo worsted merino from eBay that I used for my own hourglass, so I'll have to really knock down the number of stitches in the whole pattern for a 4 yo. Yikes. This is getting more involved as I type! LOL Anybody know of a child's pattern that would save me all this grief???

It's almost time, it's almost time!

2006-02-10T09:00:00.000-08:00

I am knitting my HGS for the Knitting Olympics! I am making my of Elisabeth Lavold's Silky Wool...pictures after Caston!

Me too!

2006-02-06T17:30:00.000-08:00

I joined the KAL after I'd already started, but I've been reading along with everyone's progress for a while now and it's been very helpful! I finished mine this weekend using Debbie Bliss Cathay.

More notes on my blog

P.S. I have to recommend this tutorial--great for the bottom hem!

Another one Done!

2006-01-31T05:10:00.000-08:00

It fits perfectly! I used Berroco Pleasure and some Patons classic for the contrast. I did a crochet edge neck - I wanted something less bulky. I may make another! More details on my blog.

FO Report!

2006-01-18T07:44:00.000-08:00

FO Report: Hourglass sweater
Yarn: One enormous hank of Interlacements Dyer's Choice (about 1350 yards), part wool, part silk
Needle Size: US 7
Gauge: 19 sts = 4"
Date Completed: Jan 2006
Recipient: Moi

More ad nauseum chatting about the project on my blog! Thanks for letting me peer over your shoulders along the way ...

It's Done!

2006-01-17T09:19:00.000-08:00

It's finished and I love it! My gauge was off so I didn't have to adjust the neckline at all but I think it fits nicely. I learned a few things making this sweater. I learned the kitchener stitch, how to knit in the round and how to hem down live stitches. I also learned that sleeves are killer! They seem to take longer than the body. Even though the yarn is 100% alpaca, it itches a little so I'll have to layer a tee underneath. I still think that I will get a ton of wear out of this sweater.

First Sweater Finished for 2006

2006-01-16T20:14:00.000-08:00

Please, ignore the sheep pj's. It's 8pm, I'm dressed for slumberland and the Golden Globe Awards. (giggle)

It's done. I love the feel of it, the cotton blend. It's a bulky yarn, so I had to adapt the gauge I was knitting at to the pattern. I was knitting at about 3.5 sts/inch.

The one thing I changed was the neck. I did a rollneck instead of a hemmed one. I read all the postings on the Hourglass KAL blog and the majority was saying the neck was coming out too big. This sweater is for relaxing weekends at home, hanging in the house or on the deck on a cool spring/summer night.

Yarn: Gedifra Luisa, 55% Cotton - 45% Acrylic
Skeins used: 14 skeins at 60 meters per skein
Started: December 19, 2005
Completed: January 16, 2006

2006-01-14T17:39:00.000-08:00

I'm at the home stretch!

I'm debating whether to do the neckline in the contrasting natural color. What do people think?

Can't wait to block and wear it!

I Can See the Light!

2006-01-12T20:01:00.000-08:00

All I have left is to hem it. I'm putting it off cause I'm not sure that I understand exactly what to do. I might go over to Purl this weekend to get a little guidance. Hopefully the next time you see this, I'll have it on and hopefully it will be soon!

Sleeve progress

2006-01-10T14:59:00.000-08:00

I've made some progress on the two sleeves on two circular (actually I've done about 4 more inches since this pic was taken)

The yarn is rather slippery on the needles (Addi Turbos) but it's going well. Here are the modifications I'm making to create 3/4 length sleeves:

Start sleeves with the first Decrease Round (I cast on 54 stitches). I knit 5 rounds, then did 1 purl round. Then I knit 18 rounds before doing the decrease round. I plan on knitting until the piece measures 8.5 inches before starting the increase. I will then follow the directions as is until the sleeves meastures about 13 inches.

I hope it works out ok! I'll keep you guys updated.

Finally done!

2006-01-09T10:26:00.000-08:00

After many months of starting and stopping and swatching and washing, I finally got my hourglass sweater finished! I love it and already want to make another. Too bad I can't afford any more cash iroha.

More details on my blog

Sleeves are Attached!

2006-01-09T06:32:00.000-08:00

I'm making progress too - I would like to be done this week! Here is what I finished last night - attaching the 2nd sleeve, and doing that first even round. On to the yoke tonight! More details on my blog.

Making progress

2006-01-08T20:36:00.000-08:00

Slow going, but getting there. I love the feel of this yarn...the drape. Getting done before Spring so I can wear it would be a good thing. Not a take-a-long project as it seems to be getting heavier...will keep next to my knitting chair for evening knitting.

Also a new HGS knitter...

2006-01-04T19:44:00.000-08:00

Just about done with my first HGS and just joined. Started this about Dec. 18th, frogged a week later and now I am in the yoke area at this time, had to put it down for a few days to read a bit. I have read all the archive posts and have learned to keep an eye on my neck area...so I will pay extra attention to make sure it's not to "open" for me. I will post a pic soon.

http://baabonnybelle.blogspot.com

Just joined

2006-01-04T13:52:00.000-08:00

Hello, I just joined the KAL. My blog is here:
http://mimsie.typepad.com/knitting

I will post updates on my Hourglass here in the future. I'm using Peruvian Alpaca in Light Gray Heather with some Natural for the edges. I'm also altering the pattern slightly to make 3/4 length sleeves. I've done most of the body and I'm currently working on the sleeves (both at the same time on a pair of circulars). Despite the mind-numbing stockinette, I agree with everyone here that it's going quite fast!

My First full-length sweater

2006-01-04T10:14:00.000-08:00

The yarn I'm using is 100% alpaca Puno by Filatura Lanaroto that I picked up at the Smiley's yarn riot in Manhattan last month. I think I will need some hand holding when I get to the hemming. I've read that part over several times and I still don't quite understand what I'm supposed to do. Other than that, it's going well and I can't wait to wear it! I'm off to start the second sleeve right now.

Does the Noro Cash Iroha pill?

2005-12-09T11:20:00.000-08:00

I'm finding that my beloved sweater is pilling. Anyone else having this problem, and if so, what are you doing about it?

Barbara

http://knittingonfire.blogspot.com

Some Progress Pics

2005-12-06T06:44:00.000-08:00

I have a good chunk of the body done (up to the last increase) and am kind of loving/hating all this stockinette! It is nice for TV knitting - mindless - but kind of boring too, so I started some socks also to keep me busy! I used a contrasting color (leftover Patons Classic Merino) for the hem and will do the same for the sleeves and neck.....